Concerning Questions about my Health

Recently I was asked about my current health. Since I am the first of my family's generation to move towards senior citizendom (in the distant future, lets hope), my experiences and changes over the coming years will be of some interest for my siblings and give them some ideas, although possibly unimportant and unrelated, about some problems that may occur for them as well. I'll start from the head down:

Neck: loss of range of motion; perennial stiffness, particularly when awakening and when using my neck while driving.

Shoulders: left and right both perennially experience stiffness and pain, and pain is present when lifting the left arm up in the air above the horizontal plain. Arthritis may be coming down the road.

Left Elbow: constant stiffness and regular pain, very much heightened when awakening and often present while sleeping--enough to wake me . Oddly, I have none of these symptoms in my right elbow.

Hands and Wrist: stiffness with limited pain more noticeably in the left hand than the right hand but present regularly in both.

Back: luckily no pain, but stiffness when bending over and doing other motions which cause me to have to rise and straighten out somewhat slowly.

Chest/Abdomen: nothing to report

Hips: irrattic, unpredictable pain in right hip, often after having just gotten up in morning. Left Hip pain of a similar nature does occur, but is largely rare.

Knees: Seldom is there pain or stiffness. It probably helps that I sleep with a nice pillow between my knees.

Ankles/Feet: No pain or stiffness ever occurs that I can recall

Internal: No changes that I have noticed in the last several years. I have perennial chest/throat/sinus congestion and cough particularly in the colder months because of the dry, windy climate I have lived in all my adult life, but the allergies I had while living in NM are no longer a problem since I live in places where its either really hot or cold where allergens have a hard time surviving.

Senses: There is a noticeable loss of sensation in my fingertips particularly with small items;
My hearing is not as good as it once was but I would call it a discernable difference in certain circumstances but nowhere near dibilitating; as for my vision, farsightedness has set in and its often better for me to look with my bare eyes at things close up. My Distant vision seems to be steady but my night vision is very slowly deteriorating and I now understand why so few older people go out after dark particularly to drive. The more natural light and powerful artificial light, the better off I am in respect with my vision.

So, all in all, I would say I am in good health for someone of my age and experiences. But some issues loom longterm as I progress(?) towards becoming a mature middle ager and then a senior citizen--a geezer!

2008 US Senatorial Elections Outlook

pink=retiring GOP seat;----red: incumbent GOP seat;----blue: incumbent Demo seat

Thirty-three US Senate seats will be up for election across America in November 2008. Twenty-one of the seats are currently held by Republicans with twelve being held by Democrats at this time. Lets look state-by-state at these seats and what may be awaiting in the future for the incumbents and possible replacements.

ALABAMA: Strongly conservative GOP incumbent Jeff Sessions apparently will run again and be re-elected for a third term as it stands now. {NO CHANGE}

ALASKA: In the US Senate since 1968, Republican Ted Stevens will be re-elected for a seventh term if he chooses to run again, but he will 85 years old in '08 and that may be the time for a change--but if so, the GOP will hold this seat as it stands now. Stevens has been a part of the Washington DC political establishment for so long that he actually served in the Eisenhower Administration as an assistant to the Secretary of the Interior starting in 1956. If he does opt not to continues, his son Ben may vie to fill the seat and keep it in the family. Stevens is the current longest serving Republican in the Senate. Former Governor and Democrat Tony Knowles looks to be the strongest candidate to provide the opposition. {NO CHANGE}

ARKANSAS: Democrat Mark Pryor, a scion of a political family, will be making an attempt to get re-elected for the inital time and will probably be made a target by outside GOP money. No serious opposition has emerged yet, but former two-term plus Governor Mike Huckabee looms as his strongest potential foe. Pryor should hold on to this seat in spite of what opposition there is from the GOP. {NO CHANGE}

COLORADO: Two-term inclumbent Republican Wayne Allard has already announced his retirement from the seat at the end of his current term. This makes this an open seat with the Democrats standing to pick this one. Look for Democratic US Representative Mark Udall to emerge as the favorite to contest this seat against a number of possible GOP candidates, including recent former Governor Bill Owens, former congressmen Scott McInnis, Bob Beauprez, Bob Schaffer, and current US Representative Tom Tancredo. Give the Dems an edge in picking up this seat. {DEMOCRAT PICK-UP}

DELAWARE: Longtime Senator Joe Biden has joined the race for the Presidency in '08 but he can run concurrently for the Senate again as well. He would be seeking a seventh term and would be a near sure bet to get re-elected if he chooses to run again. In either case, the Dems look like a cinch to keep this seat Democratic. {NO CHANGE}

GEORGIA: In a race filled with sleaze and improprietism, Republican Saxby Chambliss upset incumbent Max Cleland in '02 and will now try to get re-elected this time out. Look for a repeat of the '02 campaign with lots of outside money pouring into Georgia. No formidable Democrat opposition has emerged yet but this is a seat that could flip under the right circumstances but look for the GOP to hold this seat as it stands now. {NO CHANGE}

IDAHO: Three-term GOP incumbent Larry Craig is expected to run for re-election and will win once again handily in this state that is the ultimate GOP stronghold. {NO CHANGE}

ILLINOIS: Democrat Dick Durbin is running for a third term and will be re-elected handily as it stands today in this growing Democratic stronghold. {NO CHANGE}

IOWA: Three-term Democratic incumbent Tom Harkin is all but assured a fourth term if he chooses to run again, which seems all but official at this point. {NO CHANGE}

KANSAS: In this GOP stronghold which has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932, two-term incumbent Pat Roberts is running again and, unless he reconsiders his run at age 72 in 2008, will be easily re-elected. {NO CHANGE}

KENTUCKY: Current Minority Leader and controversial three-term Republican Mitch McConnell is running again from the Bluegrass State, and it would be quite the upset if he were not to be re-elected as he is now a major voice for the Republicans and stands to be the leading voice if a Democrat is elected President in '08. {NO CHANGE}

LOUISIANA: Two-term Democratic Senator and political scion Mary Landrieu has won two very narrow races for her first two senatorial elections and, with Louisiana in economic ruin and losing population, has to be considered at risk to win a third term. Her strong criticisms of Bush Adminstration ineptitude and corruption in providing federal assistance to her home state in the aftermath of the devastation may help her to hang on to her seat. No formidable GOP opposition has emerged yet. Count this at this time as a possible tossup for the Democrats.

