My AARP Card

[morethenhiv@gmail.com]

My AARP Card

  A personal milestone arrived mixed in with the junk mail. My AARP card. To others it might be tossed aside but to me it was a validation of 50 years of life. While everyone I know who has, or is about to turn 50 wont admit it or cursed the day. I choose to celebrate it. After all having AIDS and staying as healthy as you can takes some work and stick-to-itivness. To think back in 1994 being in the hospital with PCP, thrush and 11 T-cells all the experts gave me 6 months to a year tops and I’m still here.
  What I’ve learned is usually by the time a person reaches 50 he/she has gone through some hard knocks tethered by life’s obstacle-course both physically and emotionally. So there is always some common ground where people can relate to each other. Although HIV/AIDS has a distinction with a stigma and medical complications and I have gone though my share of these but for me reaching 50 means I got though it and have no intention of stopping now.
  Make no mistake; I will fight getting old all the way. I will use the hair dye, the age creams, and the vitamins. I will dress as cool as my wallet will let me, sing and dance as long as the music moves me. So I’ll send a note with my membership fee that there are more of us HIVers coming.

[aztecan]

Hey morethanhiv,

I received my AARP card a few years ago. I love it. I never thought I would live to get one.

I found 50 to be a watershed year for me. I dropped all the keeping up the youth type stuff, well, for the most part,  , and started enjoying the skin I am in.

Oh, before I forget, welcome aboard. Glad you have joined in.

HUGS,

Mark

[morethenhiv@gmail.com]

 Thanks Mark, I know what you mean. At this age I don't feel I have to impress anyone and I'm not afraid of little mistakes.

[rondrond]

Hi morethenhiv,

Welcome. I stopped dying my hair because the gray fought back.    The color wouldn't stay anymore. It would wash out by the third shampoo.

I have my AARP card too, but have not used it yet. Maybe, when I get approved for Medicare.

Ron~

[morethenhiv@gmail.com]

Hey Ron, I know what you mean. The gray is like the strongest tribe. while your hair gets grayer the dye gets weaker. When you get medicare ( I get ssdi) you'll be able to use it in some insurance circles but I don't know if it will save you any thing. TH

[rondrond]

Hi TH,

I am trying to persuade my sister to stop coloring her hair. It is a hard decision to make. Those roots just scare me, but I finally stopped coloring three years ago. Hey, sometimes, in the right light, it passes for blond 

She won't hear none of it....

I'm waiting on SSDI ...the judge has made the determination, but won't give the verdict over the phone.   waiting on 'snail mail'     

My next milestone/daydream is to take a trip to New York. I have been just about everywhere else. 

I think AARP has a travel service..

Ron~

[mjmel]

AARP CARD
Have had mine for 8 yrs now......it got me a discounted price hotel here and there..(AAA does same)...but mostly it generates a ton of junk mail: insurance offers I don't want or can't qualify for.  I'm not renewing after my membership expires in July 09. Then, I guess what follows will be 2 tons of offers to rejoin.

Mike

[pozniceguy]

Hey Mike you got that right  ..I get at least two a week ,offers to rejoin, and more offers of insurance I cant qualify for...directly to the shredder ..don't even open them..I used to put them all in one of the "return" envelopes and mail them back but my postman asked me not do that..it just makes his job harder...so into the shredder then into the recycle bin..

Nick