Bill's Views on Most Everything

I fall down.  I fall off ladders, I fall down stairs, I just plain fall down.  Now, I am somewhat weak in the coordination department, but I also hike, climbed mountains, backpacked, hunted in rough country, and survived it all.  As I age, the falls are more frequent.  I did two courses of physical therapy for my balance problem, but Medicare won’t pay for continuous physical therapy.

I am terrible at doing balance exercises on my own, so Tai Chi seemed like the best alternative.   It works.  I go for an hour four days a week, which forces me to plan my schedule.  Two days I go to the city recreation center, one day at the city senior center, and one day at a program for older adults at the University of Denver.

I haven’t fallen yet, but I do a lot of stumbling.  When I started a couple of months ago, I wasn’t sure Tai Chi would work for me, and I thought about of giving it up.  All the classes are for beginners with lots of different skill levels, but I have never liked being at the bottom.  I didn’t stay at the bottom very long, as there are a lot of old people with various motor problems.

I get to meet people, do something good for me, extrovert, and be a bit of the class clown.  My balance is also improving.  At first, I couldn’t do a kick without stumbling. Now I can kick with my left leg, but still stumble when trying my right leg.  Even that is improving.  I can also stand on my right leg and be fairly steady, but no luck when on my left leg.

I attribute to my lack of physical symmetry to the Army.  As you may be aware, armies make loud noises.  When I was in the Army during the early sixties, hearing protection was unheard of.  After I finally got a promotion, I was given a fifty caliber machine gun to care for and shoot.  Assembled on its tripod, it weighs around 150 pounds.  It needs that weight.  The cartridge is about 5 1/2 inches long and makes a hell of a noise when it goes off.  I now have a significant hearing loss with damage to the vestibular nerve in my right ear.  We use vision, sensation in our feet, and the inner ear for balance.  My right inner ear has trouble talking to my brain.   Thus, I fall down.

The VA gives me hearing aids, but apparently is nothing to be done about the nerve damage.  My job is to keep the vision and propriocepter (foot sensation) balance stuff working and do as much as I can with the ear.  I especially have trouble turning right in the dark.  The Tai Chi keeps two out of three working and may be helping with the nerve damage.

Another benefit of Tai Chi is its meditative aspect.  I do Insight Meditation which advocates keeping mindfulness at all times, not just when meditating.  I am able to stay in the moment at times, but I’m not very good.  Tai Chi can be described as a martial art in slow motion.  The emphasis is on staying centered while doing the moves.  The motions are smooth and deliberate, coordinated with the breath, perfect for staying in the moment.

The more familiar I am with the Tai Chi forms, the better my meditative state.  It’s also a lot of fun.  I have three instructors, each with their own style.  One emphasizes correct body position and smooth, deliberate motion while maintaining good balance.  She goes over each move enough to enable doing it properly.  Another emphasizes learning the entire form, putting all the individual moves together.  The third does sort of a combination while including some Qui Gong, a method predating Tai Chi without the martial arts aspect.  Together the three instructors four day per week have allowed me to progress fairly rapidly.  My balance is better as I am having fun.