Old Age Ain't for Sissies

Went to a new eye doctor this morning.  The one I saw last year was just awful.  His technicians did all the work, and he was with me maybe ten minutes or less, and spoke to me almost not at all.

This new guy was appealing because he does vision therapy, and his primary practice is in Jacksonville.  He did the bulk of the examination and was personable.  He said I have "complicated" eyes, and was going to make him late for his other appointments, but I appreciated his attention and thoroughness.  I opted for a newish digital photo test, which showed me my own optic nerve, the "floaters," and the macula.  Very interesting.  Because of my history of eye surgery and previous vision therapy as an adult, he said that I could still benefit from more vision therapy, but Medicare does not cover this.  And when I told them I don't do "homework," they said that the vision therapy would then have to be twice a week, at $120 a pop.  Discounts negotiable.  He does a lot of work with children who have learning challenges; a kid can have 20/20 vision, but still not be able to "see," which can affect their/our ability to process and comprehend information.  I think it is still something many people don't know about and/or don't understand.  I don't know if I will do the vision therapy or not.  He did validate that my eyes have to work extra hard when reading or doing close work;  I am a painfully slow reader which made school really difficult for me.

I also have the beginnings of cataracts, which he said would make it hard for me to have absolutely clear vision, although it can be improved with a prescription change.  Old age ain't for sissies.

Leaving his office, I felt somewhat bummed out, and exhausted by the exam.  But still I went to Planet Fitness and signed up for a year, for $99.  I hope I can get myself to go there at least once a week.  The muscles in my arms are weak; heck, the muscles in my whole body are weak.  It's a newish facility, and the staff is really nice.  And you can't beat the price.  I cannot walk outside in this summer heat, so at least having a place I can go to walk on a treadmill in ac seemed like a good thing to have.  Wish I could bring Bindi.

Stopped to get gas, at $4 for medium grade.  Fortunately, I don't have to commute anywhere, so a tank of gas lasts me quite a while.  I used to like Shell gas, but recently learned that they are one of the very worst of the oil companies, so will try not to buy there anymore.  They are all bad; one can only hope to choose the lesser of the evils.

Then the supermarket.  I am so uninterested in food; I don't know what I want to eat.  Been eating a lot of chicken noodle/chicken with rice soups, and frozen potstickers.  Stir fry veggies with brown rice.  I'm getting more and more grossed out by meat.  I'm completely off beef.  Cannot bear how the cows are treated in big factory slaughter houses; they are magnificant animals.  I still eat chicken and turkey, almost no pork although I love it.  The closer I get to animals the more I cannot bear to eat them.  I like the bumper sticker that reads, "If slaughter houses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian."  The autistic professor and writer, Temple Grandin, made some inroads into the inhumane slaughter of animals.  Still.

The road work is encroaching on my property a bit more each day.  Today I had to tell the supervisor that I could barely get into my driveway because of stuff so close on either side.  Guess how much longer they think it will take?  TWO WEEKS!  Ha!