"O" I can buy into your take on things. After being the recipient of a spinal cord injury at the age of 29 and later a surgery that was somewhat successful I resorted to yoga and trigger/pressure point for pain relief and just everyday functionality.
I required another back surgery about 12-13 years ago and it was a real gift. While I still have issues, the chronic 24-7 pain was gone and now I can do most anything I want. The old arthritis is becoming my daily battle but for the time being I am forgoing these new drugs (Celebrex, etc) . Do use aspirin to help take the edge off and just continue doing the things I want to do. Some days are better than others, but I got a lot of miles out of the old hands and consider myself very fortunate not to have any illness that I am aware of at this point.
My goal too, is to die "healthy" not horizontal for months/years, but don't know that I'll have much say in how the end arrives.
Keep goin' Old Man!
Dan