Rain and pain

The child was confused by her old aunt’s statement: “My rheumatism tells me it’s going to rain.”

Now that the child is the old aunt, she gets it. Truthfully, I am not sure that my aches worsen with dampness. The problem with joint pain is that it is often unpredictable. Did the topical ointment help, my doctor enquires. Maybe, I reply. Maybe I just imagined it. Maybe I had hoped for it. The reality is that the pain comes and goes, often without reason. I have actually offered to accept placebos from my doctors. Knowing the power of the brain, I am willing to fool myself into good health.

While half of my family continues to tolerate 100^o+ temps in Arizona, I am enjoying 69^o along with rain in Chicago with the other half. The gray and humidity which drove us from this area 26 years ago is now a pleasant respite from 50+ days of over 110^o. To be honest, in about three days, I will be done with it and long for sunshine and warmth. Plus, every time I move, my knees, hips, and hands elicit visions of my much loved but ancient aunts who were younger than I when they passed away.

My generation reaps the benefit of relatively easy childhoods with good food and medicine. We Baby Boomers were determined to avoid the aging that claimed previous generations shortly after retirement at 68. Nevertheless, the body aging cannot be stopped. It may be hidden in plastic surgery, tolerated with pain meds, and even delayed with good dental and medical care. But eventually the rain comes, and we feel it in our bones.

Author: Mary Cornelius

I am an aging woman who writes three blogs. View all posts by Mary Cornelius