To my two new and loyal followers, my mini-minions...I ask you to pass this post on to all you know. It is of dire thoughts. Thank you for being here.
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I remember my 50th birthday. My wife (11 years my junior, I didn't rob the cradle so shut up!) arranged a nice surprise party at a restaurant with all my friends and co-workers (probably 50 people in all...how ironic huh?). It was a great time and I didn't even get too drunk since I was playing golf the next morning early.
I was not really affected by this reportedly "huge" milestone in ones life because I still was like 30 years old mentally. No real big aches or pains. No forgetting where I had put my car keys. Just another birthday with cake and friends to help celebrate.
In June of this year that will have been 4 years ago. It seems like just last year. Blink of an eye fast it goes. I think it took 10 years to get from 18 to 21...now every week is like a trip on the bullet train...whooooosh and it's gone. It is now almost the end of March and it seems like New Year's day was just over.
Even today my mind is child-like, trapped in an aging shell. Not 12 year old child-like, well maybe some times, but flexible and quick while still open to learning new things and fascinated by some. I guess this is the stage in life where you are cresting that hill of "I wish I knew then what I know now" right before THAT bullet train ride to the bottom. You want to believe you are still that 30-year old with the 50-year old wisdom.
This is not a pity-me-I'm-getting-old post...this is the set up for the rude awakening that many people (and you never know when it might happen or to whom) suddenly find themselves facing...a life-altering health moment.
Do you know the cover of the AARP magazine boldly states it is the World's Largest Circulation Magazine? It is more than double the circulation of the next largest magazine. And not everyone joins AARP when they turn 50. Did you know the founder of this magazine was born in 1884?
Okay, enough AARP Trival Pursuit answers...this post is really about two things: 1)the boomers have a large say in what happens in this country, 2)health care, both the shit that Obama and the Dumbacrats are trying to sell us AND the kind you need when something like the video below strikes your life, is seriously fucked up.
When did it become okay to basically let aging people go off into the wilderness like old wolves and die? What is the age where it is okay for the government to shove your dignity and pride into the nearest trash compactor? When do you become the "Forgotten"? What the fuck is wrong with the greatest country on earth when it comes to care for the aging?
Is this the unspoken plan to reduce the population? Just think how the carbon footprint could be reduced if they could get rid of the boomers at a faster rate. The challenge is a tough one since there are many more supplements, and exercise programs, and Cenegenics. These guys could snap-off Obama's head and shove it up his ass so fast (that's assuming it is not already there)...but I digress...
When you are old it is too late to help yourself and when you were younger you didn't care, because that was so far off...even in your mid-30's you thought that...I know I did. It must be an inborn denial mechanism.
The video above is a snippet of the article in the March/April 2010 AARP magazine entitled Love Is (Not) All You Need.
Reading this article is infuriating. Of course I am closer to this end of the spectrum than the all night beer bong partying end, but nevertheless, it is bordering on criminal what is in place for the aging.
Medicare and Medicaid are complete dinosaurs of government programs. Most of these criteria are ancient. They are similar to the government standard for "poor" as described in the article (not the Aerosmith song) Living On The Edge
When you have to divorce your spouse of 39 years to render him destitute in order to qualify for Medicaid coverage it is time to take to the streets with pitchforks and torches. These were the riot tools of the middle-ages and since the two Meds programs seem to be from that time, I think it only poetic justice that we attack the facade of this portion of our nation's HELLth care with those implements.
Disclaimer: for all the Big Brother spies out there...no I am NOT advocating anarchy (well maybe just a little bit but only on health care (today)). But check your ID you may be in this same group of aging boomers.
Seriously, we are the largest group of people who have a major say in how this country moves forward on this subject. Exercise every right and action you can. Organize something in your community. Write your congressman and senator. The bill they are trying to shove through for health care is NOT good for us.
Unless you want yourself or one of your loved ones to be the next to walk the lonely walk into the wilderness of lost dignity and pride that is our country's current plan for the aging, get on board and do something.
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieve it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
~ Dylan Thomas from the oldpoetry.com website
And this applies to those of you who are where I was 25 years ago. Let your motto be: Party But Plan.
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3 comments:
Nice post. Something to think about for sure...
Hello Chuck.
I read this post with interest but, not knowing enough about American health care or the bill President Obama is trying to introduce, I don't really know what to make of it except to say in this country too there's a terrible lack of interest in providing proper and happy care for elderly people and this is strange because most of the population will have a direct interest in it at some stage - some of us sooner than others! (It appears we are about the same age.)
Lucy
P.S. I'll be back to read more.
It's mind boggling that despite the wealth your country has you still have no system in place to take care of the people who really need it. I hope the AARP can get it together and start forcing some change through.
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