too late, too anything?
It’s never too late to be what you might have been — George Eliot
Can you be too old or too heavy for knee surgery? No, not according to a highly skilled and person-centered orthopedic surgeon in a small town on the east coast of the USA. His patient, an elderly great -great- grandmother in her mid-80’s with a lifelong weight struggle, had come to him as a last resort. The pain she suffered in her knees and shoulders was debilitating and the drugs she took to keep that pain at bay were causing her organs to suffer. She listened intently as he described the joint replacements that would reduce her arthritic pain. She had already undergone a hip replacement 10 years earlier, but most of the local doctors felt she would be better off continuing on “medical treatment” that boiled down to pain medications rather than definitive treatment with joint replacement surgery. This surgeon was focused on quality of life. He sent her through a thorough cardiac evaluation for preoperative clearance, since it is tabu in American hospitals to lose a patient on the operating table for an elective surgery. That is “just not done”. The lady already had some heart concerns, but with modifications in her existing medications, she was cleared for surgery. Before she scheduled the surgery, she had some hard questions for the surgeon. She wanted the surgery for some relief from a pain level that was beyond what she felt she could bear any longer while maintaining functionality. However, she feared the loss of her remaining capabilities since she had been the rock for activities of daily living for both she and her husband of 60 years. She asked the doctor, “Are you sure I am not too old for this surgery?” He looked back at her, head cocked to one side and said, “Too old?” Then, before he could answer, she rushed on with her second fear. “Are you sure I am not too fat for this surgery?” He looked back once again and this time, he came over and sat down beside her. “Mrs. E., do you plan to live?” “Well, yes, Dr. G, I do”. If so, would you rather live in constant pain or would you rather live with artificial joints? We need to start with your knee. We cannot start with your shoulder because you would be totally incapacitated during the healing process. “If you do well with the knee, we can proceed systematically with the other joints. You deserve this chance to ease your pain while maintaining the highest levels of mobility and independence for your overall quality of life.” It would be nice if you were younger and lighter, but we will do our best with the positive aspects of your health, to reduce your risks while optimizing your outcomes. After the surgery, Dr. G told Mrs. E’s husband and children that he had never seen a knee with the degree of bone rubbing bone. In his estimation, her pain would be improved from this point forward with the uneventful surgical procedure and her obvious pain tolerance. His point was well taken as Mrs. E spent two weeks working with physical therapy, had her stitches removed and reported from day one that her pain from the healing incision was nothing like what it had been prior to surgery. She is up and about without a walker or cane, feeling like she could do more. The doctor has reminded her everything takes time. After 4 months, she will really know the full extent of her abilities. Right now, she is amazed that she can bend her knee and walk without constant pain, totally unassisted.
Can you be too old for love? Can you be too late at recognizing it?
Now, if it’s never too late and if we can’t be too old or too overweight, what else could we be? Too young? Too frail? Too smart, too slow, too fast, too tired, too insecure, too proud, too busy, too greedy, too fearful, too hopeless, too unmotivated, too undecided???? Are you too late if the ship has left the dock, or can you find another ship or dock??
We have the power; the power to choose how we see the world around us, and the power to choose how we want to live in it.
Is it too late for me to take up photography? Professionally? Yes or No? What about lessons and treating myself to more serious cameras and equipment? Is it too late to try? Am I too old? What if I don’t like it as much as I think I will or use it after I learn the art of photography? What if I do? What if I used it and was really good? What if it fit in with what I want to do in the future and I can’t even imagine how right now?
Am I too proud to admit I would like to try this? Am I too closely budgeted to afford a few lessons and some fairly expensive cameras? We have what we want and we buy what we want —for the most part. What is $2,000? I have spent that much money on random items this year and have nothing to show for it. Good Grief!! Did you know you could borrow everything you need to try it out?? Another case of “it’s never too late”…and “where there is a will, there is a way”.
http://www.borrowlenses.com/content/How_BorrowLenses_Works
“What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end there are no certain answers.” – Matina Horner