Reading about everyone's mom makes me realize how unique my mom was for someone of her generation. She died 11 years ago of liver disease (AFTER a transplant), but before she got sick she was a role model. She always walked and I remember her doing calisthenics on the floor to an exercise record when I was about 11. She was into sports in high school and was an officer in the girls athletic association. She was always telling me tales of riding off somewhere on her bike! When she would visit me in AZ we would get up and walk at 5 AM, to avoid the heat.
My dad is about to turn 83 and still works part time, but he gave me some upsetting news yesterday. He was supposed to have arthroscopic knee surgery this week, but it was canceled because his EKG was not good. Now he has to go for a stress test. He already takes Lipitor, but he has a blockage in leg that they won't address until the knee is fixed, because he can't walk with the knee pain. Oye... I wanted to tell him that maybe 65 years of smoking is catching up with him, but I held my tongue. He looks much younger and all of his friends are my age. Still, he never did anything physical and it's probably good genes contributing to his longevity.