At 61, having lost a few friends along the way, death's relentless reality creeps ever closer.
I lost an old friend only last week. I hadn't seen him for years as he moved away long ago. Apparently he died from COPD, a lung disease. I don't suppose all that hashish smoking helped much.
Me? In the last couple of years I have had a "very minor" issue noted with a heart valve and was recently informed that I'm pre-diabetic - I'm at the very high end of that scale, but not quite diabetic.
So, since the start of June, I've lost just under three stone in weight. The rate of loss is starting to slow now. I'm still very much overweight but feeling fitter than I have for years. It's easier to get through my work now - so much so that I ought to increase my workload.
It's interesting to note that my blood pressure has dropped too - consistently back within the 'normal' range (I self monitor).
Unfortunately, about a dozen of my customers have died in the past couple of years - it's normally two or three a year at most.
I intend to be around for a long time yet, but so much is luck of the draw.