Where Has It Gone?: Writing, Loss, and Old Age.

ABSTRACT

Along with many others who have done research and writing on aging over the years, I was drawn to the topic by its social and economic importance. I could not help realizing in some vague way that I would one day become old myself. That thought tended to get brushed away, pushed under the rug along with other stray musings. All that began to change when I hit my 80s, intensifying even more as I went from 85 to 87. I was given an intensified introduction to doctors, disease, operations, and scans-and fear and anxiety. I also lost all interest in writing, my favorite activity. This is my story, which fortunately required writing.