MODERN September-October 2011 FREE Living The Magazine For Seniors 55+ And Their Families PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY It’s a painful and often misdiagnosed ailment. But HealthSource of Marietta can help with a high-tech, non-invasive program. (See page 9) September-October 2011- Modern Senior Living www.seniorlvgmag.com www.seniorlvgmag.com Modern Senior Living -September-October 2011 Am I ‘Over The Hill’ Yet? I am a part of the “Greater Generation,” as I was born during the heart of the Great Depression in 1932. I grew up in rural Alabama, the son of a struggling sharecropper. My youth and background gave me little hope of a good future. In 1951, at age 19, God blessed me with the realization that my future rested solely within my own two hands and ingenuity. I became inspired, focused and determined. I resigned my Birmingham grocery store job as produce manager and buyer. Within three weeks, I hitchhiked to Tuscaloosa and spent the entire $300 I had saved in silver dollars on tuition and used textbooks for my first semester at the University of Alabama. Like most of my contemporaries, I grew up working with the intention of retirement at the advanced age of 65—if I lived that long. When I was in my teens, age 65 was “old” and life beyond was slow, short, painful and limited. The expression of my youthful generation was that you would be “over the hill” before or by the time you were 65; you could expect little physical activity beyond fishing or just sitting in the front porch swing or rocker and waving at the driver of an occasional passing car or truck. God blessed America, and after WWII, America began to prosper. All of our lives improved to a higher standard of living. Health and living conditions improved to a point that we were living longer, and with greater expectations. This is a new day and time, but prior to a couple of years ago, most Americans expected to retire at least by age 65. There was also hope of an active retirement life of travel, sports, recreation or another entertaining/exciting venture, or simply sitting at home if they so desired. They also had a reasonable expectation of good health and mobility. I was fortunate to retire a little early in 1994. I have been blessed with an unusually active life. I am also a cancer survivor and have been injured in two automobile accidents—the first one, I was hit by a drunk driver from the rear; the second (300 yards from the first accident site) was also a rearend accident where my car was totaled by an illegal (alien) driver. The 2007 accident left me with a back injury that painfully changed my life and slowed my physical ability to a crawl—using a cane. by Lloyd Blackwell Lloyd Blackwell Still, I am blessed. Among other duties, I still teach, write, do family genealogy, tend my garden and blueberries and fruit trees, go to church and Sunday school, and take care of my large yard at home. I was 79 years old in February of this year. In May, I went to the Talladega Super Speedway in Alabama where I drove a stock car to a top speed of 175.74 mph. My question: Am I over the hill yet? I really need to know so I can adjust my lifestyle accordingly. ------------------Lloyd Blackwell has been called “one of the most traveled persons on earth” by a CNN TV reporter after he learned of his travels in 172 countries. Blackwell was a lay missionary for 40 years and had on-the-ground missionary involvement in 54 countries and 46 states. He was referenced in a Baptist newspaper feature article as: “…perhaps the quintessential volunteer missionary among all Southern Baptists,” by Dr. J. Gerald Harris, a highly respected Baptist newspaper editor, author, writer, preacher and speaker. September-October 2011- Modern Senior Living www.seniorlvgmag.com MODERN Living Vol.6 • No. 9 www.seniorlvgmag.com In This Issue Am I Over The Hill? By Lloyd Blackwell Page 3 My Not-So-Smart Phone By Cathy Hall Page 13 Old Stuff Reminiscing with June Parks Page 14 Sept. - Oct. 2011 Advertisers Index Alta Johns Creek............................................................... 17 Blue Ridge Railroad.......................................................... 15 Comfortable Chair Store.................................................. 14 Dallas Theatre................................................................... 15 Dr. Robert Sykes, DDS..................................................... 19 First Street......................................................................... 11 Golf Cart Mart.................................................................... 6 Georgia Follies..................................................................... 8 HealthSource Of Atlanta.................................................... 9 Home Health Options....................................................... 