Seriously. Gross, right?
Like other anatomic wonders, toenails age. They get thick, ridged, cracked and brittle. The toes to which they are attached get bunions, hammertoes, arthritis. Meanwhile, the aging body loses flexibility and hand strength. Eventually, sigh, bending over to cut toenails becomes a bad idea, too—elders have been known to topple over or find themselves locked into a bending position.
While I have not toppled over while cutting my toenails, I have unfortunately become quite good at cutting toes AND toenails accidentally. Bright red flows of healthy blood stream toward my carpet or bed. I foolishly thought that cutting my thick, ridged toenails would be easier with super-sharp clippers and scissors. Oops. My friends and my health care providers laugh and ask “Why don’t you have the podiatrist cut your toenails?” For some, use of a podiatrist for cutting toenails is medically indicated: those with diabetes or foot neuropathy or ingrown toenails, for example. For me, needing a podiatrist is just another sign that I can no longer maintain my body health. It’s a defeat.
Medicare will reimburse we old folk for toenail cutting every 61 days if medically indicated. I guess I’ll find out if clumsiness is a medical indication.
Uncharted Waters 
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