I went to the doctor's office yesterday to talk to her about a problem I've been having with my left thigh. I have been feeling a numbing and tingling pain in a localized spot for some time.

The doctor thinks I may have something called Meralgia Paresthetica (a big name for "numbing pain in thigh"). She is setting me up to see a neurologist next week, but she also sent home with me some information on this. As I was reading through this, I came across the following line:

In addition, middle-aged people between the ages of 40 and 60 are at a higher risk.

This hit me in a way I hadn't planned on. See, I'm 39. I'll be 40 very soon. Middle-aged? Me? When in the world did that happen?

Yes, I've been married for 15 years. I have two kids, one is over 10 years old. But that doesn't make me old does it? Sure, I've done a lot of things...I was in the Marines but that was only, uh, well, about 20 years ago. Oh boy. I know adults who were still in diapers when I was in the Marines. Am I really old?

When I turned 30, I remember thinking that was bad. After all, when I was a kid, 30 seemed ancient! But a few months ago, we had a guy start at our office who was 30 and my first thought was he was pretty young! When did my perspective change on that?

I don't feel 40. I still like to do goofy, childish things. I can relate to stuff my kids do. When my wife and I took them to DisneyWorld a few years ago, I probably had just as much fun as they did. And it wasn't that long ago that I remember going with friends of mine out into the woods to play a game of laser tag one night. That was less than 5 years ago.

40. I look at people who are 40 and they seem older than me. I have a hard time imagining myself as a 40-something. They say it's only a number and they are right. The problem is, it's a really big number!

There is a boy of 19 inside of me just screaming to get out. If he can only get past the dimming eyesight, sore knees and bad back, he'd be ready and raring to go!