16 Homeplace Communities.................................................. 20 Internal Medicine Associates........................................... 13 Lanier Village...................................................................... 7 New Life Chiropractic........................................................ 5 Right At Home In-Home Care......................................... 14 Southeastern Railway Museum....................................... 15 Thrifty Meds...................................................................... 17 WinShape Homes................................................................ 2 Senior Living Magazine P.O. Box 510, Acworth, GA 30101-0510 Phone: (770) 966-7327 • Toll Free: (888) 388-7827 Fax: 770-975-7286 • Toll Free Fax: 877-218-4139 Website: www.seniorlvgmag.com Published by McElreath Printing and Publishing inc. Jim McElreath, Publisher E-mail: [email protected] More in This Issue... Entertainment...........................................................15 New Products...........................................................16 Senior News.............................................................17 Bill Larmore.............................................................18 www.seniorlvgmag.com Mike McLeod, Editor/Sales E-mail: [email protected] Ken Hall, Associate Editor/Sales E-mail: [email protected] Kim Kuzmeskus, Sales E-mail: [email protected] 770-815-1166 Joel Raeber, Sales E-mail: [email protected] ©2010 by McElreath Printing and Publishing, Inc. Publishers of Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced without expressed written permission of the publisher. Modern Senior Living -September-October 2011 Continued on page 6 September-October 2011- Modern Senior Living www.seniorlvgmag.com www.seniorlvgmag.com Modern Senior Living -September-October 2011 Your Dream Team For ‘Dancing With The Stars’ If you could choose a dream team of contestants—alive or not—for an out-of-this-world Dancing With The Stars competition, who would it be? Choose your top three and send them to the address below with your name and city. In an upcoming issue, we will publish the winning stars and those who chose them. The deadline for votes is November 4. Feel free to write in someone we overlooked. __ Paula Abdul __ Fred Astaire __ Josephine Baker __ Mikhail Baryshnikov Frankie __ James Brown “Muscle Head” Manning __ Cyd Charisse (photo, courtesy of __ Isadora Duncan Rich Werden) __ Martha Graham __ Gregory Hines __ Michael Jackson __ Sabra Elise Johnson (a previous winner of So You Think You Can Dance) __ Gene Kelly __ Jennifer Lopez __ Madonna (Madonna Louise Ciccone) __ Frankie “Musclehead” Manning (a founding father of the Lindy Hop) __ Ann Miller __ Norma Miller (“The Queen of Swing”) __ Rudolf Nureyev __ Donald O’Connor __ Anna Pavlova Cyd __ Debbie Reynolds Charisse __ Bill “Bojangles” Robinson (photo, __ Ginger Rogers courtesy of __ Britney Spears Allan Warren) __ Justin Timberlake __ Tina Turner ___________________________ (write-in candidate) Martha Graham Norma Miller (photo, courtesy of Joe Mabel) Ginger Rogers Mail your choices to Modern Senior Living, Box 510, Acworth, GA 30101; fax them to 770-975-7286; or email: [email protected]. Debbie Reynolds (photo, courtesy of Allan Warren) Golf Cart Mart, Inc. Sales & Service Delivery & Financing Specializing in late-model, reconditioned golf carts Accessories • Parts • Tires • Batteries 550 Hardin Bridge Rd. • Kingston (Cartersville), GA 30145 Fred Astaire 770-336-5296 September-October 2011- Modern Senior Living www.seniorlvgmag.com The producers of The Senior Follies, Kathy and Bob Russell, bring 42nd Street to the Cumming Playhouse, Oct. 14-Nov. 6 “Come and meet those dancing feet”! 42nd Street is one of Broadway’s finest and longest running musicals and Georgia’s BK Productions is bringing this wonderful show to the historic Cumming Playhouse. It will be directed by Honey Larsen and choreographed by Buddy Stotts, a widely respected team in the arena of Broadway musicals. (Honey and Buddy are also the choreographers of the Georgia Senior Follies.) The story is one that audiences will enjoy and the many fantastic songs from the show will have everyone singing in their seats…Lullaby of Broadway, You’re Getting to Be a Habit With Me and many more. 42nd Street will be musically directed by Bob Russell with his “on stage” live pit orchestra. It will be an evening that you will remember for years to come. The whole family will love the dancing, the music and the costumes. All audience members will never forget the wonderful original Gower Champion choreography. BK Productions is very proud of their cast of talented performers. The tap dancing will dazzle you! They guarantee you will leave the theater humming your favorite