Shame On Me

As I sit in the hospital waiting for my neighbor who is having carpal tunnel surgery, I’m ashamed to admit that when she told me she was having the surgery, my first thought was why bother?

She’s 86 years old after all. Why would she put herself through this?

But then I thought about our family’s beloved Uncle Rudy who had open heart surgery at 88 years old. He lived ten more years after that. Ten great years, I might selfishly add, because they included five wonderful family trips to Curacao to spend with him and his lovely wife, Jackie, as well as a few visits they made to us. Would we have had all those great memories if he hadn’t had that surgery?

My neighbor works in her yard from sunup to sundown. And I don’t mean picking flowers. We’re talking cutting down trees, even wielding a chainsaw when needed. She’s the only person I know who would cram 15 bags of mulch and a wheel barrel in her Corvette. (And, yes, she drives a Corvette!) Need I say more? Hopefully this surgery will provide her many more years to enjoy doing what she loves.

So certain is she of her longevity that she even got herself a puppy this year.

Shame on me for doubting her.