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^^^^^^^ You're right as usual, Anifani. My post was an over-reaction, a venting of sorts. It just feels like the pits, but I realize I'll get over it.
Yes it does and yes you will. Think of the benefits. While less "intrusive," I well recall my initial reaction to the reality that I will be using a cane for the rest of my life due to lack of balance and my days of roaming through the woods were over. Now it's simply habit. More recently I've had to try to come to terms with the fact that my healing from neurosurgery roughly two years ago is most likely over and the deficits that still remain will no doubt be permanent. This may take a bit more time to come to grips with.
Other than it beating the alterative and retirement, will someone please tell me the benefit of aging.
This is probably not applicable to you, but, a couple of years ago, I was convinced that hearing aids were my only alternative. After moving to the northern part of Florida, I had numerous hearing problems related to stuffed ears (Eustacian tube, etc.) and saw an ENT several times. He tried numerous procedures to deal with the problem. Finally, although I had never had any type of allergies, I decided to see an allergist, since many of the symptoms seemed similar to allergies. -- It turned-out that my highly regarded ENT had only been treating the symptoms, and not the cause (Go figure?). I now hear fine, with no hearing aids!
I'm glad you shared your experience. I will ask about that possibility when I see the ENT in a few more days. It will be like grasping at straws, however, as my hearing loss has been so consistent and gradually, gradually getting worse over the past 20 or more years without my being "stuffed up" except occasionally. I can always hope, until the last shred of it is extinguished.
The health issues for my friends have already started and none of us has retired yet. I have one with stage 4 lung cancer, one with yet another round of chemo for his leukemia, one with a bowel resection, one that was on a ventilator in ICU for a month, one with bilateral hip replacements, and John's sister going on hospice pretty soon for stage 4 pancreatic cancer. I'm going to retire in about two more years because this old age thing is scaring the crap out of me and if I follow in my parents foot steps I'll be gone at 62.
My parents never reached their "retirement" due to their health challenges. They grew up poor, but were the first in their families to go to college... worked hard and saved their whole life.
In his 60's, my father was still working full-time.... and was hit and nearly killed by a taxi. That started his "retirement". He now is paralyzed with more doctors than you can count. I had to chuckle a little at those worried about hearing aids.... my father lost most of his hearing in one ear from his head injury and was already having trouble with his other ear. And he does not even count that as one of his medical problems. It's all relative, you see. Things like not walking, screwed up bowel/bladder, neuropathic pain etc... run a bit higher on his list.
And then my previously healthy Mom was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer soon after my father's injury. Never smoked, drank, or ate poorly. She passed away, quickly. She had dreamed of retiring and traveling for decades. Never got anything....
So we all should be grateful for what we have. Most who read these boards live a life of luxury that they don't even realize or truly appreciate... But that's human nature, I think.
So I certainly agree that you can never prepare/save enough for the future, as you never know what it may hold. My father would be in poverty in a nursing home... and probably dead... if he hadn't been so frugal his whole life. But then again, my parents never enjoyed the fruits of their labor. Life can be cruel. Try to treat each day in some small way like it may be your last, because you never truly know what tomorrow may bring. Any of us could be hit by a car... or cancer... tomorrow.
Last edited by sfcambridge; 11-29-2014 at 11:40 AM..
i was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 20+ years ago, and it has always been under control- no insulin, acceptable blood glucose readings, no clinical symptoms- since that time. i am reasonable with what i eat, exercise moderately, and weight, fortunately, has never been a problem. however i am aware that, regardless of how vigilant i am with diet, this situation may not always stay the same. some people do everything "right" and still cannot get their diabetes under control. so, i consider myself fortunate in that regard.
i have sporadic pain issues from adhesions stemming from a major surgery many years ago, and although there are some surgical procedures now that are being used to alleviate this problem, the success rate has not yet convinced me to take this route. i do go, when i feel i need it, to a physical therapist who specializes in this condition, and usually after about 4-6 sessions i improve greatly.
i have some other occasional irritating issues that arise every so often but nothing of great magnitude. i feel fortunate that i don't have any more health problems than these. my mother had major health issues and illnesses all her life, and my father never had any. maybe i'm somewhere in between the two. i have to say that i don't feel very different than i did 20 years ago when i was 51. i had the same irritants health-wise then that i do now, and i probably had a similar level of activity 20 years ago, as i do now.
^^^^^^^ You're right as usual, Anifani. My post was an over-reaction, a venting of sorts. It just feels like the pits, but I realize I'll get over it.
ER - I'm sure your vision is 100% better than mine but since mine is so poor (blind in one eye also), my hearing is stellar. I could hear a pin drop. Sometimes, I'll say to my husband "Did you hear that?" and he'll say no, what noise? He tells me he has selective hearing.
Fortunately, we have 3 dogs (barkers too) who have wonderful hearing in our place.
The health issues for my friends have already started and none of us has retired yet. I have one with stage 4 lung cancer, one with yet another round of chemo for his leukemia, one with a bowel resection, one that was on a ventilator in ICU for a month, one with bilateral hip replacements, and John's sister going on hospice pretty soon for stage 4 pancreatic cancer. I'm going to retire in about two more years because this old age thing is scaring the crap out of me and if I follow in my parents foot steps I'll be gone at 62.
Although the need has long been there and I have known for a long time it would come to this, and although it should have been done several years ago, it is not easy to openly admit that one's life is over. Now I will be walking around with a non-linguistic sign saying "Here is an ancient old fart". Of course I already had that sign anyway whenever I had to ask someone to repeat, which was all too often. Just one more specific indication that I am a freak of nature in having a genetically sub-standard body in multiple respects.
I've worn them for 30 years now, since I was 36 y.o., due to congenital neurosensory high frequency loss. Being a woman, I could cover them with my hair but most years the hairstyles I've favored don't conceal them.
For me the plus factor of being able to hear stuff is so great I didn't even think about how people perceived me.
Of course these days all my peers are getting them and seeking my advice. Sadly it seems hearing aids are like so many things in that the older you are the harder it is to adjust to them.
I'm going to retire in about two more years because this old age thing is scaring the crap out of me and if I follow in my parents foot steps I'll be gone at 62.
If I follow my parents' examples I'll be gone next summer at 69. If I follow the average of men in my family I'll be gone no later than age 71. Hopefully, being a succeeding generation, I'll beat them all. Ahm shootin' fer another 10 years.
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Just a little joke...
