Today marks the end of the sixth year that I’ve been writing my blog. My first one was about my friend, Ed, and the fact that he turned 100 that day. It was truly a celebratory story. Ed turned again today. He’s 106. Holy Batman!!!
I met him when he was ninety, did a quiet self-adoption, and we’ve been hangin ever since. Sixteen wonderful years.
My two sisters, Sharron and Jackie, learned to love Ed through my writings. They admire his longevity and hope to live a life like his. He didn’t know, but they did. They met in person at Ruth’s Michigan Celebration of Life last June. Always a flirt, Jackie gave Ed her telephone number and said, “Call me.” He did.
They’ve spoken on the phone a few times and she drove to his house to meet again in person. I served as chaperon for the two. I’m not familiar with Ed’s “moves” but I know what Jackie is capable of, so I thought it best to be on hand. (She flirts much like our mother did.) We had a great visit.
Somewhere along the way, I told Ed if he played his cards right, he could be my brother-in-law. The thirty-seven-year age difference can be overlooked when you care about someone.
The truth is Ed is forever tied to his beloved wife, Eleanor. He told Jackie about Eleanor when we met that day at his house. Never at a loss for words, we talked about what a wonderful person she was and how he misses her. He’d told me that before, but now I’m in a position to relate to what he says. Neither one of us wants to be where we are, but we didn’t have a say in the matter. If I can emulate him as I move forward, I’ll be good with that.
He fell a few weeks ago. He was still a bit weak after spending a few days in the hospital with Covid. He hurt his wrist, and since he uses a walker now, he needs his wrist to be at full strength. He’s been in a medical rehab facility working on that. When rehab is done, he’s going to move to an assisted living facility.
He’s had a caregiver stopping into his house for about nineteen years. Sue started about three years before Eleanor passed. Eleanor was ill and Ed needed help caring for her, so he hired Sue. She’s been there since then. She stayed on to help Ed with the cooking and cleaning after Eleanor passed. Her duties expanded as Ed needed more help.
She’s getting up in age, thinking about retiring, or at least cutting back on her hours, so Ed’s decided that an assisted living facility would be a good next step. I’m not sure he’s ready to live with a bunch of old people, but I told him of my mom’s experience when she was ninety. She wasn’t crazy about it either, but I told her, like I told Ed… “Look you never went to college, so think of it like you’re living in a college dorm. You’ll be with people about the same age and have someone there to fix your meals. You’ll have the opportunity to make new friends. You can never have too many.”
I realize that such a move won’t be good for the June – December romance that he has going with my sister, but let’s face facts. Jackie’s not far behind when it comes to lifestyle changes. She attended college but was redshirted. She has some eligibility left, so she may welcome a return to “the dorm”. Life truly does move in mysterious ways.
I stopped in to see Ed a couple of days ago at the rehab center. My 106-year-old friend was in good spirits and is looking forward to his 107th chapter. I am too.
Happy birthday Ed.