on being elderly

on being elderly

 

 

 

arrogant physicians

with clumsy manner

and sometimes equally inept hands

 

diagnoses all over the charts

like roughly sketched treasure maps

feeling the incisions

of errant decisions,

 

we escape into anesthesia's woods

hoping to come out the other side

with elegant scars

and no poison ivy contrition 

 

lamenting our faith

in the Hippocratic oath

which often seems like

swearing on a seldom opened

Bible,

 

we are reeling from the feeling

that we are not really healing

 

just mis-believing     

in not-so miracle cures

and poor etiquette added in

for good measure.

 

 

erin-cilberto

4/23/16

Reviews

[Fran Marie]

many doctors have a god complex .. not all.. but a lot have arrogant attitudes..like this piece with your accurate descriptions..

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for you kind words, Fran...
j.

[Gaurav]

So abrupt and unhealthy are ways of life. Childhood to old age - it's all why it is? Every age has its fundamentals. While we come to terms with pending death, that's when even fear overcomes everything. Nicely written. thanks for sharing

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Gaurav--
j.

[JackValor86]

yea, it makes me think of my grand father when he was put into a nursing home and his health started rapidly declining, losing all control of his life to doctors nurses and his son who took all his affairs into his hands

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for sharing how you related to this, Jack.
j.

[Gee]

Not so long ago I refused to collect my Mum from hospital as sending her home early just to release a bed was only benefitting the turn round figures of the NHS. I got my way and she got 6 weeks of rest and recouperation in a smaller hospital that resembled a boutique hotel.
This strikes a chord Jacob
Top writing Jacob

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for relating , Gee----and understanding.
j.

[Ted Kniffen]

Funny how doctors have time for charts but little time for hearts. A touch of humility goes a long way.
I always remember what they call the student who graduates last from medical school...Doctor.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insightful words...
j.

[Ardra]

lamenting our faith
in the Hippocratic oath
which often seems like
swearing on a seldom opened
Bible,

:) hope you feel all better and healthy and don't have to visit the hospitals :)

it's not a pleasant thing at all.... unless it for the delivery for the baby :P (not pleasant for us... but ya the joy of after it is worth :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, Galadriel...
j.

[Wild Rose]

Been there > I am there
Told I need tablets >> What for/
The tests show I am in good health
Tablets are prescribed > never collected they would be waste >> That was ten years gone by and still no tablets

That's is the way it is
What /who do you believe Exercise it does you good > Exercise at your age definitely not
I still do

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for sharing , Wild Rose---

yes, exercise....me too...tennis twice a week.read morethank you for sharing , Wild Rose---

yes, exercise....me too...tennis twice a week.

j.

[Wild Rose]

Thanks > was taken to hosp chest pains (severe indigestion) Pulse 60 temp low BP low normal
Cardiac specialist came > I am an ex racing cyclist from age 12 > fell walker until 2 years back (Then 74) Ride my execise bike take pulse to 90 & hold it there then up to 140 for a few seconds them warm down until pulse is back to normal
Keep up the exercise

[Miss Sharon]

I see, hear and FEEL this write my friend. Every day it's a new pain or something else that doesn't work as it once did. I love the rhythmic word play in these lines (we are reeling from the feeling that we are not really healing) Been there done that! ~Sharon

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for relating, Sharon, and your kind words.
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob.. Cut and sew... Wait and see... Believe me🍀 It is a rough sea...
Dreams of living are reality for me.
truly, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

the sea is starting to have some heavy waves for me too...thank you for your words, Pat.
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob... I trust a year later you are doing better. truly, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this was more a general poem about aging and dealing with one thing after another...i am fine...but thank you, Pat.
j

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob... another year later... and there are more tests. I try to enjoy life in-between... my doctors seem to retire and I keep looking for a new doctor... hopefully a young doctor who can keep up with me. truly, Pat

[Nirupama.H]

Loved the description.
We start believing in things we would otherwise call superstition when we find ourselves at someone else's mercy..
Really loved how you referred to the charts as "roughly sketched treasure maps" and the haze of being put under anesthesia as woods.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Nirupama--

j.

[Nirupama.H]

You're welcome :)