High Sierra Topix

John: Thanks for suggestion to get my thyroid checked. It comes at a good time. I swore off doctors a number of years ago, but I've now reached the point where I think it might be a good idea to get checked out; so I'll mention the thyroid to the doctor at my appointment in a couple weeks.

A yearly blood workup isn't a bad idea either. It's fairly well covered if you have insurance, and you can research results yourself if not trusting of Doctors. Best to find a doctor you like though.

I used to do gym stuff because it was time efficient when I worked. Now that I am retired, I have plenty of time to backpack a lot, all year round! That is how I now keep in shape. And now with a dog, I walk the dog a lot. Not sure that does much for strength, but it does wonders for keeping down excess weight. And believe it or not, running after grandkids helps too! Every time I do my spring training "death march" I think I am going to perform worse each passing year, yet, amazingly, I am holding steady, thank goodness. As for doctors, next year when I get on Medicare I can finally get a real physical. For now, I have to pay for all that stuff myself. As years go by, and family situations change, I think all of us have stretches of not being able to go backpacking much. I think as long as you stay fairly active, even if it seems non-athletic, and watch your diet, you can quite easily get back into really good shape once you again have more time for yourself. Don't give up!