Bone Health: 90 vs 55

And a good NY morning to all of you! I waited to write this entry until after I saw the Dr., but now I'm wondering why I bothered. She didn't tell me anything new. I was concerned about my own hip. It went clack clack the other day and it reminded me of the hip joints of the elderly women I take care of. Their hips make the same noise. I freaked out as you can well imagine. I couldn't possibly have hips as old and clacky as the 90 year old people I take care of... I'm only 55! She took an x-ray and put it up for me to see which, being a visual person, was great. There was no fracture, no brake, no chip of any kind, and the biggee... no arthritis. So what was going on? Nothing.... just some inflamed cartilage. Take two Aleve everyday and call me in a month if it still bothers you. Phew! I did start then to ask her about bone health and she really didn't have much to say. Take a Calcitrel every day. I tried to tell her I was already taking a calcium pill with magnesium and Vitamin D but she didn't seem too interested. She didn't even know how much I should be taking, "talk to your Internist" she said. OK. I can't help but to think that with all of the vitamins, exercise and health knowledge, thanks now due to Dr. Oz who is spreading health standards across the nation, that our bones won't be in 10 times better shape than out 90 year old counterparts. With all of the vitamins we take that are better are more fortified than ever before, with the health clubs and gyms available and with the farmer's markets peddling green leafies that we've never heard of before all in the same of health fortification that we won't be just as robust at 90 as we are today at 55. In a way that is a huge relief. I would prefer to die healthy and strong than unable to walk due to preventable circumstances. I just hope there will be plenty of things for us to do that will give our strong healthy bodies a reason to get up in the morning. That's another entry. This all reminds me of a 105 year old woman that I took care of. She was walking around just like me, not wearing Depends just like me, reading books just like me and conversing better than me. She was incredible. I sat in on a Dr.s appt with her and heard him say with a huge admirable grin on his face "you are in perfect health, there's nothing wrong with you." It must have been the follow up to an annual visit. I feel compelled to note that she had never been married or had children... hmmmmmmmmmm.