The first time I heard the phrase was at my annual physical when I was about 45+. We were living in Delaware and it was just a normal check-up. I went into my doctor with a list of a few questions that I didn't want to forget. The answer to each? "It's a function of your age."
I can't say how many times I've heard those dumb words at other doctor visits. And the latest was when I just tore my meniscus and spent a week or so after the injury trying to navigate on crutches.....failure....and they made every muscle in my arms ache and the arthritis beginning in my wrists hurt like crazy! So I "graduated" to scooting around the condo backward using the "old person walker". That worked a lot better even if it was awkward.
Happily I got to see the orthopedic specialist pretty quickly. The pain was gone and he showed me the results of my MRI and x-rays. Showed me where the meniscus at my right knee had torn. He explained that there are several types of tears, but this one really couldn't be fixed and he would recommend surgery only as a last result. First, since I seemed to be getting around better (slower, but better) I should continue and see if I could get back to what I felt was normal activity for me. If not I should call and go in for some shots that might help.
And then he said it....this type of tear was more common for "women of a certain age". Crap.
It's that 2020 thing again. Certainly it could be much worse and I could be facing some really difficult health challenges so this will be OK. But I wouldn't care if I ever heard that phrase again. Sigh.
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