All my life I have been chided to “act your age.” Born on a September 11th, I was always the youngest in my class. By the blessings of Taylor and Waller genes, I have been youthfully limber and have a relatively flat belly; while not much of an athlete, I had good reflexes and agility; and I still enjoy a Taylor, full head of hair. So, I've grown accustomed to being seen as “youthful.” But since having contracted pneumonia in May, making a very slow recovery, and having turned 90 this September, I suddenly seem to be doing it – acting my age, that is -- and it’s the shits.
The symptoms are increased wobbliness – I’m using a walking stick on occasion, which belies youthfulness and exposes the new nonagenarian. The legs get heavy and breath very short upon the least exertion. Suddenly, I am acting my age indeed. As a nurse friend of Ann's counseled her, "recognize that he has a 90-year-old heart in a 90-year-old body." Thanks. Happy Birthday.
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| l to r: I, Ella J., Tonya A., Amy S., Corriell S., Jeff S., Steve W., Grant J. |
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| Four Grandkids: Max, Ella, Molly, and Corriell. The other five were in France, Toronto, Brooklyn, Midland, and Rochester |
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| The Clan Rapt (?) by Fletch's Version of Sinatra's It Was a Very Good Year |
Ann organized a wonderful, family birthday celebration – eighteen of us. Ann is my strength. Ann and I are still seeking answers. What has caused this
sudden change in Fletch? What, if anything, can be done to re-build his balance
and stamina? And most important, how regain confidence that we can go, we can
be, we can do?
Do what? Go to summer school at Cambridge again next summer;
take another OAT trip, perhaps to Aquitaine or to Normandy and Brittany or
perhaps a Road Scholar outing to Germany; get back to weightlifting and walking
in the woods near our home; finishing the marble bas-relief, The Cellist;
snowshoeing once more in Sun Valley.
Oh, I’m still mentally active, reading voraciously, giving Olympic Club talks. writing and volunteering for Pratt; working on the profile and history of the Chamber Society. What I’m not doing, though, is being physically active and on the go. While it’s distressing, . . .
. . .this, too, will pass.
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