songs from this spectacular production. Don’t miss this one! BK Productions is owned by the producers of the very successful Georgia Senior Follies …Bob and Kathy Russell. They plan to continue to bring quality Broadway shows to the historic Cumming Playhouse. The show runs Oct. 14th - Nov. 6th (15 performances) at the Cumming Playhouse. Please get your tickets now. On line at www. playhousecumming.com or call the Playhouse Box Office at 770-7819178. www.seniorlvgmag.com Modern Senior Living -September-October 2011 PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY – AN OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED AILMENT Do you suffer from any of these symptoms? Numbness, tingling, burning or sharp nerve pain in your feet * Pain when you walk *Cramping * Difficulty sleeping from pain/leg discomfort * Prickling or tingling feelings By Dr. Daniel Martin, D.C. HealthSource of Marietta If you suffer from one or more of these symptoms, you may have peripheral neuropathy. And if you do, you’re not alone. Everywhere, good people have been frustrated by the traditional care they’ve received for these terrible problems. In many cases, they’re still seeking help. These problems can be caused by diabetes, hereditary disorders, inflammation, medications (such as cholesterol-lowering statin drugs) and more. For the past 14 years I have studied this class of conditions, collectively known as “peripheral neuropathies.” I practice a multi-pronged approach to the problems and symptoms associated with peripheral neuropathy. My “Peripheral Neuropathy Pain Program” is for anyone suffering from the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy pain. Using the latest technology, I offer non-invasive care. I help patients get well with no twisting or popping of the spine, because I use patented adjusting instrumentation that is highly researched, low-force and computerized. This frees the nerves and erases the damage caused by old, herniated discs or arthritis. I also use Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), a newly-developed tool that is very safe. It is a noninvasive healing light that has been proven to work wonders on the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. The beautiful thing is that when these health situations are resolved, people see an instant and dramatic improvement in the quality of their lives. In many cases, they can finally live pain-free, with peace of mind and joy in their lives again. When you call to make an appointment, I will perform a highly specialized Qualitative Clinical Scoring System of your peripheral nervous system, to see if we may be able to help you. But don’t delay – call today, at 770-578-0785. Your health and happiness depend on it. Dr. Danel Martin, D.C., has been successfully treating patients around the Metro Atlanta area for over 16 years. He is a proud member of the Neuropathy Treatment Centers of America and specializes in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy and disc herniation. September-October September-October20112011-Modern ModernSenior SeniorLiving Living www.seniorlvgmag.com www.seniorlvgmag.com One Mor Reason To ‘Eat Mor Chikin’ Nearly everyone in the South knows that Truett Cathy has been successful at selling the chicken sandwich. What everyone doesn’t know – and what defines this man as not just successful, but also legendary – is what he does behind the scenes with those “chicken” dollars. Maybe it has something to do with the way his mama raised him on her strong values. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he learned how to be a hard-working businessman during the Great Depression. No matter how you slice it, Truett Cathy believes that, “We must motivate ourselves to do our very best, and by our example lead others to do their best as well.” And so, leading the charge at 66 years old – an age most people would want to be slowing down and settling in – Truett Cathy endeavored to open a foster home for children whose parents could not take care of them. A quote from his book, “Eat Mor Chikin, Inspire Mor People,” gives an even further glimpse into his heart behind the program: “Nearly every moment of every day we have the opportunity to give something to someone else – our time, our love, our resources. I have always found more joy in giving when I did not expect anything in return.” Today, WinShape Homes has grown to include 11 homes in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, providing care for over 90 children in need of loving and stable environment. Each home has two fulltime, married house parents who Truett carefully sought out to guide children along a path for success through stability, nurturing, love, spirituality, and the many opportunities available to them in a WinShape Home. All of the