Ailments of Old Age (light hearted)

I’m sure it runs in families, I appear to be getting the same issues as my mum, hers started at a similar age, I’m almost 68, she managed to make it to 86 despite drinking alcohol each day and smoking since the age of 14!

I’ve never smoked, two smoking parents in the home was quite enough to put me off for life. I do enjoy the odd tipple very much, but all during the week normally.

I was quite well up until the age of 70, despite having hypertensioon, hearing aids and having had one hip resurfaced and another replaced. Now I can add glaucoma, reflux, hyponatremia and arthritic knees. In 2022, I suffered a small stroke during open heart surgery for a mitral valve repair and I have heart failure. Nevertheless, I try to remain active and still play the piano and volunteer at a local amateur theatre.

Old age doesn’t come alone, as they say.😬

Someone else to me "How are you?"

Me: "How long have you got?"

I have a few of those irritating things but I have friends who have terminal diseases (and have already lost a couple of very dear friends) so count myself lucky that I only have 'minor issues' to contend with.

I often wonder where my good health comes from.
I was a heavy smoker until I was 50. Done my share of partying.
My parents died youngish ( drink related) Everyone on my father’s side had bad hearts and died before tgey reached old age. My mother’s parents both died of TB.
I’ve just turned 80 and all I have to take is thyroxine.
Perhaps it’s the luck of the draw 🤷‍♀️

Indeed, there seems little correlation between a healthy lifestyle and fit old age.
Look at the ancient rockers such as the Rolling Stones - they seem to age surprisingly well...

Chocolatelovinggran

Indeed, there seems little correlation between a healthy lifestyle and fit old age.
Look at the ancient rockers such as the Rolling Stones - they seem to age surprisingly well...

My neighbour's father was a Scotsman who had smoked and drank whisky all his life to 94. He went into hospital and, of course, they would not let him have either, he died within days. My neighbour said the smoke and booze held him together.

I have SO many ailments, but none of them obvious. A new problem seems to crop up every year and it's medicated.

I'm thankful my health concerns aren't visible but I rattle with the pills I have to take every day. I'm mobile and active and do as much as I can and have a fairly full and busy life. I make a lousy patient. Another reason to be thankful.

I think it's called " buggering on" isn't it?

My eldest son had me howling with laughter a little while ago when he said
"Mum, you take more drugs than Keith Richards".

He believes Rolling Stones guitarist Richards, known for his penchant for 'recreational drugs,' at the height of his fame, will be a survivor, along with the cockroaches, come the end of the world.

Despite it all, I kid myself I'm indestructible. If only!

It's been like falling off a cliff after 70.
Arthritis is my bugbear. No way of avoiding it and no way of getting rid of it. It just happily spreads through the body and due to 2 heart conditions I am limited to paracetamol only which hardly touches the sides.
At 78 it's thinning hair, hearing aids, false teeth, arthritis in neck, shoulders, some fingers, lower back and both knees, 2 heart conditions, hiatus hernia, floaters in both eyes and dithery hands. Over 70 isn't for sissies. Could be worse, I could be having chemo so look on the bright side.

i am only 62 and so far have arthritis in my knee and hip; fibromyalgia, a few mental health issues; plantar fascitis; and i seem to be going down hill rapidly!
it is odd but years ago dad used to say people who had rheumatism 'the screws'

Oreo

Old age doesn’t come alone, as they say.😬

How very true Oreo.

I would add something that Bette Davis said during one of her last interviews; "Old age is not for sissies."

Magenta8

Oreo

Old age doesn’t come alone, as they say.😬

How very true Oreo.

I would add something that Bette Davis said during one of her last interviews; "Old age is not for sissies."

Thanks for that Magenta8. I mentioned that in my post here and often use it. Good to know where it came from. Not surprised to hear it was Bette Davis.

Sorry all of you.
I’m nearly 79 and only have gout.
My parents smoked, had COPD, drank like fish, etc., and lived to 89 and 96 respectively, both died of ”old age” and dementia! Strong genes, despite being very inbred…
To my fury, I was recently diagnosed as type 2 diabetic, but am barely on the scale - though, with the fuss they are making, you’d think I was going to die of it next week!

grandMattie - I’ve just been diagnosed as pre-diabetic, whatever that means. My Practice Nurse said, I’m not so worried about that, but I am worried about your elevated cholesterol. I didn’t even ask how high it was 😂

Getting old isn’t much fun - but it’s better than not getting old!

Excellent. Well done to your Mum! My mum drank every day but only made it to 83, but my grandmother who also drank every day made it to 95.

I come from a short-lived family and, at 81, I’m older than anyone on my family tree going back 400 years.
I’ve never smoked or drunk alcohol and take no prescription drugs, haven’t seen a doctor for some years.
But my body is wearing out and I’m slow and feeble. I no longer hope to reach 100.

I’ll shortly be eighty. In years, I’ve lived longer than my parents and all my siblings, but I said to a friend recently that if I was a house for sale I would be listed as structurally unsound with temperamental plumbing! I enjoy a drink now and then but have never smoked. I don’t take much in the way of medication - a statin, a BP med and reflux med, but I wish there was a pill that would give me my confidence back.

I was a couch potato for years and had a major weight problem. I was diagnosed diabetic not long before reaching 50 and am on loads of medication as a result.
I asked my kids to buy me a Fitbit as I realised I needed an incentive to get more active. Over a few years I lost some weight and it became a virtual circle.As the weight came off and the diuretics reduced the fluid making my legs swell so I became more active. Since retiring I walk more and am more active than I ever was when young, but I have really slowed down since reaching 70! A few minor niggles but my joints aren't too bad and my knees and hips are still my own. One friend who was very active and fit has had hip replacements and all sorts of other issues. Maybe being super active wears out the joints or maybe it's just bad luck.
I'm now on ozempic for my diabetes which has brought more weight loss - over 6 stones in total - and my blood pressure is much lower than before. I no longer need a 5 minute sit down before it is taken to get it in the acceptable range! But since 70 I get tired much more easily but I make myself move every hour except when I have an unplanned nap!

Chocolate loving gran.
About 10 years ago a friend was flying long haul and noticed a fellow passenger, an old man. My friend feared he was looking so wrinkled and decrepit he might not last the journey.
They landed to a lot of excited cheers. The old man was Mick Jagger.
On the other hand I saw Leonard Cohen somersaulting nimbly on stage well into his 80s!

I love the Norwegian response to “How are you?” “Up and not crying”

Ukelady- absolutely!