Last week, my wife’s youngest daughter was recounting her humorous story from spring break in Cancun. After she had gotten back home, she asked her mom for money, along with a plea of “please don’t ask why.” Years later, the truth came out about an afternoon at Senor Frog’s, where after dancing with a statue of the bar’s web-footed mascot, she accidentally broke it. Security personnel made her pay a fine, with threats of going to jail.  She barely put together enough money to get home, even despite the efforts of her friends to organize a party to raise bail funds in support of her cause: “Free The Frog Killer.”

 

 

That was her unforgettable Senor Moment, not to be confused with “Senior Moments,” the real topic of this post.  “Senior moments” often jokingly refer to memory lapses, but can seriously be the beginning of Alzheimer’s, certainly no laughing matter. Memory loss in most cases, is not serious, just aggravating, and maybe one of the first indications that we are indeed aging.

Since the aging process is so slow, the signs are never obvious. Others may see changes in you, as you notice differences in them. However, the best indications that time is passing and that we are growing older is through our children and pets. Since I see the children and grandchildren so infrequently, it’s the everyday experiences with our pets that provide my strongest references to growing older.  

Tinker, our 100-year old schnauzer, now needs a stroller to handle long walks. She’s taking Prednisone tablets, a steroid, twice daily that we hide in chunks of soft cheese. If it wasn’t disguised as food, she would spit them out. It helps with itching and painful arthritis that continues to slow her down. She can’t get up on our bed or the couch by herself anymore, stairs are a struggle, and the stiffness from inactivity every night makes the first outing every morning the most difficult of the day. She needs a walker to go with her stroller. Tinker has also developed a chronic condition called “dry eye” (keratoconjuctivitis sicca) that requires drops four times a day. Poor Tinker.

Tinker was the “Frog Killer’s” favorite, as they built a strong bond when she was living with us while finishing up her degree. (See Post #370). Watching the two of them together again during this recent visit brought back memories of the inexhaustible puppy that chased geese and incited a vigorous game of fetch-the-tennis-ball that once broke a window. The only thing that hasn’t changed is Tinker’s constitution that continues to make her “The Poopingest Pup on the Planet.” The steroids have only strengthened her appetite and the predictable by-product. However, squatting has become noticeably more difficult. Both my stepdaughter and her once playful pup are now 12 years older (84 dog years), and it made me realize my own inevitability. What will life for me be like in another 12 years?

In 12 more human years, I will be approaching 80, and will have certainly lost Tinker, along with even-more-ancient Frankie the cat, and probably Tally our 8-year old schnauzer. Frankie presumably has her “Senior Moments” in ignoring the location of the litter box, while Tally is also now on eye drops, her first sign of vulnerability. Like Tinker, muscle stiffness has slowed me down, and appears to be my most noticeable indication of aging. There is also the gray hair, wrinkles, and a few age spots…but who’s counting?

At least still youthful Tally still seems to look forward to her walks and responds immediately to the word “outside.” She is not the food hound that Tinker is, but still sits patiently in front of the refrigerator following our last outing each night in anticipation of our “Ham Time” ritual that for health reasons has been changed to turkey. (See Post #360). In a similar manner, my younger wife also gives me a “treat” of Vitamin D3 each morning with my egg, an effort to keep me her ageless and healthy travel companion. 

It’s a lot more fun to think back to those “Senor Moments” we all had when we were young, rather than contemplate the “Senior Moments” that lie ahead. Tinker often stares off into space, licks her lips, pants heavily, and stalks me for food. At least, I don’t seem to be getting hungrier as I age. It makes me sad to watch our pets change from happy active companions to slugs who respond only to food. Yes, they do still get excited when my wife comes home from work, but that’s partially because they also know it means dinner time.