children come from homes where the caregivers – parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and other guardians – are unable to care for them through the age of 18. Siblings groups, no matter the size, are kept together in the same home and, in most cases, are encouraged to maintain regular contact with their biological family throughout their time at WinShape. Many of the children are able to graduate from high school, purchase a car, and go to college, technical school, or the military, and even get married through the support of Truett and their WinShape family. All of the house parents, including Doug and Julie Bowling who have been parents since 1989, see their role as lifelong parents for the children who come into their home. Says Doug, “We are permanent as long as these kids need us.” Julie adds, “If there are challenges, we are ready. This is their home.” Richard Yadkowski, now a house parent in a WinShape Home with his wife Stephanye, grew up in Doug and Julie Bowling’s home 20 years ago. “I had been in a home that wanted to adopt me, but I did not want all that adoption brought with it: severing family relationships, changing my last name, etc. With WinShape Homes, I was able to have the security and permanency of adoption without having to end relationships with my biological family. As part of WinShape Homes, I played sports, went to the movies, participated in church events and went on fun trips. WinShape Homes provided me with a family that was active in developing all areas of life.” Through the WinShape Homes, Truett is able to provide for the physical, emotional and spiritual growth of children who are in need of a loving home and also instill the very important values that have compelled him to success. “How do you know if a child needs encouragement?” asks Truett. “If he or she is breathing.” __________ For more information about WinShape homes, call Emily Landis at 800-232-2677 ext. 52507 or visit www.WinShape.org. 10 Modern Living -October 2011 Modern Senior LivingSenior -September-October 2011 www.seniorlvgmag.com www.seniorlvgmag.com September-October 2011- Modern Senior Living www.seniorlvgmag.com 11 Hide The Silverware By Mike McLeod About this time last year, the price of silver per ounce was under $20. Early in May, it went to almost $50 per ounce before dropping into the $30s. It may go down further, but it is climbing again these days. Consequently, you should keep an eye on your solid silver jewelry and the silverware. These will be hot items for burglars. A friend recently sold several pieces of silverware for about $300 to one of the many goldbuying and silver-buying businesses. Those prices make your silverware very attractive to the unscrupulous. But maybe you don’t need to hide the silverware because what you have may not be solid silver. Do you know? Here are some ways to tell if the silverware you inherited or bought really is silver. The term solid silver is actually not exactly true. Since silver is such a soft metal, another metal, usually copper, is mixed with it to make it stronger. Sterling silver is the term used to describe silverware or jewelry that is 92.5% to 95% silver, which is usually called “solid silver.” 12 So how can you tell if the silverware is really silver? First, examine a piece of it with a magnifying glass. If you find the words silver plate or initials with “E.P.” in them (which stands for “electroplating”), then you do not have solid silver. You have a very thin layer of silver over copper or nickel. Finding “stainless steel” obviously means it is not silver. If you have sterling silver, it should say so, or you may see “92.5” or “925,” which also means it is sterling. If you see “99.9” or “FS,” that means it is fine silver, which is 99.9% pure. If you have old silverware that was made in England or France, you should find a hallmark, an official stamp designating quality. The English and Scottish hallmarks for solid silver are a standing lion (passant garde), a rearing lion, and Britannia (the figure of a woman with a staff and wearing a helmet). In Ireland, it is a harp with a crown on it. French hallmarks are more varied, usually with the head of the goddess Minerve, a boar, a rooster (pre-1838), or a www.seniorlvgmag.com variety of other animals or creatures. In addition to these hallmarks, both English and French silver can have other hallmarks. English silver often has a hallmark from the town where it was made, such as London (leopard), Birmingham (anchor), Sheffield (crown), Edinburgh (castle), and York (cross on a shield). There can also be hallmarks showing the date it was made, that taxes have been collected on the silver, and/or the maker’s mark. Generally, if you find hallmarks, you have real silver. However, there is always the chance of an item or a set