Sunday 9 November 2008

The Numbers Game

I have been waiting to do this post for the past seventeen years, I know, I know that's way before blogging came about. I did think of doing it a couple of days ago but decided I did not wish to push my luck, so to speak. Let me tell you about it.
Eighteen years ago I suffered a TGA. (see blog dated 18th May.) Earlier this year I had another. After diagnosis, looking on the internet as you do, I read that you can suffer a second attack as long as eighteen years after the first. (How ironic the blog concerning the attack is dated the 18th May.) If I don't suffer another attack for the next eighteen years I shall be well pleased. Another eighteen years will do, I suppose, mustn't be greedy.
Now I'm not one for number patterns or coincidences but they take some avoiding. I left school at the age of seventeen. For the next few years I did a mixture of jobs, married, had two children and generally enjoyed life. Before I knew it, another seventeen years had passed.
At the age of thirty four I entered the noble profession of teaching. I enjoyed it, stayed in one school, and time passed by. At the age of fifty one, yes, another seventeen years, I decided to do other things. Early retirement was offered so I took it, a little apprehensively.
The years have passed and it dawned on me that the old seventeen syndrome would take me only to sixty eight. In the early days I took it non too seriously but as the years rolled by it became a less than funny feeling. Not helped by the health scares most of us suffer in our later years, and, without moaning, I have had my share of threatening situations.
What do you do in such circumstances. Confide in others. Of course not, that would only worry others and your fears are both irrational and illogical. How mortal and frail we all are when push comes to shove. So I've got on with life and tried not to look over my shoulder too often. Especially this week; especially last night. I confess, I was pleased to see midnight and you know why. You've guessed and guessed right. Today is my sixty ninth birthday and I'm a might bit relieved. By the way, I shall be eighty five in seventeen years time. In 2025 I believe!

10 comments:

Stinking Billy said...

Congratters, Ken. Someone once told me that when you get to a certain age you really start anticipating each birthday with fingers crossed. My target was 70 and, believe me, every year after that has been a bonus. Don't forget, now, fingers crossed! ;-)

Stinking Billy said...

P.S. BTW, if you entered your birthdate in your registration form, blogger should automatically change your age in your published profile from 68 to 69 sometime today.

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday!

(Actually, it's already tomorrow here, so you've doubly broken the hex!)

Penny Pincher said...

Well belated birthday congrats and Many Many Happy Returns. Any friend of St Billy's is one of mine .. good to meet you. ;-)

Grumpy Old Ken said...

You're dead right. The age thing did change. I also have a clock in the house that corrects itself when the clocks go back. It's all beyond me. Can't cope with modern life. (see blog dated 27th April.)

Ken

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Hi Frogdancer.
Thanks for best wishes. You learn something everyday. Had never heard the word hex before. Had to look it up. Evidently its pretty well exclusively US.
Ken

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Hi
Pleased to me you. Thanks for the kind words. Have been to your blog and will return.
Ken

Marian Dean said...

Hi Ken
Birthday greetings! Funny you have this 17 thing. My husband relates how his first and second marriage lasted exactly 17 years apiece, and so as we are nearly at 13 ourselves we had better start sorting out the divorce details now!!! No not really, we are very happy and thankful to have found each other in our dotage. Like you though, I shall be waiting with bated breath on the eve of the 17 years.

VioletSky said...

I've been taking a few days off reading blogs to get caught up on other stuff...so I missed your birthday.
My bad.

Happy Belated Birthday, Ken
...and Many Happy Returns!!!

Clippy Mat said...

Sorry that I too missed your birthday Ken. I am glad that it wasn't traumatic.
Forget about the numbers thing before it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy; that's the only significance here.
Enjoy the next !18! until you are 86!! That should stop the curse.
cheers,