“Ladies and gentlemen, as we start our descent into retirement, please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position. Make sure your seat belt is securely fastened and your Medicare application is stowed underneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins.”
That’s kind of how it feels lately, like the calm before the storm. Or maybe it’s more like the proverbial “elephant in the room.” The presents of the impending retirement elephant is acknowledged, but is still a big unknown. It seems to be headed this way with the speed (and options) of a jetliner on final approach.
I went in for the EKG and treadmill stress test as the heart doctor requested. They shave your chest for that! Well, they shave stripes on your chest. The treadmill is a four minute rodeo, with the Arena Director and Flagman standing close by.
My legs were getting heavy and my arms were getting longer (hanging on), but I made it to the horn. I haven’t been back to the heart doctor, but his office called soon after the tests and seemed urgent about setting me up with a prescription. I looked it up online, to sum up its benefits: “It is also used to treat or prevent heart attack.”
My little brother turned 60 last month. I made some pictures to help celebrate the milestone.
