When I reached my 75th birthday my daughter, Jill, made me a neat shirt that I have always been proud of. It reads in big red letters, MADE IN 1944 ALL ORIGINAL PARTS.

Our Mom died when she was 47 from heart failure. I was a senior in high school at the time and of course her passing left a hole in all of our hearts.

Would that be my same fate? I had thirty years before I would hit  that feared age of 47. Thirty years to contemplate what my health future might bring.

All that worry was for not as I celebrated my 75th birthday with all my original parts still intact.  🙂

As the summer months approach, I fear the shirt with the ‘original parts’ inscribed boldly will be a lie.

I think the problem began when I was playing second base for the Wheaton Red Sox’s. A big, fast Rosen runner rounded first and came charging at tiny me guarding second base.

I planted my left leg and prepared to make the tag while the big, fast runner plowed into me and my firmly planted left leg! I went head over tea kettle and I can still remember watching the baseball trickling out of my glove falling harmlessly on the gravel base path.

The umpire roared, “The runner is safe!”

The base runner stood on second base and even though he had hyperextended my knee he showed no remorse as I lay withering on the ground.

That possibly was the injury that would lead to me losing my ‘original parts’.

But truthfully the slow loss of my ‘original parts’ might have actually begun my junior year in high school when I went out for track.

I was the Clinton Rocket’s miler that year. In fact, I actually won the Pheasent Conference Mile Championship. The record still stands as the track program folded the next year.

I enjoyed that experience so much that for the next forty years I made running my physical fitness go to.

I was just going to turn 60 years of age when my left knee began swelling and causing pain. After an MRI the doctors discovered a quarter inch of cartilage missing at the end of my femur bone.

My running career came to a sudden end! I still miss running those two to three miles each day. I loved those endorphins!  🙂

I imagine some of you reading my blog are thinking he runs two to three miles? What a wuss!

Distance running was just catching on in those early years. 26.22 miles is the distance of a marathon. I live between Wheaton and Brown’s Valley and guess what the distance is?

The two towns are 26 miles apart.

My dream those many years ago was to run a marathon between the two towns.

Then I remembered I was only running two to three miles in my workouts. That’s about the time I began thinking golf seemed like an attractive alternative sport. 🙂

For the past ten years my left leg has been painful after working out.

Therapy was not successful. Steroid shots failed. As the years passed the pain increased and it was ruining my golf game!

Although to be really honest my lack of golf talent was probably the real reason for my faltering game. 🙁

Our hospital had taken an x-ray of my hip nine years ago and last week a second x-ray was taken.

Then an appointment was made with an orthopedic surgeon in Fargo. When Doctor Dahl showed me the two x-rays the deterioration was palpable.

The feared words ‘bone on bone’ was uttered by Dr. Dahl.  🙁

So, what do I do with that awesome 75th birthday shirt?

I suppose I could use it as pajamas, and no one would ever see my misleading 75th birthday shirt.

But pajamas need bottoms too.

I know what I can do! I’ll sweet talk Jill into making pajama bottoms and with her clever use of words she can fasten them to the back end of the pajama bottoms that say “Liar, liar, pants on fire!”

Meanwhile I’ll be kept busy doing the exercises preparing for the March hip replacement.

Perhaps I’ll come out of this workout experience looking pretty buff and weightlifting may become my go-to sport. 🙂

If you’re a praying person don’t hesitate to send a few prayers heaven ward every now and then. It can’t hurt.

I’m counting on the anesthesia to do its job too.

Remember Dr. Dahl it’s the left leg! I don’t believe I’ll be alert enough the morning of the surgery to remind you.

And now it’s time for my exercises!

Exercises, exercises, I must continue my exercises!

Until next time. 🙂