DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Aging

I was actually considering starting a similar thread, but it was more complaining about silly things. Gray nose hairs, my ears being the only fertile ground for new hair, the eyebrows! damn, I could weave a wig, etc...


I've been thinking about this a lot lately. It started with teasing back and forth between my wife and I. It's become a slow realization that we both are "slipping" cognitively. Nothing I'm worried about, just the simple remembering discussions from day to day. I'm in my mid-fifties, she's soon to be 50. It's easy for a 'guy' to say, "eh, I never pay more than half-attention to her mumbo-jumbo anyway', and brush it off. But there is more to it... like things that you know you are supposed to remember but still forget. She has been forgetting complete conversations that are less than 72 hours old. I'm actually considering nootropics in addition to more mental exercises.

Definitely having a few psychological issues with my own mortality, need to 'get my head straight' in more ways than one.

At a break at work so don’t have time to get into it… but my dad is starting to show signs… I’m heading home to Ohio this summer to see him and have discussions with my siblings on how to move forward as his dementia likely progresses.
Generally speaking, dementia isn’t typical in our family but…

A lot of the women on my Dad's side of the family get dementia/alzheimers. I have one copy of the gene, so I have an increased chance of getting it. Sucks.

Stay active/get exercise
Exercise your brain
Eat healthy - no junk food, whole/clean food
Take supplements

That's my strategy to stay young and keep a young brain.

I retired in 2019. I turn 66 tomorrow. I try and keep busy/active as much as I can.
However, in the last year or so I've developed an oops "forgot this, forgot that, etc, thing."

Go downstairs for something from the kitchen......

20% of the time I get there......
.....hmmm, now what did I come down here for?

.......go back upstairs......sit down, and, oh yea, that's right.....

Head back down.....

Other things as well. "Drat, gotta look for my phone again." I must look for my phone 3-4 times a day.

"Now where did I put that thing"???

Happy, happy joy, joy! Thought I would tell you twice so you remember one LOLetc. Helps me. Happy birthday, and many happy returns! I do this too. Do not weaken just yet.

I take all the tests every year. Sometimes I remember all 3 random words, sometimes not. I think mostly because I don't care all that much about the test.

I do have some problem with recall, but nothing I consider a big issue. We all at some point have that problem to a degree. Face it, the longer you live, the more you have to recall.

As for losing friends, I hear you, but, in the big scheme, 72- 92, it's 20 years but in reality, it is a couple blinks of the eye. You just never know.

Don't worry about it my friend. That isn't to say to ignore things that can be corrected to some degree. We all reach a point where we actually face mortality. For me it was at the point where contemporaries of mine were passing away from somewhat "normal" things and not freak accidents. Usually in your 40's somewhere.

None of us come out of this alive, so once you grasp that, you are better off. We aren't facing something that billions of other people haven't faced.

I look at facing mortality as an awaking. We face several of those in our life, and that is one of the most important ones. Rather than live with the fear/unknown in that, find the peace in that.

Life is energy, and at least according to some smart people, energy never goes away. The conservation of energy. The isolated system as we know, the human body, moves on. To what? That is a conversation for another thread.

I can see it starting with my dad as well. Just a little slipping with memory (especially stuff he SHOULD know). I also worry about inactivity and not a lot of brain exercising, which I would imagine makes it more difficult to overcome the aging process

I personally can recommend Tai Chi as you age. Breathing helped, BP down, low-key workout, just upside in a lot of directions. Balance is vital. Check it out some. For me it had measurable benefits on medical tests to complement anecdotal impressions I could offer. We offer free classes at a community senior service center.

I used to really dread growing older and aging. But it is just a number. As I had in the working out every single day at home and in the gym. Trying to eat salads each and every single day. Take vitamins and medication.

I just hit 60 today. Age may be just a number, but it's getting bigger every year.

I think my work is a big benefit. It's a full brain and body workout 5,6 days/wk. It may look like nothing when you see us on TV, but the stuff we do is very physically demanding. 2.5 hours of nonstop exertion. Playing quiet passages are twice as painful as playing loud ones. You need a strong core to sit upright (on the front 6" of the seat, bent forward at 15°) for 30-minute stretches of time. There is a cardio element, as well: the most physically active playing is almost always at the end of those 45-60 minute long pieces (da big boffo finish). There have been times when I've finished the last 2-3 minutes of a Mahler or Beethoven symphony in oxygen debt.

Brain scans of people who listen to music display lit-up cognitive areas of the brain like almost no other stimuli. Brain scans of people who are making music light up like fireworks.

I have noticed some slight decline in my reflexes over the past 2 years. Example: we play thousands of notes per week. Occasionally, we'll choose a fingering pattern that leads to awkward moments. I used to just jet to a safe orientation spot and carry on my merry way. I plan more now, and improvise less.

This thing we do is all fast-twitch stuff, and the flow of data is nonstop. Produce, or get out.

A couple years back, a friend asked me when I'll retire. My bottom line: "When I can't represent the brand like I always have." I'm not there yet, but for the first time ever, I'm starting to look at it as not some abstract point near the horizon. Two weeks ago, I played a short program with some colleagues at the municipal Youth Treatment Center (read: 'juvie lockup'). At the end of the joint, the kids were allowed to come up and talk with us. One of the teens who approached me asked me how long I'd been playing. It took a second or two to actually do the math. "I've been playing for 57 years." *boom*

This has been more than a hobby, interest, or avocation. It's been more than a means to a paycheck. It's been at the core of who I am since I reached the age of self-awareness. And the thought of not having this as central to my life is absolutely terrifying. This thing I play has been married to me since I was 9 years old. This thing that vibrates in me has been there since birth.