of silverware being faked. To be absolutely sure, either take your set to a jeweler who can test it with acid, which will require making a scratch deep enough to go through silver plate, or take it to an antique dealer who buys silverware. A good dealer will tell you the truth, show you how your silver is real, and probably offer you a good price for it. If you get any other advice, take it to a reputable jeweler and get the test results in writing. Hallmarks for Edinburgh London Scotland (Current) Sheffield Hallmark for Birmingham, England Britannia Hallmark Modern Senior Living -September-October 2011 My Not-So-Smart Phone By Cathy C. Hall I just read in the paper about a netzero energy home. Have you heard about these houses? Apparently, all the power and utilities are monitored by a system that shows how much energy is being used, any time of the day or night. And the homeowner can fiddle around with the programming, right from his smart phone. Now, I’m all for saving the earth and energy, right down to eating out as often as possible to keep the oven and microwave usage at a minimum. But if my super-efficient home has to be programmed by my smart phone, count me out. I’m sorry, but I just don’t think my phone is half as smart as it thinks it is. The other day, the mister and I were idling at a stoplight when I saw a funny sign on a building. Oh! I thought. I’ll just whip out my smart phone! The camera will take a picture. So I flipped open the phone and pointed it at the sign. Nothing happened. I pointed the cell phone up, down, and all around that sign. I pressed a gazillion buttons. I may have called Homeland Security. I’m not sure. But I’m sure my phone never took a picture of the sign. We were pulling into our driveway when a screen on my phone popped into view. It was the camera doohickey. Great. Thirty minutes late, the smartypants phone arrived for action. September-October 2011- Modern Senior Living Flash forward a couple days. Can you believe I saw another funny sign? This time, when I whipped out my smart phone, I pressed the little doohickey and zip! A camera lens opened up. Which I pointed at the sign. But now the sign, which I could easily read since it was only 20 feet away, suddenly looked about 2.4 miles away. Fortunately, my genius phone is equipped with a zoom for the camera. It took 17 minutes to get the zoom function to work, frame everything up and click on the sign. At long last, an actual picture from my phone! An incredibly fuzzy, out-of-focus picture. See what I mean about my smart phone? I mean, honestly. I could take a picture like that, all by myself. -----------Cathy C. Hall is a humor writer who lives in Georgia. Find out more about her at www.cathy-c-hall.com, or you can converse with Cathy on Facebook. www.seniorlvgmag.com 13 fascinating item there. It was a horse-hair cloche hat that was very precious. It had lost its color, or perhaps it was a bland color to begin with, and it had By June Parks shrunk. Betty and I attempted to try it on every time, but it Mama would devote one whole day about once was difficult, It was shaped close to the head and a year to go nostalgic. She would say, “Come on, very deep. Finally, I guess we stretched it enough so girls, let’s clean out my cedar chest.” But my sister that I pulled it way down onto my face. and I knew there was no “clean out” concerned. She Mama told us this was the hat she wore when she never threw anything there away. The contents were married in the ‘20s. I realized I looked like what she precious to her. Memories! must have been back then—a flapper. We laughed She would take everything out, keeping it all because hats in our day were placed on the back of in the same neat stacks, checking all of the folded the head, not hiding the face. fabric that she had purchased, no telling how long Mama and Daddy married on July 3rd, and for before, in hopes of having a talented friend “make their honeymoon, they attended a singing at the her a dress.” Some of the prints were so uninspiring, big white frame Methodist Church on the hill in I wondered why she had bought that and why so Zebulon, Ga. Don’t blink, or you’ll miss Zebulon. much? The bottom of the cedar chest was filled with Some honeymoon! Dusk was settling when everything was back fabric. As she stacked items back into the cedar-scented in its rightful spot in the cedar chest. Time to cook interior, the items became more interesting. My sister dinner. All was right with the cedar chest for one Betty and I always favored the most unusual item: a more year. A few months after my Mama died, the house fan made of peacock feathers. It was gorgeous. She said her former sailor sweetheart sent it to her from was just as she left it. All of her beautiful, well-loved Panama. mahogany furniture was collecting