Embracing Old Age

gracesmumI know just what you mean about the Russian baboushska. I felt so depressed when I looked at our recent holiday photos! When did I get that shape?! It can't be me. I don't look like that!

WAIL!!!!!!!!!

to cheer you up.

And [cake] (sod it!)

(missed out the 'cup' bit again)

Everywhere I look there's bits of hair floating around and every time I touch anything one of my nails tries to drop off.....

Thanks!! Virtual cake can't be fattening can it?

I am not so much embracing old age as ignoring it! Of course I look old, but I don't care. I did have a little problem with my knee last week, following a mammoth climb, but as I was enjoying myself showing When round the Alps, I wouldn't have been walking far anyway. It is better today so I will be starting to walk again tomorrow. (I was catching up on my laundry today.)

..I thought of you earlier today, gracesmum, because of something someone wrote on one of my racing forums in reply to the previous post. It was 'my grandfather broke into a school the other day. I found him in a classroom saying 'if it wasn't for me you'd all be speaking German'. 'That's right', replied the German teacher.' [you've probably heard it already, but it made me chuckle]

Oh Gracesmum Thankyou. I'm having a similar day of aches and pains and general decrepitness ( and not being able to spell) and you made me feel so much better.
So and a large G and T with thanks.

I have a fun packed diary- trip for my flu & shingles jabs, optician, to the dentist for referral as part of a dental blade was found on an xray last week- it has been there for 40 years. A trip to the eye clinic and lastly a jaunt to see the orthopaedic specialist re my failed knee replacement. How did I ever have time to do a full time job?

gracesmum you could have been writing about me! It is hard to keep positive isn't it? Knowing that the best is behind us (I've never subscribed to the "best is yet to come" nonsense) hurts a bit. But you are not alone and those of us in the achey club all know exactly how dispiriting it can be.

Today I had coffee with a group of my WI friends and we had such a laugh and a good chat that I came home smiling and singing. It didn't last, mind, but it was fun and I think the only way to cope with getting older and creakier is to foster friendships and family and count the good things in ones life. Doesn't work all the time though.

Hope you are feeling a bit brighter.

Gracesmum I am feeling just the same, so much joint pain and aches, but I love this picture, sums up the look!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=360048884128841&set=a.332226370244426.1073741828.330376157096114&type=1&theater

Some positive thoughts here, ladies - time to snap out of it.

Can I join the club?

I seemed to be doing alright until I was in my mid-sixties. I'm the same weight I've always been. I was fit and didn't have too many wrinkles.

Now, at 70, I have had polymyalgia rheumatica for 4 years and take steroids. My upper lip has that line of vertical wrinkles on it, hidden to some extent by my moustache .

A month or so ago I had a virus and from that a chest infection or flare up of asthma. Then the digestive system went all chaotic for weeks and still is to some extent.

The final insult was I had a blood test and everything was okay except for one of the liver functions was borderline high. I said 'liver' in a surprised and indignant voice when the doc told me and then started to ask how much I drink. I told her I drink a maximum of 8 units a week and sometimes nothing. She said 'okay I'll believe you' looking doubtful.

Finally, in spite of not having put on weight, everything has gone soft and sliding, like one of those slow avalanches.

Phew! That was good. I feel more cheerful now.

Lona how did you find that picture of me?

GM, you don't look like a baboushka at all but, even if you did, when ever my grandchildren come round they love playing with my baboushkas (that sounds quite rude!) so it can't be a bad thing.

I can sympathise with the DH going deaf bit. Apparently, I've stopped saying the start of sentences and mumbling the rest. When we had a new TV, we bought a sound bar to help DH hear what was going on but now we miss lots of every programme as he keeps trying to find the right setting. [grrrrr]

I've been thinking I'm a 'go grannie' type of person - until I was taking the vacuum cleaner upstairs and the wretched thing decided to go one way but my leg chose a different route. No breakages fortunately, just a possible dislocation which has gone back in to place but still hurts like merry H... That was a week ago and I'm still hobbling about though better than I was thanks to an excellent physio. I really feel old now - at least for the time being though thankfully I've managed to dispense with a stick

I know the feeling. I considered myself a very fit and "young" granny. It seems to have all happened in the last year - all the things you describe "GM". It is quite depressing as winter begins. Some people seem to have good genes and don't start falling apart until they are very old. I console myself that there are lots of people much younger than me who have lots of health problems so am trying to count my blessings.

Getting older is a total pain in the backside. Just when you feel you might at last be starting to grow up, your body (and your partner's) starts to give you hell.

Every day I have: pain in broken foot (walk with crutch), pain in arthritic hip, heartburn, back pain, knee pain, problems with various bits dropping out down below, the need to evacuate my bowels by means of glycerine suppositories (in order to minimize above-mentioned droppings out), the need to patronise the Tena-lady company due to urgency in the pee department, migraine, poor balance, a husband with PD and all that this entials......I could go on.

I may have lost lots of things, but what I have not lost is my sense of humour, and that has to be the only way forward. We can change very little of this, so above all else we must avoid being a pain to our families by being grumpy and moany. Here on Gransnet is the place for our grumps and moans and we can support each other.

GC love cuddly grandmas, so enjoy the cushioning - they will!

In other ways I am very lucky - my paternal grandma died at 92 with skin like a babe's and I have inhereited this, along with long dark brown hair with not a jot of grey from my maternal grandma and mother. I carry no extra weight, although it has slightly redistributed itself! People are always telling me I look about 40 (I am 65). But, I do not judge others who have not been so lucky - I really do not care what people look like - I care about who they are. So, even if bits are on the slide, I think we should hold our heads up high and give two fingers to anyone who belittles the look of ageing bodies. Tell them all to go hang.

It is enough to struggle with all the aches and pains and limitations of getting older without being expected to look like a blooming supermodel too!

I am feeling 100% better today...I saw a consultant haematologist who said I had nothing seriously wrong with me!

So I am happy to manage my persistent sore throat, hot flushes, aching joints and occasionally dizzy head, 24/7 tinnitus, balding eyebrows and hairy chin, saggy body and increasing wrinkles today!

for everyone !

Why oh why do all our aches and pains start to appear as the nights are closing in we could do with a good few days of sunshine to give us an end of summertime boost I think ?

I'm still waiting for the Va Va Voom to kick in! I was prescribed tablets for an underactive thyroid two weeks ago.
Previous blood tests had indicated that there might be a problem but I had not been put on medication then. When I queried this with my Doctor she said:
'As you get older the body doesn't self regulate so well'
I just wish my older body would perk up a bit!
Gracesmum and and to all the other grans who are 'fraying around the edges' as I am!

Quote petallus " My upper lip has that line of vertical wrinkles on it, hidden to some extent by my moustache"

Lololol !!!

glammanana; you've hit the nail on the head there. About 4 weeks ago I felt great; since then I feel as if I've aged 10 years .

My son rang up at 5 p.m. asking me to go and pick him up from work as his car would not work. My grandson was here so he came with me. Half way there I suddenly realised that this was the first time I had driven anywhere with my grandson since I was in hospital in April. The other good thing was my son trusted me to do it.
My grandson was my map. When we got there my grandson said,"Well done, Granny, you got here!" That cheered me up.
Mind you, my son drove back, but he usually does, and obviously he wants my car tomorrow to get to work.