Just a thought on "use-it-or-lose-it"

Yeah, I'm getting older. I don't mind it really, in fact it would be funner if I didn't hurt so much whenever I try anything.
Case in point: My shoulder has been giving me trouble for about a year and a half. It really got bad this last spring so I thought with all my scientific wisdom, I said; "I'll just try not to use it as much as possible until it heals". Sounds good right? WRONG. Don't do it. By end of June, I could barely move my arm at all. No motion whatsoever. No overhead movement so I couldn't even shave my armpit. Now that is the pits! Couldn't touch my back, couldn't comb the top of my head when the blow dryer was in the other hand. Great! So off to the doctor and to the physical therapist. I now do exercises twice a day, ice my shoulder and finally I can lift it once again, can't touch my back much yet, but I'm getting there. (My niece is a physical therapist and I think I must now tell her publicly how much I respect her occupation!)
Then I found an old book I've had for years, a book of stories and poems on old age called, "When I Am An Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple". Are you familiar with this?
Here are a couple of my favorite poems from the book

A Place for Mother by Joanne Seltzer

PRELIMINARY ADVICE
Remember how you once went shopping
for the right nursery school
and when the teacher asked you
if your child was toilet trained
you lied and said she was.

Use the same strategy
in shopping for a nursing home.

Later - when you are told
of Mother's incontinence -
you will clench your fist and shout:
"What have you done to my mother?"


MORE ADVICE
Have a daughter-to-mother talk.
Ask her what she wants.
If she doesn't know
ask her if she's happy.
She will either say
she doesn't know
or she will be silent.
Tell her how much you love her.
Promise you won't forsake her.

To top it off, why not have a necklace made for her with your words on paper made into beads for her to wear, or even better: vice versa, have your Mother write something for you and have that to keep to remember her forever.... just a thought -
see www.bowenwright.com for ideas!
email me at: bbwright98@hotmail.com