dust. Because all Closed, only the top feather showed, but open it of the doors in the house were glass-paned, from top to bottom, anyone could see that no one was there to out, and about ten feathers glowed like a drip of oil changing colors in the light. The prominent colors protect the contents. Soon, the police called. They had caught a big were interchangeable blue and green, my favorite colors. No wonder I loved it. Each arched tip was guy pushing Mama’s refrigerator up the middle of a multi-colored eye that was all-seeing. If you’ve Poplar Street on Daddy’s hand trucks. The house was ever seen a peacock strut his stuff, fanning his tail a wreck. Most everything was gone. in all its glory, you can imagine how beautiful that We grieved. Right at Home.08.10_BC fan was. It was a couple of feet long, and Betty and I often wonder what could possibly have I about beat it to death, flipping it open and flirting happened to the peacock fan. But especially, why around with it. would anybody want that cloche hat? It was only A yellowed box stuffed with tissue held the most valuable to my sister and me. Old Stuff 217 E. 1st Street Rome, GA 30161 706-290-7701 678-919-7705 From a few hours a week to around the clock care. Right at Home’s trained caregivers can assist you or a loved one with: light housework, meal preparation, laundry, medication reminders, transportation, light exercise, and personal care support. This may include bathing, transferring and toileting assistance. www.northwestgeorgia.rightathome.net [email protected] 14 www.seniorlvgmag.com Modern Senior Living -September-October 2011 Recreation & Entertainment Our Entertainment and Recreation advertisements are fun for readers and more business for you. Don’t miss out on our next edition. Call for advertising information: Southeasten Railway Museum.1/8_2.09_MSL 770-974-6543 The Southeastern Railway Museum Georgia’s Official Transportation History Museum Invites you to take a ride back into history. • Train rides on restored cabooses • Walk through exhibits of retired railway equipment including President Harding’s private car Superb • Gift shop with hats, whistles, videos, books and Thomas® One • Annual Caboose Day – first weekend in April FREE Child Admission with a paying adult with this ad from Modern Senior Living. Not valid during special events 3595 Buford Hwy. Duluth, GA. 770-476-2013 www.srmduluth.org September-October 2011- Modern Senior Living www.seniorlvgmag.com 15 Check out these... New ProductS! DryDiapersPlus Incontinence Products for All Ages & Abilities Revolutionary Unique Wellness Super Absorbent Adult Diapers/Briefs hold 18.72 cups – Only 3 scheduled changes per day keeps you dry & prevents rashes. The 3 layer system wicks all moisture away from skin in a separate layer, leaving the layer against your skin feeling dry. The PUMP™ Leg bag emptier allows you to empty your leg bag directly into a toilet or a urinal WITHOUT assistance. Powered by its own battery, it works on virtually any wheelchair, giving you freedom, independence, dignity. Eversures incontinence underwear for men & women – beautiful and absorbent. For more details, please call (509)329-6265 Email: [email protected] Or visit: www.DryDiapersPlus.com Home Health Options_1/8_07.11_MSL MEDICAL AnD HoME CArE SuppLIES WE ArE MEDICArE ApprovED for tHESE proDuCtS: • Scooters and Power Wheelchairs • Recliners and UpLift Seat • Wheelchairs, Rolling Walkers • Hospital Beds, Assist Bed Rails • Diabetic Shoes and Braces • Bed & Bath • Safety Products www.homehealthoptions.weebly.com $ 500 & Up Shop In Store Or Call For Delivery HoME HEALtH optIonS, InC. 279 Roswell St NE • Marietta • 770-425-7718 Just east of the Marietta Square • Open Mon - Fri 10-5 • Sat 10-2 16 www.seniorlvgmag.com Craft Shows The Powder Springs Senior Citizens Center will have an indoor yard/arts & crafts sale on Friday and Saturday, November 4 and 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 4181 Atlanta St., Bldg. #3 in Powder Springs. Come out and support your senior citizens. For information, call 770-943-1555. *** The 26th Annual Mt. Zion Craft Show will be held Friday, November 11 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, November 12 from 9-4 at the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, 1770 Johnson Ferry Road in Marietta. The show features 52 arts and crafts vendors, a silent auction, door prize, bake sale, casserole pool, (Saturday only), quilt drawing, pictures with the real Santa and fresh baked apple pies and cookies prepared throughout the show. The show is sponsored by the Mt. Zion United Methodist Women; all proceeds benefit local and church charities. There is no charge for admission. Info: 770-971-1465 or at the Mt. Zion’s United Methodist Women’s website, www.mtzionumw.org. Texting