Never get complacent

I will turn 78 in August.
Nothing special about that, except that so many people are not fortunate enough to get there.

Thankfully, I've been in excellent health, with just a few exceptions... hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease.
Shrug all that off... be diligent, watch diet, take meds, stay on top of blood tests and good to go.
Until last week.

Both Howard and I contracted a gastrointestinal virus at the same time. We were really, really sick.
Thursday morning, as we debated what to do about our worsening conditions, I fell and hurt my left foot... badly.
The virus was more demanding, though, so we went to the hospital ER.
Howard was treated and released.
They kept me.
After a couple days of testing and IV drips to raise my blood sugar levels, on Saturday afternoon they sent me home.

Sunday my blood glucose level was critically low, so we went back.
While there, they x-rayed my foot and declared nothing broken. Just a bad sprain. Give it a few weeks to heal.

By Tuesday, blood sugar levels had reached safe numbers, the virus symptoms were all but gone and I went home again.

Still, the foot hurt like crazy, even without weight being applied to it as I hobbled around the house.
So today, my foot doctor re-xrayed and diagnosed a broken fourth metatarsal. Clean, clear through.
I'll be hobbling around in a heavy, cumbersome boot for six to eight weeks until it heals.

In the middle of May, I will have a battery of tests to determine the health (or lack thereof) of my heart.
EKG results were abnormal and we need to see why.

There is a lesson in all of this for me.

Never get complacent.

And I have been so guilty of that!
I've frequently expressed gratitude for the good health I've enjoyed.
I've felt deep compassion for people who struggle with persistent health issues.
And I've honestly believed I could go on through the coming years without any serious complications to the status quo.

No more.
Now there needs to be the humbling acknowledgment that age doesn't permit complacency.
I didn't see it coming and I'm not prepared for the tests and waiting for the bone to knit.
It will take some serious attitude adjustment.
I'll work on it.