So You Think Your Age Is Just a Number - Dr. Ed Iannuccilli

So You Think Your Age Is Just a Number - Dr. Ed Iannuccilli

When she said it, I leaned back, befuddled. This lovely lady was teaching me a lesson that I appreciate even more today than I did those years ago.

I started my medical practice eager and ready; filled with medical facts and routines and ready to help. Just a few weeks into the job, I learned a valuable lesson.

She was a dignified, well-spoken, impeccably dressed lady. We sat for the consultation. “Mrs. ___, I find you in excellent health.”

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“Thank you, doctor. It’s hard to believe I am eighty.” She looked so well, so youthful, so vibrant, so in control. My rather inane response of, “Well, it’s only a number,” stopped the action. Silence. She sat up straighter, her upright posture adding another two inches to her height. Her deep, expressive eyes uncovered eighty years of experienced mileage. And just a few crow’s feet when she squinted.

She replied with confidence, grace, and wisdom, “Young man, I suggest you never say that to another patient. You see, you may believe eighty is just a number, but I have the number. Eighty is a lot.” I learned a lesson and never said that to another patient. Chronological age is a number, but not “just a number” if you own it.

When my Dad was fifty, I thought he was old, and in fact, he was in those days. “I hope he makes it to see me graduate from college.” Well, he did. Today, it is common to encounter so many approaching the age of eighty and beyond who are functioning at a high level, not only mentally but physically. And . . . I have five children in their fifties.

Now that I have the ‘number,’ I have given it more thought. Age is much more. It’s more complex. It’s multi-dimensional. It encompasses more than years. Sure, good health influences it, but so does culture, psychology, activity, and engagement with others. It’s about adapting to change. It’s about how you are treated and should be respected. It’s about sharing insights with younger people and hoping that they seek you out, or at least listen when you share those insights. It’s about how you might be seen as a resource.

Maintaining social connections and relationships is a key factor in how an octogenarian feels. I make it a point to contact a friend every day.

The experience of being eighty is just that, an experience. It differs for everyone because their lives are shaped by so many different things, not the least of which is health status and mental well-being. I understand that. And thus, nowadays, I understand that eighty is not just a number if you own it. But take that ownership one day at a time as you continue to navigate through later years.

I have the number. Though I shall not pass this number again, I will try not to lose sight of the chances I have had in approaching it. I’ll take it, maybe even buy a jersey with the number 80+ on it.