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Ageism is Everywhere, even in the Doctor’s Office
Even doctors discriminate against us.
My brother-in-law, who is also a senior (no, not a high school senior) went to the doctor today for a checkup. Thankfully, the results were good. However, something interesting came out of that. The doctor told him that while his cholesterol number was good for most people, old people need even lower cholesterol numbers. Why are the standards tougher for old people? If anything, shouldn’t they be lower? Isn’t getting old tough enough without people raising standards on us?
I’m reminded of that great philosopher, Archie Bunker. Archie’s doctor had told him he needed more roughage. Archies’s response was at his age he needed more smoothage. That’s right, at my age I want things to be smooth, not rough.
I also went to the doctor for my “wellness checkup.”
Of course that’s code for, “Is he senile yet?” I got to go back to second grade and draw a clock. I then had to make to clock show 10 past 11. In retrospect, maybe I shouldn’t have drawn a digital clock. I also had to remember three words. It turns out, in this case, “I love you” aren’t the magic words, but do get the nurse’s attention.
Does any other group deal with this stuff? I think not.
