Category: health

Good health but short memory

Ian HunterLeave a comment

good health

most of us take it for granted

until you get sick or injured

then you realize how truly precious it is

you start praying for a speedy recovery

making promises that you will change your lifestyle 

if you get well its a real blessing

suddenly you feel reborn again

fleetingly toying with goals to exercise more and eat a healthier diet

you slowly creep back into your old routine

you get busy and forget about your good health

bad lifestyle habits creep back in

until the next time your health deteriorates

break this cycle

before it breaks you

your poor lifestyle is not the problem

its your memory that needs fixing

Dentist speak

Ian Hunter1 Comment

I went to the dentist yesterday

Not to fix a dental problem

Routine planned maintenance with the hygienist 

Stacey is a very pleasant young lady

We started by chatting about our respective families

As she positioned me horizontal in the chair

I lost all sight of her pretty face

When she switched on her miner’s cyclopes bright light

I closed my eyes and surrendered 

My mouth was soon filled with suction tubes, mirrors on sticks and a super strong power washer 

The equipment made a lot of noise

Far too much to hold a conversation

But we had one anyway, throughout the whole procedure:

Stacey: did you have family visiting over the summer?

Me:  ug ger ga ga ker grah

Stacey: where did you take them?

Me: ugh gee ent to gag goo ged gra gee gan gace

Stacey: their pita bread is delicious, we love the mezza there

Me: gee guv kit coo

Stacey: how old is your grandson?

Me: gee gill ge gelve goon

Stacey: oh twelve is that funny age where they start to change into a teenager

Me: ges gee gi ga git goody

Stacey: where did you go on vacation this year?

Me: ge gen koo ahh gan gan goo geng gan

Stacey: did you see the northern lights in Iceland?

Me: go gi gas goo gla gee gut ge gaw got gata gawl

Stacey: oh those beautiful waterfalls, I saw your the photos on FaceBook

Me: ugh goan goo ga guc, ga gaw guh gy ge gife

Stacey: oh yes she is your social media queen, I am almost finished now, just one last rinse

I felt ice cold water gushing into my mouth like a fire house

My teeth don’t like extreme temperatures

The pain was instant

I closed my eyes tighter

Praying it would end soon

Stacey:  how are you doing?

Me: ga gow gawgu gake gy gee gaw

Stacey:  thats normal but it will all be done soon

The fire hose was turned off

The suction tube drained my mouth and half my internal organs

My teeth stopped screaming at me

She finished off with a rotating brush and gritty toothpaste

Then it was all over

A final mouthwash rinse and I was able to talk human again

Stacey: see you in six months, have a great winter

Me: you too, it was good to catch up

Soon I was back outside and walking towards my car

Making resolutions to floss daily 

So that Stacey has less need to power wash my molars

I decided to weigh myself when I got home

I must surely have lost pounds in plaque

Its not all bad to be slightly deaf

Ian HunterLeave a comment

my hearing has deteriorated over the years

probably due to loud noise exposure in the workplace

hearing aids help a lot and they are very discrete

they also double up as ear buds

allowing me to make hands free calls

or listen to music on the go

I can mute TV sounds while listening direct into my ears

there are some positive benefits to hearing loss

noisy environments are less stressful

I can focus better in a noisy setting

I tune out unwanted conversations

my visual and non verbal skills are stronger

I can better read body language and facial expressions

my sleep quality is improved especially when its noisy

I really appreciate total silence

conversations require more effort but this helps me engage more

Would you expect a sick person to solve a Rubik cube?

Ian HunterLeave a comment

I am into the 5th day of a bout of flu

I did get the flu shot but this variant of the virus snuck through anyway

Its not been a smooth ride but I am now seeing the light on the other side

I have been reflecting on the worst moments and how my wife helped mitigate them

The joint and muscle pain was very uncomfortable but Tylenol took the edge off it

My wife has a huge supply which she dispensed every 6 hours like clockwork

There were no issues in taking that medication

Next was the fever which started mild on day 1

But seemed to be more severe on Day 2

My trusty digital thermometer was pulled from the bathroom drawer

I lay back with the probe under my tongue for ages waiting for the beep

No beep sound and the display indicated low battery

My darling wife rushed out to buy a new battery

She came back with a new thermometer

Saying it was about the same price as a pack of batteries

She left the thermometer by my bed for me to use

It was still in the thick clear plastic packaging

I looked for a way to open it with a hinge or door

It appeared to be welded shut all around

I had to cut open the thick plastic with scissors

Not an easy task when you are feeling like crap with a fever

I eventually got the packaging to release its prisoner

My temperature reading was 101.4F

I may have gone up a degree while struggling with that stupid packaging

On day 2 I had an annoying chesty cough which got progressively worse

I started taking cough syrup every 12 hours from a part used bottle

I finished that bottle on Day 3 but my darling wife came to the rescue again

She had already bought back up supplies 

I tried to open the new bottle but the cap would not turn

It was covered in a sort of shrink wrapped tamper proof cover

With no visible tear off strip to open it

After 5 minutes of fumbling and broken fingernails I reached for the scissors

That shrink wrap was so tight it was a struggle to find an edge 

Eventually I got the scissor blade to cut through it without lacerating my finger

