GETTING OLDER IS NOT FOR SISSY'S

filbert · Post by **filbert** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:00 pm

Hit the big six-oh last early month. I'm retired and had plenty of time to clean up the yard and patio. We had a nice Barbecue with some family and friends. I took my old (1976 BMW R-75) motorcycle to an old mechanic for a tuneup and it runs better than it has in years.

Then two day later I was struck with an arthritis flare-up in my knees and hips - ten times worse than any before. I couldn't walk more than a quarter mile without a lot of pain. My Doc took blood and an x-ray. A week later he said "it might be rheumatoid arthritis" and referred me to a specialist.

While waiting for the specialist I got the flu. After a miserable week I started getting better. Another week later I saw the specialist who said, "yep it's probably rheumatoid arthritis" and prescribed some steroids, more x-rays, and a followup.

A few days later I started coughing and had serious congestion. A few more days later my doc said "I think you've got pneumonia" and took more blood and another x-ray and prescribed some antibiotics. Apparently my immune system was clobbered by the steroids. It's been ten days and I'm slowly getting better, but not fast enough to satisfy me.

My hips and knees don't hurt much now, but I've been in bed or sitting most of the time. I'm getting cabin fever.

NOTE: While suffering from pneumonia I have found using the CPAP is quite comforting and rested more comfortably with it than without.

When I looked up pneumonia in Wikipedia I found this "often people with pneumonia have difficulty breathing, and it may not be possible for them to breathe well enough to stay alive without support. Non-invasive breathing assistance may be helpful, such as with a bi-level positive airway pressure machine."

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:51 am

Dang boy! Sounds to me like you need to NOT HAVE ANYMORE BARBECUES!

Clearly they are leading to your demise.

Hope you feel better soon!!!!!! Thanks for the post about pneumonia and assisted breathing.

Huggers,
Babs

Nodzy · Post by **Nodzy** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:55 pm

Getting old has its merits.... I suppose... if you don't mind shriveling, fermenting, petrifying... and being spoken of as a burden on family and society.

I think the plan is backwards... we should be born at 100-years old and full of knowledge... and grow younger, healthier and more vibrant each day. With the objective being... to see how many can live to diaper stage. And shortly therafter we just shrink to become two separate cells... the swimmer and the "egg." <<<---- Obviously, too much caffeine today.

Nodzy

goose · Post by **goose** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:00 pm

Dude -- I didn't need to hear all that stuff......haven't you ever heard that ignorance is bliss????

Now I have a lot to look forward to
Now I have to consider cutting BBQ out??? Not in my lifetime - I'm a California boy.....I BBQ in the snow!!!!!

Seriously though, Hope you're well on the mend and feeling much better!!!!!!
Take care
cheers
goose

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:39 pm

Me too on that year-round BBQ action. I have a covered porch and a BIG OL' PROPANE GRILL. Yeah, I'm lazy. Shoot me.

Of course, now we know why we're on CPAP, Goose.

LOL,
B.

deerslayer · Post by **deerslayer** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:22 pm

[quote="Anonymous"]Me too on that year-round BBQ action. I have a covered porch and a BIG OL' PROPANE GRILL. Yeah, I'm lazy. Shoot me.

Of course, now we know why we're on CPAP, Goose.

LOL,
B.

rwk · Post by **rwk** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:35 pm

Man! I'm coming up on the big 5-oh and don't consider myself old, but I'm relating to everything you've said...life without BBQ? UNHEARD OF! After all you've been through...the rest will be sooooo easy!! Glad to hear your feeling better....hang in there!

mindy · Post by **mindy** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 10:33 am

Ah, chuckles!

I had a miserable time in my fifties - aches, pains, misery and all of it. Now at 63, whenever I have a good day (more than you'd think), I just thoroughly enjoy it. For some reason sixties seem to agree with me more.

Glad to hear some of you are older than I am - wherever I've worked I always seem to be the oldest.

The hardest thing for me is that I don't learn new things as quickly and sometimes my mind goes 100% blank (last time was on a job interview - eek!).

