I had one of those moments today - you know - the ones where you realize that you are getting older and the people you interact with seem to get younger.
This morning my cold progressed solidly into my chest. (Warning, TMI ahead). This complete with coughing up "stuff" that had yellow and greenish coloring to it.
Time to head to the doctor.
At our doctor's office, I had been seeing a nurse practitioner who, herself, was a runner. I knew that she was no longer with the office, but I made an appointment with the new nurse practitioner and wondered whether she too would be a runner, or at least athletic enough to relate to my health concerns and the upcoming marathon.
After a nurse quickly weighed me, took my temperature and checked my blood pressure, she stepped out, and soon the nurse practitioner came in. She looked like another young nurse except she wore the white coat with the practice's doctors names on it. She was a young woman who appeared to be in good shape and couldn't be much older than 24 (although she looked about 19 years old). She was probably born around the time I was completing college.
I told her my story and that I was concerned because I was running a marathon in about 2 weeks and wanted to get over the illness as soon as possible. She seemed to understand, and although she admitted that she was not a runner, she knows runners who do distance training - one in particular who is running the Disney Half Marathon this year.
With an official diagnosis of bronchitis, she prescribed a strong antibiotic for me and prescription strength expectorant - because she wanted to get this knocked out quickly so I would be good for my race (yay!).
As our visit ended, I realized a couple of things:
1 - she was going to be fine as my primary care giver
2 - I was probably going to be treated by people who are younger than me for the rest of my life
I had crossed that age threshold where the folks providing services to me would, in fact, be younger than me.
That is ok, because in a distance run, I can still kick many of their young butts! :-)
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8 comments:
You crack me up: kicking young butts! I was seriously laughing when I read your post!!!! And I know you will kick them by the way!!!
I felt the same way when I met my new OBGYN this year. He was a young guy and I was a little embarrassed at first that he'd be the one to do "the test." Then I realized from now on, there'll likely be docs younger than me.
Hope you kick the bronchitis soon so you can kick more young butts ;-)
Kick some younger butt! HA!
I now work with mostly "punk kids" who are younger than me, except for the boss. I feel like "the old one," but it is OK.
While in my 20's, I used to HATE getting "ma'am'd" by someone younger than I (like in their early 20's). But now I see it as a sign of respect!
Get well soon.
You are so funny Chris - and so right! I guess that part of you just never realises you're getting older - particularly if you're full of energy and zest like you - and then there are these moments where suddenly, bam! you realise it.. I was told by an assistant at the Gap the other day that a certain jumper looked great on "women my age". I felt outraged and then realised I WAS twice her age... Didn't buy the jumper though..
I heard on the radio the other day that 37 is the age that you become older than more people than you're younger than.
That being said, you will continue to kick those young butts. Most of them can't hang for the 26.2 long haul!
You are AWESOME!!!
Get better soon!
Chris,
Sorry to hear about your bronchitis. Hope you recover soon.
I know what you mean about the age thing. I'm working with interns who are only slightly older than my oldest son. I have to fight the urge to mother them!
Hope you're well again soon so the butt kicking can commence!
We teachers have our own "senior" moments...it occurs the first time one of your former students becomes one of your peers. I now have about 5 of my former students now teaching, and one even works for me now.....oh well, life has changed forever.
First of all, you are so NOT a "senior!" But this post was so funny! And all you have to think when you see your practitioner again is, "yeah, but she's not a RUNNER."
Keep kicking butt!
(P.S. I was so happy to listen to your podcast this week, I'd missed them!)
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