Back To Therapy — By Tommy Purser

Well, I’m back in theraphy again and I get to see some friends I don’t get to see all that often so it’s kinda nice. There are a lot of my friends of my age who are also in therapy.
The exercises leave my legs weak but that will get better as time passes.
We’re fortunate here in Hazlehurst to have physical therapy services. There are two sets of doctors/physician assistants I’ve seen in Savannah and they generally suggest a Savannah physical therapy establishment for me to see. But Savannah’s too far away so it’s nice to have a physical therapy center that’s within walking distance of my home.
Therapy, I’ve learned, is more than exercise when it comes to my neck and back pains. There’s also traction and needle therapy. The latter is akin to acupuncture. Yes, it’s a bit painful but nothing most people couldn’t endure. The needles barely penetrate the skin and there’s no blood involved so they can’t be going into me very far.
The traction is kinda neat. I had that for the first time Monday.
The leg exercises are necessary to return my strength to the level that I don’t fall down and stagger everywhere. Falling down is not fun and it certainly isn’t dignified. And staggering makes me look like an old drunk.
Old age isn’t for the weak of heart. It’s tough. As several fellow senior citizens have remarked, “The Golden Years” aren’t what they were supposed to be.
The other day, I had an emergency to pop up which required me to go as fast as I could from the backyard of my home to the front yard.
The occasion actually required that I run but, most of us senior citizens don’t run — or can’t run — anymore.
I’ve coined a phrase for what I do in place of running. I call it the “Senior Citizens Power Walk.”
I feel like I’m running but that ain’t the truth.
Like I said, old age isn’t for the weak of heart.