For Seniors The kids have their abbreviation codes when texting on their phones—like BFF (best friends forever), LOL (laugh out loud) and WOOF (well off young folks)—and here are some codes for us: ATD: At the Doctor’s BFFA: Best Friend Fell Asleep BTW: Bring The Wheelchair CBM: Covered by Medicare CUATSC: See You at the Senior Center FWIW: Forgot Where I Was FYI: Found Your Insulin GGPBL Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low GHA: Got Heartburn Again HGBM Had Good Bowel Movement IMHO: Is My Hearing Aid On? LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out LOL: Living on Lipitor LWO: Lawrence Welk’s On OMSG: Oh My! Sorry, Gas ROFL-CGU: Rolling on the Floor Laughing— Can’t Get Up! WAITT: Who Am I Talking To WTP: Where’s the Prunes WWNO: Walker Wheels Need Oil GGLKI: Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking In! Modern Senior Living -September-October 2011 Senior golfers belonging to the Bartow County Senior Center in Cartersville, Ga., travel to a local course every Thursday, departing from the center’s Zena Drive branch at 8 am. One of their favorite courses is the Calhoun Elks Golf Club. Among the other courses they visit are Indian Trace, Stonebridge, Fields Ferry, Spring Lakes and others. Pictured is Lowie Jones teeing off at the Elks Club as Mike Decker and Charles Simpson look on. The center welcomes all Bartow County seniors over the age of 50; membership is free, and the center is open Monday through Friday with many activities, events and trips for the active seniors in the Cartersville area. For information, call 770-387-5134 or 770-387-5166 or the 24-hour hotline at 770-383-7383. The center is online atThrifty www.bartowga.org under Community Meds Now.Qrt.04.10 Services at the Senior Services link. The Powder Springs Senior Citizens Center recently took a day cruise on the Southern Belle riverboat in Chattanooga, Tenn. Seniors were treated to a prime rib and Chicken Alfredo buffet with live entertainment. The Powder Springs Senior Citizens Center is located at 4181 Atlanta St., Bldg. #3 in Powder Springs. Hours are 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Monday-Friday. The center is closed holidays and for day trips. (Photo by Dee Chappell.) Savvy Seniors Love Modern Living! Riverstone Senior Alta.QRT.04.09_SEA Read the Entire Magazine On-Line at www.seniorlvgmag.com ThriftyMedsNow .com You don’t have to pay full price for your prescription drugs. Fill your prescriptions with a licensed Canadian pharmacy... IT’S EASY. GET A FREE PRICE QUOTE TODAY. SAMPLE SAVINGS STRENGTh Aciphex Casodex Effoxor XR Flomax Fosamax Plavix SIzE US 20mg 100 tabs $555 50mg 30 tabs $521 150mg 100 caps $411 0.4mg 30 caps $109 70mg 4 tabs $63 75mg 28 tabs $142 CANADA GENERIC $148 $230 $220 $26 $47 $83 $86 $116 $106 $17 $18 N/A SAVE 84% 78% 74% 85% 79% 46% All of the medications we carry are approved by Canada’s Health Protection Branch (Canada’s regulatory body similar to the United States FDA) 1-866-999-7928 toll free www.ThriftyMedsNow.com September-October 2011- Modern Senior Living www.seniorlvgmag.com 17 The Discount Card Caper By Bill Larmore Just after my 62nd birthday in 1979, the bottom fell out of my life. Yet, the day started much like any other September Saturday in Marietta, Georgia. My wife and I woke up at about 9 a.m. to sunlight streaming through our open bedroom window, to the happy sound of wee birds chirping and burping happily in the azaleas, and the perfume of some neighbor’s ever-smoldering trash burner. All was deceptively peaceful, but I know now that against my comfortable, almost blissful existence, vast dark forces were already massing. Somewhere nearby, water was starting to run uphill, apples were falling horizontally off their trees, and freeze-warnings were being posted in Hell. “Good morning, old Saturday breath,” said my wife Eloise fondly. “Just what are your plans for the day?” “Well,” said I, sitting up in bed and smoothing back what was left of my hair, “with our grown-up kids all out of the house doing their thing, we are alone. “First, I plan to sweep you into a mad embrace, providing my arthritis will allow it. Next.…” “Never mind next,” interrupted my beloved. “We’ve got more important things to do today. 