Last Monday, I had a meeting with the intellectual disability physician who prescribes my psychiatric medication. The first thing we needed to discuss, was me tapering my antipsychotic. That’s going on, thankfully. However,I also had been complaining for months about increasing tremors in my right leg and hand, decreased mobility and more pain. Unfortunately, according to her, there’s nothing that can be done about these issues to make them go away. I mean, she’s referring me to occupational therapy, but it’s not like that’s going to lessen my symptoms. More like make them more manageable, I hope.
She says my symptoms are due to the brain bleed I suffered as an infant. She however added: “You’re getting older.” Ouch! I’m turning forty this year. That’s not old, or is it?
I’ve always thought that I wouldn’t live a very long life. I mean, my paternal grandma made it to 94 and, when I was a child, my parents thought I took after her. Now, not so much. My other grandparents all lived to be in their late seventies or early eighties. My father will be 77 next week and my mother will be 71 in April. Familially speaking, I’m not at risk of dying young, even though my maternal grandmother suffered from heart disease and diabetes for decades before her death.
However, I do have the brain bleed. Cerebral palsy in itself doesn’t limit one’s life expectancy. Autism, statistically speaking, does. And it’s probably due to my mental health that I won’t make it to old age. I’ve had more close calls in the last few years than I’d like to admit.
My wife and I recently had a discussion about who would go first. She doesn’t cling to life as much as I do, but I’m far more impulsive. I hope both of us will make it to old age and in relatively good health too.
The above song has been on my mind for a few months already. My wife and I have been together eighteen years, but oh well…
A Multitude of Musings 
I liked this song
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Thank you. I’m glad you did.
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Ha! I have 12 years on you. I always believed in aging gracefully. Try to take the best care of my body but have fun along the way too. I honestly don’t want to live too terribly long, as I’ll have no one to help me. No children, and I don’t want to burden my nieces. One can hope.
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Thank you for sharing. I totally understand you don’t want to burden your nieces with your aged care. Neither do I.
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I hope you reach a ripe old age! I hope I do too! I am glad to be alive, despite numerous attempts not to be. X
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Same for me. I’m glad you’re happy to be alive too.
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I’ve got twenty on you. This is the year of the big 60. I am doing what I can to improve my chances for a long life. The weight loss I am sure has helped a lot. No diabetes and my heart is health. Two things both parents dealt with. I don’t think fibro shortens life expectancy at all, and I know depression and anxiety don’t really do much. BUT the more stress and anxiety can impact things in the long run I guess. I am looking into a Tai Chi class maybe. They say that can really help bring calm to your life. Just take care of what you can day to day and the outcome will show it in the end. To use a famous movie quote – “Live long and prosper.”
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Thanks so much for your kind comment. Yes, I agree with you that it’s best to try to improve our health in any way we can. I’m so glad to hear you’re not diabetic and your heart is healthy too. I used to be obese and, though I was never (pre)diabetic, I did at one point have high blood pressure and mildly decreased kidney function. Now I’m at an almost healthy weight (about 5lbs overweight) and my blood pressure and kidney function are within the acceptable range.
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You are so welcome. I am glad your weight loss was successful in improving your health!
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Yeah, I’m glad about that too, though going off a few of my meds undoubtedly also helped.
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