The "Trying To Stay Healthy Is Tough As A Senior" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Laying on my towel on Orient Beach in St. Martin when my wife said to me, "I just noticed that you have a rash all over your leg up to your waist.  I instantly reached to the back of my leg and felt the rash she was talking about.  It began behind my kneecap and ran to the middle of my back, a few inches above my waist.  It seemed to be oozing, but for some strange reason, I had no pain or itching sensation.  Neither one of us knew what to do, so we just spent the remainder of the day laying on the beach as I tried to keep my leg  covered from the sun.  I did enter the salty sea water in hopes it would make the rash disappear.  It eventually was diagnosed as Shingles by my wife, since she had also recently had them. I should add that a doctor in the nearby town of Philipsburg had no clue as to what it was until my wife suggested Shingles and he agreed with her.  I recently read that Shingles is a serious ailment and you should know the "Sneaky Symptoms" which come with them.  It is one of four serious ailments that can cause serious health problems if not detected quickly.  The others are "Age Related Macular Degeneration", "Dementia", and "Chronic Kidney Disease."  Perhaps you have had one or more of these diseases such as Carol and I have, and were as lucky as Carol and I that you survived them without too much of a problem.  Shingles takes most people by surprise with only general symptoms, such as the onset of unexpected localized pain, chills, fever and a blistering rash on one area of your body.  The virus is more than likely triggered by stress, trauma or a disease that suppresses the immune system.  Seems like just about anyone can get them.  If was thought that if you had chickenpox as a child, you were more than likely going to get shingles also.  But, that's not so.  Early treatment with antiviral medications is important in preventing posttherpetic neuralgia, a burning pain that can occur after an outbreak.  There is a two-part shingles vaccine you can get after the age of 50, and I would suggest you get it if possible.  I was one of the lucky ones who had no bad results except for the awful rash that oozed all over my clothes for a few days.  Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)  is the most common cause of vision loss in people over the age of 55.  This causes part of the retina to become damaged.  Dry AMD is the most common form and occurs when tiny protein clumps called druse build up and cause central vision loss.  Wet AMD is more serious and involves abnormal blood vessels growing under the retina and causing bleeding and damage.  Risk factors are age, family history and being overweight.  What makes it hard to tell if you have it is that we all have two eyes and the disease can affect just one eye and you might not know it.  Vitamins known as AREDS 2 helps slow AMD progression.  About 5% to 8% of people over the age of 65 have dementia which is a general term for memory loss related to many health conditions. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia.  We all will begin to have slight memory loss as we age, such as forgetting the names of people or where you put the ice cream the night before, but these are not serious problems.  Getting lost in a familiar place or not recognizing loved ones are a bit different.  You can be screened for the problem and an early diagnosis is important for establishing a solid support system.  Please don't put it off!  Finally, the kidneys are your body's taskmaster being they remove toxins and excess fluid to regulate bone health.  About 37 million people in the U.S. have chronic kidney disease which puts them at risk for kidney failure.  If your kidneys operate less than 60%, you have the disease.  Those with Diabetes and high blood pressure are most likely to have the disease.  If you have low energy, poor appetite and nausea you may have the disease.  A simple blood test and urine test can help determine if you have the disease. There are treatments and catching the disease early will give you the best chance of stopping further kidney damage.  Well, I hope you have found my story for today a help in staying fit for the future.  You are aging, even as you read my story today, so you are not alone in fighting any of these diseases.  Stay alert for signs your body is sending you.  I wish you the best and a healthy life. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.