My husband Peter has often said that he did not want to live a day past the time when he could no longer grapple with the issues he cares about, and he becomes a burden to society and his family.  He hoped that he could make it to ninety before that happened.  After that…

“That” is now.  Peter turned ninety last March.  Luckily, he is still able to do most of the things that matter most to him.  And I don’t hear any more talk of “packing it in” at ninety.

I mentioned that to one of my doctors  during an appointment on Friday.  She told me that her mother always said she’d not be treated when she aged –not even an aspirin, let alone a hospitalization for a serious illness. Her mother, now 101, seems to have changed her mind.  She now wants to be resuscitated, if it might save her life.

Another example of not “knowing” what it’s like to be old until you are.