18 After breakfast we are going over to the Treasury Drug at Canton Corners.” “Fine,” I said. “We can browse the vitamin racks and see if they have any new stuff in.” “Very funny,” said my wife, only she wasn’t laughing. “Today is the day you get your Senior Citizen Discount Card. You’ve sidestepped it for two years now, and that’s long enough. Just think! It’ll give us ten percent off on all drugs, including your Preparation H.” She paused suddenly and looked intently at me. “What’s the matter with you, Bill? You look sort of green.” She was right. I felt like I had just swallowed a chili pepper pizza whole with a double rootbeer chaser. Egad, I thought. Me, a senior citizen? No! It can’t be. At 62, I’m only middle-aged… that is, I am if I can live to be 124. I’m too young. Too beautiful! Say it isn’t so! As we drove into the shopping center I could see Treasury Drug squatting on the lot like a spider ready to bite. There was a sign in the Treasury window that read, “Bargain Day. Many Items 20% Off.” Relief flowed through me like a gulp of icecold Coke on the desert. www.seniorlvgmag.com “See,” I babbled. “See!” That’s a lot better deal than you want me to make with that ten-percent discount card, and—” “That’s only for today,” interrupted my wife. “Let’s get on with the business at hand.” Once inside Treasury, I could see the drug counter at the back of the store. I could also see the young clerk at that counter. She was the one I had noticed before with the Gleem smile, the Vidal Sassoon hair, and the Liz Taylor perfume. She was also the one I was almost sure said to herself during my occasional visits to the store, “There is that mature, aristocratic man with the Humphrey Bogart smile and the Clark Gable shoulders.” She was the one I would have to see about that no-count discount card, but maybe it won’t turn out too badly after all. I’ll just lean easily, but dangerously, against the counter like John Wayne, and when she asks me my business, I’ll smile like Big John and just tell her my business flat out .She’ll look at me steady-eyed while I am filling out the card form, and then she’ll say, sort of shy-like, “You’ll never be old. Not to any real woman.” I’ll sign the completed card, give it a flip into my pocket and Modern Senior Living -September-October 2011 say, ”Here’s looking at you, kid,” and I’ll stride off , arms swinging, heavy with muscle, and I’ll hear her say to the clerk at the catalog order desk, “All senior citizens ought to be like him!” Yep! That’s the way it will be. Sure it will. Go on, move,” interrupted my wife, digging me with a sharp elbow. “Cobwebs are hanging between you and the furniture.” From her expression, she seemed to believe that I no longer had both oars in the water. She looked worried, but determined, sort of like a Pekinese herding a buffalo. Feeling that I had somehow just been nipped on the hoof, I managed to make it down to the fatal counter. Already there and leaning against the displays for support was one of the oldest men I had ever seen Had he visited any funeral home in Marietta, they would have kept him. I was about to offer him some assistance when he pointed with a shaking arm and palsied fingers at the Senior Citizen Discount poster on the counter and quavered, “I’m sure goin’ ter git me one of them jest as soon as I gits old enough!” I was still standing there feeling dizzy when a melodious voice trilled at my elbow. It was the clerk, Miss Gleem. “Can I help you, sir?” “Uh-h-h yes,” I answered “I was just trying to decide on what I really wanted.” “All right, sir,” she said. “You were looking at our laxative display. Which one best fits your condition?” Somehow, I dug up the courage to tell her what I was really there for. It was either that or return to my wife empty-handed, which who you look like. My grandpa, would have had about the same only he’d been a lot younger today result as the last meeting between than you—if he’d lived.” General Custer and the Indians. Crushed, I took my new card After I filled out the form and and sadly looked at it. Strangely was shakily signing my gleaming enough, that seemed to make me new ID card, the girl behind the feel better. It was somewhat like counter looked fixedly at me for a looking at your gallstones in a long moment. Then she said, “You glass following the operation. You know, you sure do remind me of still hurt, but the worst was over, someone.” and you had something to show A soothing wave of relief swept for it. over me. The disaster was not to As I doddered away to show be complete after all. I was to be my wife the prize, the thought saved at least a fragment of my came to me that perhaps the secret pride. of successful aging is actually “Who can that be?” I grated in giving up the illusions of and flashed my best leer. youth for something infinitely “Humphrey Bogart?” more valuable: the reality of “Humphrey who?” shrilled experience. And besides, I could the snippet in return. Then a now get a whopping ten-percent murky light of recollection spread off the bill on all my Geritol. over her suddenly zit-speckled, -------------- Dr. Robert Sykes_4.09_MSL adolescent features. “I know now Bill Larmore lives in Marietta, Ga. YOUR DENTURES CAN LOOK & FEEL GREAT! Do your dentures fit poorly and look unnatural? Are they outdated and worn out? 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