Ask your doctor if medical and pharmaceutical extortion is right for you.

It is an indisputable naturally occurring "phenomena" that as you grow older bodies and body parts show wear and tear, start to break down or malfunction, and bring on introductions to new and probably irrevocable discomforts

... including almost constant pain to some degree.

If my body - which has started speaking to me more forcefully and in language that I cannot ignore - communicated in the verbal language by which most of us negotiate the wise and silly paths our lives take,

what words would I receive?

"I (your body) have earned a right to insist on you easing back from your habitual and almost ignorant abuse of strength, energy and body tissues (you know, bones, ligaments, joints and organs.) Don't resist the onset of body messages to the detriment of your quality of life.

If "slow down" is the message you receive, then slow down.
If "take it easy" is the message, then start taking it easy.
If "more rest" is the message, then quit fighting bedtime and give in to the urge to nap.
If "you can't do that anymore" is the message, then don't take your old ball to the hoop and try a few jump shots. Retire from your pretend NBA, NFL, and MLB jockiness and become more fan and less all-star.  And don't climb out on the roof without a rope around your waist, wear your gloves . .. and move carefully."

Yesterday I mowed the front lawn for the first time this year ... and now with two new knees instead of one. I've been in a bit of pain from the second surgery for a while ...  not an intolerable pain, but a constant reminder of what is sore and what can get sore with exercise.

At Lietta's suggestion I took an anti-inflammatory this morning after getting up to fix breakfast. Within half an hour much of my pain was seriously missing ... and I realized that the pain of surgery had mostly dissipated sometime in the past month or so. In it's place was greater onset of the arthritis I knew I would inherit from both sides of my family.

So the anti-inflammatory (NSAID type) suppressed my pain and I'm walking around the kitchen like a spring chicken, er ... rooster.

Where am I going with this?

I'm more and more offended by big medicine, big pharma, big medical providers and of course big government, the bought-and-paid-for-by-big-business  that now owns the FDA that is supposed to look out for us citizens.

That, I suppose, is what it becomes so annoying to see ads for all sorts of pills that offer relief to pain and discomfort but include warnings that portray side effects worst than the relief itself.

That, I suppose is how the FDA authorizes pharmaceutical monopolies by limiting distribution of drugs to the chosen few who send money to the FDA authorities along with a request for special treatment.

Bottom line is nothing less than extortion based on a medical industry's claim that that suffering that comes with aging is not avoidable if you are willing to pay.

... and pay the price demanded ... or suffer ... with government endorsement of the extortion and failure to address the suffering in the name of the people.

Don't get me wrong. I really like my doctor and appreciate his skills ... but even he admits that the pharms track his prescription decisions.

So ... perfectly content at my age with the relatively affordable medications I do take, I will continue with this possibly shallow cloak of pain-enduring courage so long as the pain does not destroy my bravery and chin-up tolerance of growing older.

Can I last?

Hell, I don't know ...

But for now my health is not deteriorating at a rate greater than what happens normally as people age.

I can still mow the lawn, work in the yard, wash the vehicles, change the tires, hike, swim, move furniture and climb stairs.

It hurts a bit to do so ... but not to a degree where I'll give up my mortgage and what meager retirement resources I have available in the name of pain-avoidance.

My courage may last only so long as the pain does not for some reason accelerate beyond normal aging wear and tear ... or I may finally encounter my threshold ,,,

and may have to pay the extortion ...

but in the meantime I have dignity in and with my pain

... I'm still a free man looking forward to retirement, life with a beautiful woman, kids, grandkids and a life of unhurried pleasure in what is going on.

Maybe that's enough ...

would you have dignity if the cost of medication and insurance robbed you of the ability to do more ... just live in limited circumstances while your money trickles away to someone else?

Is that what life under capitalism and corporate welfare is supposed to come to?

Remember ... the politicians who tell you they had no choice but to make the decisions that have led us down this road to extortion are lying. They had choices to make all along the way ...

... including the choice not to take money from lobbyists ... and they DID have a choice ... they could have said NO instead of YES ... at any time.

They all are accountable.