Babs - love your idea - that would suit me to a T

Mindy

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:02 am

I was laying awake the other night and the dreaded thought came across my mind that in 16 years I will be 75. Did I become depressed or what!!!!

My body tells me I am getting older at 54 but my mind is saying hey when are you going to grow up! I like the way my mind refuses to allow me to age!! But geez 75 is older than I like to think about!!!

Since it is summer and I have a pool my kids are here every afternoon with grandkids swimming. So yes -- we barbeque almost every night!! At least I don't have to cook!! I delegate that to the son-in-law!!!

Here is to hoping we all live to a ripe old age (and 75 is still a youngun)!!

mindy · Post by **mindy** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:09 am

Since both of my parents (and some grandparents) lived into their nineties, I don't think of 75 as "old"!

Mindy

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:21 am

I think I view it like a kid.

Remember when you were 10 and you thought anyone over 13 was old?

Remember when you were 13 and couldn't wait to hit 16 so you could drive?

Remember when you were 16 and thought if you were only 18 you could change the world?

Remember when you were 18 and wanted to be 21? And that anyone over 25 was senile?

Remember when you hit 21 and thought anyone over 30 belonged to the establishment -- which wasn't good?

Remember when you hit 30 and thought 40 was sliding towards the edge?

Remember when you hit 40 and thought 50 was downright middle aged?

Now that I am in my 50's I am STILL waiting for the magic moment when I FEEL like an ADULT!!! I still call my brothers "the boys" and have had people ask me exactly how old are my brothers for me to reply that Mom had 5 kids in 5 years so you do the math (I am the oldest) so I have the right to still call them the "boys".

Although I do admit that one of the first things I read is the obits in the paper to make sure my name isn't among the list.

Looking forward to hitting that 75 and the feeling of still waiting until I am adult!!

goose · Post by **goose** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:44 am

Grow up?? What's that??
I had a shrink tell me once that I needed to grow up....
I asked him, "Why?? What's in it for me??"
He didn't have what I considered a reasonably valid answer....(Already had a good 6 figure job, was a contributing member of society, couple of step-kids....just had some issues. Whooptie-do).

He was treating me for PTSD....poorly. Turns out he was a quack, so......

I'm thinkin', you can't trust anyone over 90

Considering the alternative......Aging is just fine with me......

cheers
ye old goose

Guest (Georgia Hosehea · Post by **Guest (Georgia Hosehea** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:09 pm

Listen up, all you whipper snappers! Georgia Hosehead just had a 77th birthday. I've been on cpap for some 8 years and every day life just gets better. Sure, there are some misc. aches and pains, but I'm looking at a trip to Switzerland next summer (cpap and all).

sleepydoll · Post by **sleepydoll** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:49 pm

50 something Girlie Wisdom!

you know that......

Women over 50 don't have babies
because they would put them down and forget where they left them.

A friend of mine confused her Valium with her birth control pills... she has 14 kids but doesn't really care.

One of life's mysteries is how a 2-pound box of
chocolates can make a woman gain 5 lbs.

My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely.

The best way to forget your troubles is to wear tight shoes.

The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't
know what you are doing, someone else does.

The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.

Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along came today.

Sometimes I think I understand everything, and then I regain
consciousness.

I gave up jogging for my health when my thighs kept rubbing together
and setting fire to my knicker's.

Amazing! You hang something in your closet for a while and it shrinks 2 sizes!

Skinny people can irritate me! Especially when they say things like...'You know sometimes I forget to eat!' .....Now I've forgotten my address, my mother's maiden name and my keys, but I have never forgotten to eat.

I read this article that said the typical symptoms of stress are eating too much, impulse buying, and driving too fast.
Are they kidding? That's my idea of a perfect day!

LIVE SIMPLY.....LAUGH
OFTEN....LOVE DEEPLY

deerslayer · Post by **deerslayer** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 3:31 pm

Keep the faith brother, glad to hear your feeling betta ....& remember, if momma ain't happy no one is

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: straight cpap 12.20 AHI avg.0.79