Look out for No. 1

#Middlebury #Seniors

Depending on where you live, you might be required to delay surgery because the hospital is full of COVID patients. That’s the news that’s spreading around the country.

It gets worse. If you have an emergency, the ambulance might be a long time in coming because they don’t have enough EMTs, or they might have to come from an adjacent town. Once you get to the hospital, you might be treated in a hallway because no exam rooms are open. The biggest issues to keep us from needing medical attention are physical safety and health.

I’ve gone around my house to look at every inch of floor space to be sure there’s nothing that I could possibly trip on. I moved the laundry basket to the closet instead of leaving it near a path where I walk. In the living room I changed one frequently used lamp from a 50-75-100 watt bulb to one that brightens things up with 75-100-150 watts. I removed two small throw rugs … just got rid of them.

Other things might seem small, but really aren’t. I found a balance class on YouTube and I’m following along every other day. I also found several videos on improving flexibility and stretching.

When it comes to diet, I made a quick call to my doctor’s office and inquired about vitamins. I was told that a low-dose vitamin C would be appropriate three times a week, and to add an orange to my diet the other days. Ask your doctor before you do this. As much as I hate not being able to select my own items, I’ve gone back to picking up grocery orders at curbside to stay out of stores.

It’s up to us to take care of ourselves. That’s the bottom line when it comes to our health and safety.

© 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.