AGING: And smiling despite bad times

I am a local man who is of an age that no longer looks forward to many more birthdays. My beloved wife, Elsie, and I are both 90 years young. We have been married 66 years next Feb. 7. It will surely be a big celebration.

Last April 26 my younger brother died from a faulty operation. He was 85. He was in the hospital for an operation to replace an artery and a complication occurred and he bled to death. Within four weeks a sister-in-law passed and shortly after this sadness, a third generation family member also passed away.

four weeks ago I was downtown on my scooter and was hit by a guy in a small car but, thankfully, I was not badly hurt. I was able to smile about it later. Four days later I had a heart attack and somehow I lost m top denture and could not find it. Later my wife found it in the top pocket of a shirt that I had not worn for about a week. BOY, DID I SMILE ABOUT THIS!

My arthritic fingers and old typewriter (almost as old as I am) don’t work very well these days but a friend who also lives here has typed it for me. If you would like to print it in the newspaper, have at it! Perhaps other people who have as many problems as I have and are still “above ground” will be challenged to smile, too.

JOHN SAIN

Coeur d’Alene