{CHANGE TO GOP POSSIBLE}

MAINE: Two-term Republican incumbent Susan Collins is running for a third term as a moderate pragmatist in the largely liberal staid Maine and should win once again barring some unexpected turn of events. {NO CHANGE}

MASSACHUSETTS: John Kerry, the haughty boorish Democrat seeking a fourth term from this Democratic fortress, will win very easily. {NO CHANGE}

MICHIGAN: The five-term Democrat Carl Levin stands to be re-elected from the Wolverine State despite the state's tremendous economic hardships it has and will continue to undergo.

{ NO CHANGE}

MISSISSIPPI: Five-term Republican Thad Cochran is still undecided about running for a sixth term at age 71. If he does run again, he will win handily. If not, the seat should stay in the GOP's hands but is vulnerable depending on who the final two choices are and what happens in MS concerning the hurricane cleanup and the economy. Highly regarded Democratic former Attorney General Mike Moore, who led the charge to bring liability and responsibility to the

reckless cigarette and tobacco industry, is a likely challenger who would bring a strong profile to the campaign. { CHANGE TO DEMOCRATS POSSIBLE}

MONTANA: Five-term Democratic incumbent Max Baucus is running for a sixth term and will be re-elected easily. {NO CHANGE}

NEBRASKA: Two-term Republican incumbent Chuck Hegel, an in-party opposition voice to the Bush Administration, has reportedly considered running for President in '08. He has yet to commit to a senatorial re-election run. He would be easily re-elected if he does, but the Democrats could pick up this seat if Hegel stays on the sidelines.

{CHANGE TO DEMOCRATS POSSIBLE}

NEW JERSEY: Frank Lautenberg, who initially served in the Senate from '83-'01 before retiring and then came back controversially in '03, will be 84 in 2008 and speculation is that he will retire despite statements to the contrary by Lautenberg himself. New Jersey should stay in Democratic hands no matter what Lautenberg chooses. {NO CHANGE}

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Yet another political scion, Republican John Sununu, is running for a second term in '08 and should be re-elected; but it is not out of the question that the Democrats can upset the incumbent and claim this seat. {CHANGE TO DEMOCRATS POSSIBLE}

NEW MEXICO: Six-term Republican incumbent Pete Domenici, 74, will be re-elected to a seventh term in '08 as he has announced plans to run again. {NO CHANGE}

NORTH CAROLINA: Freshman Republican Elizabeth Dole, 72, will be re-elected to a second term in '08 as she has announced she will run again. {NO CHANGE}

OKLAHOMA: Controversial, outspoken, and feisty two-term Republican James Inhoffe has yet to announce if he will seek re-election in '08. He would win if he does run; however, if he does not, the Democrats would have only an outside shot at taking this seat from this largely conservative Republican stronghold. {NO CHANGE}

OREGON: Two-term Republican incumbent Gordon Smith is one of the few noteworthy GOP voices on the largely liberal Democratic Pacific Coast, but he is running for a third term and looks to be successful as there is surprisingly no formidable Democratic opposition to emerge as of yet. {NO CHANGE}

RHODE ISLAND: Jack Reed, a two-term Democratic incumbent, will be easily re-elected in this Democratic stronghold as he is running for a third term. (NO CHANGE}

SOUTH CAROLINA: Freshman moderate Republican Lindsey Graham will be easily re-elected to a second term from the conservative Palmetto State. {NO CHANGE}

SOUTH DAKOTA: Two-term Democrat Tim Johnson, suffering from recent health problems, is far from being assured a third term even if he does recover and run for a third term. He won very narrowly in '02 and outside GOP money is sure to target him in a state that is winnable for the GOP. (CHANGE POSSIBLE TO REPUBLICANS}

TENNESSEE: Republican stalwart Lamar Alexander, a longtime politico on the scene in the Volunteer State, will get re-elected for a second term in '08 as he is running once again for public office. {NO CHANGE}

TEXAS: Controversial Freshman Republican John Cornyn is seeking a second term from the Lone Star State and should be re-elected over probably nominal Democratic opposition but it is not a safe bet at this point. {CHANGE POSSIBLE TO DEMOCRATS}

VIRGINIA: Longtime GOP Senator John Warner, elected five times, has not announced his plans for '08 and speculation is he will retire after this term as he will be 81 in 2008. This is a seat that the Democrats probably will pick up unless Warner opts to run for a sixth term.

{DEMOCRATIC PICK-up}

WEST VIRGINIA: Four-term Democratic incumbent Jay Rockefeller, a scion of the monopolistic business family, will easily be re-elected in 2008 at age 71 for a fifth term from the Mountain State. {NO CHANGE}

WYOMING: Freshman Republican Mike Enzi, despite a lackluster Senatorial report card, should be re-elected to a second term unless the Democrats come up with a standout charismatic alternative to contest this generally regarded safe GOP seat.

{NO CHANGE}

So as of today, it looks like at best the Democrats could pick up four seats and the Republicans two seats. Of course, the election is over 20 months away as I make this entry and analysis, so much can change in so many different ways. Stay tuned...

You can read about the 2010 Senatorial races analysis at this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_elections%2C_2010