My biggest fear about aging isn't getting old. My biggest fear is becoming irrelevant.

_______________

If I could give any general advice in this thread, it would be this: pick up the musical instrument of your choice, and take some lessons. Lessons from a real musician who specializes in your chosen voice. You don't even have to be good at it; the benefit is in the doing of it. And if you happen to catch fire and really start to take off, the benefits go through the roof.


.02

With the last pick in the 2023 NFL Draft The Houston Texans select CLEM?

I suppose maybe I've been looking at this entire thing in a way that many don't. I'm simply not that worried about it. I am somewhat more mindful of taking care of myself than I was when I was younger. I think with age we do become more reminded of our mortality and gain knowledge. But I can't say that most of those lifestyle changes were of design in and of themselves. I quit drinking alcohol but more for the simple fact I lost interest in it and no longer enjoyed it the way I used to. Same with weed. It wasn't some big plan or some great need I felt to improve my life, extend my life or something I made the decision to do because of health issues. I still smoke tobacco but no more than half a pack a day.

I was always somewhat of a healthy eater to at least one extent or another. I little more so now that I'm older and when I was young than from say my late 20's to late 40's. Once again it's not really something I obsess over or plan every meal around. I feel I exercise enough but am not what one would consider avid in a work out program or have a daily routine of exercise.

I guess I'm just more interested in living while I'm alive than worrying about dying or living in a manner I don't care for to stay alive longer. Spending time focusing and worrying about what might happen if I don't get every test medicine can provide, not taking the latest fish oil supplement and seeking out shark cartilage at GNC isn't who I am nor what I want to be. That's not the things I wish to be concerned about at this point in life. And I'm not sure living until I'm 85 or 90 while I watch all of my close friends, family and siblings die around me is something I find so appealing. I've already lost enough of them at this point already. Just a few days ago I found out another friend who I grew up with and are still close friends with today has stage four lung cancer.

I will simply do as I do now. I will take somewhat reasonable care of myself. Try to avoid obviously dangerous situations whenever practical and let the chips fall where they may. I've had a good life. I've reached the point where I don't have to fight tooth and nail to survive and struggle every day to do so. I've reaped many rewards for what I think overall has been a life well spent. And I can't think of what I would have or could have done to change that. We all have had life's lessons to learn and yes, I've had my share of those. But for the most part I've came out of the other side not much worse for the wear and tear.

So that's the way my days left on this earth will continue. Over the span of my life I've determined from my experiences in my time on this earth that it's never bad to make a plan but it's always bad to think that every plan you make is going to work. While I know it's not always the norm I've witnessed people that worked so hard to live a healthy life die early and I've watched those who have put themselves through hell live long. While I don't use that as a gauge for how I take care of myself I've learned that a lot of times the length of your life is far more about your genetics than how you choose to live.

So I'm going to keep eating red meat, have a little cake here and there, not get crazy with vitamins and supplements and just live while not staying busy worrying about what's ahead. Because what will come will come. There is no cheating death. Sure you can possibly delay it. But as I said earlier, I'm not so sure sticking around so long I have to bear witness to most all of my friends and family dying around me first is such an appealing reason to fight for what will amount to nothing more than a short extension in the grand scheme of things. A lot of things are simply out of my control and for some reason I've become fine with that.

I am reminded that I am in my 50's after a day of strenuous yard work. But overall, I really don't think about it other than I remember thinking people in their 50's and 60's seemed like the cliché grey haired grandparent stereotypes when I was younger, which is not true.

I want to reiterate something I brought up this past summer. If you're contemplating a knee replacement, do it now. I put it off for 2 years, and it really hampered my ability to work out and be active. I had the surgery last June, and I'm still trying to get my cardio and flexibility back to where it was. The knee is doing great, I'm able to squat, climb ladders, bike, etc. The rest of my body has to catch up to the new kid on the block. The older you get, the harder it is to get it back.....there's definitely a point of no return. At my age, you can't just let things go.

jfan???

Curious.....

Sounds like you had only 1 knee replaced?

I had the option of having only "one" done or "both" done at the same time. I opted for both at the same time.

Knowing the surgery would be painful I figured I wouldn't have twice the pain having both knees replaced at the same as opposed to just one. I'd just be in pain.

Best decision I've ever made.

I agree. The slow flow of movement is a stress killer. I am a type A junkie for conflict for most of my life. Feeling your center, moving energy, and feeling balanced afterward surprised me. I also have lifted and been active in sports; I was amazed how this art "stacks the body" using it and stretching to give you more workout than I believed was possible. I miss it a lot after a medical operation, but despite the mystery it paid me some lasting benefits. Can't do it anymore as far as the forms, but the breathing stays with you. Recommended once again.

LOL.

I was going to say it might be a number, but we are talking about aging.

Happy Birthday!

Thank you.

I only had one done, my other one's in decent shape. I have the utmost respect for those that have had both knees replaced at the same time. I can't imagine how you got around those first few weeks. I was using the other knee to do the heavy lifting on stairs, getting up from the toilet and whatnot.

Man. If I had time I’d come join you.

That’s right at the busiest time of my year. I have art heading to Burning Man at the end of August, and another large scale commission due by mid October. I’m not even sure if I’ll have time to fish locally during this fall’s steelhead run.

I read this thread while I was suspended and wanted to reply, but I forgot what I wanted to say.

I was just making a lame joke.