Frump to Fab 2018 - Fabulous Dahhhhlings

moneyistooshorttomention

I do know exactly what you mean.

My own wish (trans = firm intention decided years ago) not to have a long life has been largely based on watching both my parents suffer with increasing ill health for years in the case of my mother and many many years in the case of my father.

They are now 90. They do not wish to be 90. They have both "had enough" and keep telling me so. I have been made well aware by them that nothing is to be done to "prolong their lives" artificially if it comes to it and have already had to tell the medics to "obey my mothers wishes" on one occasion - but she did live on anyway, despite her refusal of anything "life prolonging"(to her total disgust...).

I know I live a lot healthier life than either of them have ever done - but I can't think of a single healthy person from about age 80 upwards and I struggle to think of a single healthy person from about age 60 upwards. It is difficult to tell sometimes - as so many unhealthy people describe themselves as "healthy" that it makes it more difficult to tell who really IS healthy - but I'd say we are in the absolute minority even in my agegroup.

monnagran

Oh dear! Perhaps I should have mentioned that I am in my eightieth year. Up until now I have been disgustingly healthy. Never spent a night in hospital and the last 4 doctors I have been registered with have never seen me.

BUT. One old knee is beginning to hurt and I am LIVID. How can this be happening to ME! I don't do aches and pains.

So just be warned. Doing all the right things does not necessarily have the result that you are expecting. It's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault. It's just being human.

lessonlearned

Good morning lovely ladies...

Hope you all remembered to put your clocks back.

Well it's a cold crisp one today and very windy. I have a to do list as long as my arm but I'm just enjoying the benefits of the extra hour by having a cuppa in bed. Bliss.

SUgarbaby......how are you my dear. I do hope you are feeling a bit better. Take care of yourself, slowly but gently.

Monnagran.....have you posted before. If not or if you have and I missed you, then welcome to the thread. Sorry to hear about your knee. I had to smile when you said you were livid. Channel that rage and make it work for you. :rotfl:

I too have a poorly knee. In my case a damaged meniscus as well as osteoarthritis. I am finding acupuncture very helpful, and good old tiger balm, the strong red one. On bad days I also use a knee brace. I am determined to avoid or at least postpone surgery.

Both my Physio and my acupuncture doctor have advised that keeping the knees warm is crucial so yesterday I did wear tights under my jeans. Definitely helped.

Still I consider myself fortunate and count my blessings. I may never run a marathon but I can walk without aids and on a good day I can still dance. I am trying to lose weight because I know that will help ease pressure on my joints. It's slow going but I'm determined.

I will get there. Fabulousity will be mine......:rotfl:

BTW. Monnagran ........congratulations on reaching your 80th year. The Elegant Eighties. How Fab.!!!

Oooops. Just noticed I hit the angry face button. No idea how that happened. Lol. I have no reason to feel angry today, in fact I feel calm and serene. . All the bad stuff is behind me and it takes a lot to ruffle my feathers.

Does anyone know how I can remove it, please.

pollypenny

My friend and neighbour is 89 and has long been my role model. She has slowed down this year, but has been a little dynamo, travelling all over, even after her husband died.

Another neighbour, 86, walks for the paper every morning. We have a steep hill. I think many of us are healthier than our parents were at similar ages. Mine were smokers and my father was a miner, with obvious effects.

Edit to add: I forgot to reset the radio alarm. OH has done the rest.

lessonlearned

You raise a very interesting point there Penny. About how, in very general terms, people in their 50s and 60s today are, in many ways, healthier than their parents were at a similar age. Many of our parents had difficult and hard lives, living through the Depression, WW2 and then post war austerity. They were tough old birds, they had to be. By comparison we have had it far easier.

We are all different of course and we all have our own unique biological clocks. Some will age faster than others, some wil decline rapidly, some will remain vigourous for longer. .

I have noticed a couple of my neighbours are quite elderly. They both walk to the shops everyday, even though one of them actually uses one of those rollator thingies. Even yesterday when it was bitterly cold, there they were all wrapped up like mummies .....you have to admire them.

moneyistooshorttomention

Another vote for Tiger Balm - I've been using it for decades - after my parents picked some of "this wierd foreign concoction" :rotfl: up when my father was abroad (and us in tow) when I was a child.

Four things I always have in - tiger balm, olbas oil, eye drops and Bachs Rescue Remedy. That and sticking plasters are the staples of my first aid kit.

I can think of an elderly lady living near me (about 80?) that tells me she has worked out what is a 3 mile distance to walk from her home and she makes sure she walks 3 miles EVERY single day. Kudos to her - as that's more than I would do at some times of the year in the weather here. She says she's in training to go on one of those long pilgrimage walks.

humptydumptybits

I used to know a couple of ladies in their late 80s, sadly no longer with us, one was a retired nurse and was still volunteering at the local hospital at 86. The other one was running a pensioners club where she would do meals and drinks and organise outing for the "old dears." Most of them were younger than her. She was like this right till the end, 88 I think, She nodded off one day and never woke up, the only medical problem she had in old age was a cataract operation which she said was miraculous.


I'd be quite happy to be like either of them.


Did a top up at Sainsburys today and got some petrol Spent £38 and got £36 in nectar points which I can double up. Getting paid to go shopping.

lessonlearned

I'm sat outside in a sheltered sunny spot drinking my coffee. How wonderful. I had forgotten the joys of a south south/west facing garden,how even on a cold winters day you can sometimes grab an hour or so of warm sunshine. The birds are singing and I can see the trays swaying in the wind. It's lovely.

Have managed a walk this morning, although I do feel rather stiff. I'm missing my hot baths, a shower just isn't the same. Hey ho, it's on the list.

Going to start painting the dresser in a minute. Hoping to get it done by Thursday so the handy man can reassemble it.

A piece of beef is in the slow cooker, so a nice healthy dinner, adding lots of vegetables. I've already had three of my five a day. Actually i now aim for 7 or 8. Don't always manage it.

My skin is still dreadfully dry, face is fine oddly enough it's my arms and legs. I have upped the slathering but I think I need to add Evening Primrose Oil to my regime or maybe try Flaxeed.

The joys of aging...... I'm like a dried up old prune. :rotfl:

humptydumptybits

I'm finding flax seed oil very good. My dry eyes are alot better and my skin is looking pretty good. I'm taking the oil as a capsule but also using it on my skin and rub it into my scalp the night before I wash my hair and it does seem to be improving the condition of my hair which is very fine and flyaway and dry.


My skin isn't much of a problem with the exception of my neck which is showing my age but I noticed this morning that it isn't looking quite as fragile and it doesn't feel that itchy dry feeling.

sugarbaby125

Hello Ladies,

LL I am still coughing a bit, my chest is still tight and my throat is still tight, but I did not let any of it spoil my weekend.

I had a great visit with my sister R in Birmingham. We went out for a night of dancing on the Saturday night at a local club for older black people. :j I had to sit down at times and take a breather, but I did lots of dancing and my legs are aching today as a result which I do not mind as that shows how much exercise my legs have had this weekend.

I came back from Birmingham to my home at 8pm on Sunday. I unpacked my suitcase and then I got changed and went to Karaoke and had another great night out.:D I sang 2 songs:

1. It's Now Or Never by Elvis

2. No Matter What by Boyzone

I am going to spend today catching up on my washing and drying. I am also going to fit in as much television watching of recorded programmes as I can fit in.

The sun is shining here in London again today.