Only to find the cap spun freely and would only open when pushed down hard

Not an easy task when you are not on your top form

Imagine how difficult this packaging saga would be for somebody with arthritis 

Why do they make it so difficult the get into these products

Sick people should not need to solve Rubik cubes and escape room clues to open medication

Hay fever or cabin fever

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Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

I stepped outside to watch the sunrise today

within seconds I was sneezing and my eyes were watering

spring and summertime here is notorious for allergies

but how can anybody be allergic to sunrise

pollen clouds fill the air like CS gas at a riot

the once silver paint on my car was turned yellow

our house siding needs power washing annually

and all because the pine trees are such messy lovers

don’t think its over when the yellow dust clouds are gone

grass pollen is invisible and will fire up your allergies

then there is ragweed to irritate your respiratory system

the list of plant based airborne attackers is endless

pollen is the malware of the air we breathe

Russian hackers shake the trees to release more pollen

forcing you to stay inside and surf the web

virus loaded fake adds for Claritin await you

better drive to the pharmacy to buy your antihistamine 

weaving through the wrecks of sneeze induced crashes

to find all the shelves totally bare of allergy medication

memories of shopping for bread and toilet rolls before a hurricane

maybe stay inside and tape up all the doors and windows

live in a hermetically sealed bubble breathing through a hepa filter

disconnect the internet and go off the grid to be totally virus free

which one will get to you first……..  hay fever or cabin fever?

Its only a cold

Ian Hunter1 Comment

Its only a cold

Starts with a sniffle

Then a scratchy throat

Its not so bad

Its only a cold

Now your throat is on fire

Your limbs are aching

Its not so bad

Its only a cold

You are completely congested

Your sinus cavities hurt a lot

Its not so bad

Its only a cold

Now you have that tickling cough

It keeps you awake all night

Its not so bad

Its only a cold

Your nose is red from blowing

Your voice is all croaky

Its not bad

Its only a cold

Three days sick and low energy

You want to feel better

Yes its officially bad now

Its only cold

But it makes your life miserable for a week or so

There is no cure

Try not to infect others

Take a journey without a destination

Ian Hunter4 Comments

I cycle 30 miles three or four days a week

My legs are strong but my upper body needs strengthening

So I joined a gym in December and it never seemed crowded back then

Come January and the place is overrun with new year resolutioners

I talked to the staff and learned its the same thing every year

Membership explodes in January but the rush only lasts a month or so when many drop out

Most of them are looking for the quick fix instant results that never happen

Perhaps they stop going to the gym and buy those magic weight loss pills instead

I wonder if snake oil salesmen see a big jump in revenue every February

Some will be disillusioned by March and resort to plastic surgery for weight loss

Others will stop dieting by April and promise to get fit and healthy on January 1 next year

Exercise and healthy eating is a lifestyle that requires a long term commitment

For sure we all fall off the wagon occasionally but you must get back on again quickly

The best way is to be totally honest with yourself 

If you want to change yourself then accept it will be a journey without a destination

Happy Healthy Friday and every other day to you all

The empty chair

Ian Hunter1 Comment

Standing by the balcony railing

His health was rapidly ailing 

Admiring the spectacular view

Picking out the spots that he knew

Recalling the happy times he spent there

As he sampled the cool morning fresh air

Every breath calming his mind

Accepting he would soon leave this all behind

Not wanting to linger and whither away

He decided that this was his final day

Stepping onto the empty chair

Over the railings and flying through the air

Eyes closed as he accepted his fate

Time slowed down and made him wait

Confused and perplexed as he opened his eyes

Looking at his bedroom ceiling in surprise

Things are not always as they seem

It was all a vivid technicolor dream

He quickly stepped out of bed

Images of the balcony view filled his head

He stepped outside to see the same view

Picking out the spots he knew

Recalling the happy times he spent there

Next to the railing was an empty chair

Lost mojo

Ian Hunter4 Comments

got covid

short illness

got better

not fully

brain fog

daily fatigue

no diagnosis

no tests

all guesswork

internet search

Dr Google

most likely

long covid

how long

nobody knows

maybe weeks

maybe longer

maybe forever

hopefully not

saying prayers

covid gods

take covid

away please

for good

restore energy

lift fog

normal service

resume soon

difficult writing

in fog

need light

and energy

wide appeal

lost mojo

please find

will exchange

for covid