By Bruce Schlabaugh

Many of us have worked well over 50 years. I started working around age 16 and I am still on the payroll at 71.

As a young man, when I heard about the “Golden Years” awaiting me upon my retirement I anticipated the best of times. Time to throw away that alarm clock, travel to parts unknown, sunbathe on island beaches, play 18 holes instead of just nine, turn my MGB into an enviable classic, and take car trips with no end date.

I had no idea that the “Golden Years” have little to do with retirees. We have become the “Golden Years” for the pharmaceutical companies’ purposes only.  I dare you to turn on your TV and not see several hundred ads per evening about the numerous illnesses certainly heading your way.

The good news for us is that all these medical surprises are treatable with the help of our physicians and Big Pharma. How do people in third world countries survive with toenail fungus, tinnitus or tendonitis, the shame of psoriasis, enlarged prostate, embarrassing incontinence problems and cancer cures that can stretch its span until God knows when..

Thanks to our pharma-friends most of these problems are treatable. For a price! If you are not sure you need immediate medical attention – just wait for a few more commercials. You will soon learn all about your arthritis, insomnia, night-time c-pap needs and a million more distressful health conditions. I think they discover at least one new malady threatening us every day.

Surely we represent the “Golden Years” to our Pharma fiends. We need to pay attention to our fitness columnist, Vicki Morgan. She as well as many others have been advising us to adopt a healthy regimen of sound diet and daily exercise.

For all of you hiking, in zumba class, working out, eating salads and counting calories, I commend you. Death to carbohydrates, refined sugars, fatty or processed foods. Let’s take back our Golden Years and enjoy the lifestyle we’ve worked so hard to achieve!