Shocked by aging process

@saliannadana 😁

@susanejw I love all of the Elizabeth Strout Olive Kitteridge books. The Correspondent by Virginia Evan’s is a favorite and I think you’d enjoy Remarkably Bright Creatures, both of which are being made into movies. First one with Jane Fonda and the other with Sally Fields. There is sadness in all of these books, but that is real life. 📚

@cmdw2600 Thanks! I liked Remarkably Bright Creatures too! And I happen to have The Correspondent out from the library, though I haven’t read it yet.
I often find interesting older characters in books by Amy Tan, Lisa See, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Roger Rosenblatt. In the mystery genre, Agatha Christie, Louise Penny, Richard Osman, and Spencer Quinn’s Mrs. Plansky books. In poetry, Margaret Atwood’s Dearly (a book of poems).
Four others I especially liked were Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver; The History of Love by Nicole Krauss; Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather; and News of the World by Paulette Jiles. (I’m looking through my notebook of books I’ve read. I guess there are more than I thought!)

@dmbwa99362
I turned 66 this year, just a wee older than you. Also in March! Yes, the body/mind breaks down, like it or not, but I have noticed people who are not very active tend to have the biggest problems. I'm talking about people who have accidents or illnesses that prevent them from mind/ body movement. Personally, if I live to be 130, I still won't have enough time to do everything I want. I have been through the family, friends, moving, husbands, businesses, and traveling the world. Now I'm finally doing what I'm really here to do, and loving every minute of it, even with hurts, pains, frustrations and set backs mentally and physically. I can pick up a rock and hit 70, but I know just how much I can accomplish by that time. A LOT. This is what keeps the old hamster 🐹 wheel going. 🙃

@msmarymac
WOW!!! I love your answer! I want to be that way too and I’m trying but pain sure has a way of humbling a person.
Always thought I’d be the young acting, energetic nanny but unfortunately pain has prevented that and I hate that so much!
I still try and stay as active as my body will allow.
You brightened my evening reading your words so thank you!

There are supplements for collagen support for hair, skin, and nails. I try to take just 1 a day. I take 1 capsule a day (Didn't think the pills I bought worked as good.) of Ginkgo Biloba for supporting brain function & circulation. I can tell a difference when I don't take it for a week. I also believe in studying something to help memory. I study and take tests out of the GED Study Guide I have laying around. Gentle exercising and STRETCHING. Eating right is sometimes hard. I try to take at least one tall glass of milk with a protein supplement powder, a day. Because I've torn several rotator cuff tendons in my shoulders.
One medicine I had severe memory loss on after surgery was gabapentin. I refuse to EVER take that again. I have added calcium and D3 after my bone density test detected osteoporosis in my neck. Some medications have warnings for taking with certain supplements. You need to ask your doctor to make sure they don't interfere with your prescriptions. I have to spread my supplements throughout the day and eat a little something before and a tiny bit after, even just crackers. One time I had the bright idea to get healthy and took about 5 plus supplements at one time for a few days. My stomach hurt horribly! Don't want that to happen again.
Reading the bible can be comforting. There are many rewarding things yet to do. I guess we should be thankful to be getting old. So many of my dear friends didn't make it.

@lukekee
Thank you for that word of encouragment! If you only knew how many people have insecurities which lead to resentment of those who try to have the life they are suppose to have. Personally, I want to be around people who are smarter than me and have experienced what I have not. Being a sponge, absorbing other lives, teaches me how to continue on. We can even learn from the negative. My husband (Cherokee Indian from Oklahoma, died in '08) told me, "You can learn something new from a wineo on the street, if you would just listen to him".
Now back to you and your pain...
I dont know what kind and where it is, but I have used two products that have been a life saver for me. Merry Hempster Vegan Hot Hemp Rub. Handmade in Portland. Organic, has hot peppers in it which relaxes the muscles, and hemp that relaxes the mind. It is in a big chapstick tube, so you dont have to touch it, just rub it on. For deeper than muscels, I use frankenscense and mhyrr, roll-on. I dont go anywhere without both. Lastly, I saw on the news a man in his 90' who has run every day of his life, even when he fell and broke his hip! Now, if he can do that (I'm not running, weak ankles and trick knees) then I can push through a lot of pain and hurts, right? I have an animal refuge and hungry people at my vegan food pantry relying on me. 🫠

@msmarymac
First, I want to say you are an inspiration to me and I’m sure many others! 🙂

On my pain: Not sure what caused it but started with low back pain about 20 years ago from herniated disc. From that and with age I have DDD, severe stenosis, debilitating sciatica which led to a failed back surgery in 2017.
4 different neurosurgeons have told me that another surgery will not ease my pain but could make it worse so have been told to learn to manage my pain and live with it. That’s what I do.
Also, now have arthritis in other joints, fibromyalgia (which I refused to accept for many years), CFS, menopausal (which is a hell I wish on no one), horrible hormonal issues, depression, anxiety and now a pituitary adenoma.
Despite all this I stay active. Try to get my 10,000 steps in daily. Do a few other exercises and stretches. I suffer every night from doing all of these but I know they are the only things keeping me going so I will continue as long as I am able to move.
Have 2 wonderful children and 4 wonderful grandchildren and a very supportive husband so I am very blessed and I know it.
One of my best friends and I go on some kind of trip every year which I love. We are going places we’ve never been before and love the new experiences so I will also continue this as long as I am able.
Sorry for the book I just wrote but felt a need to explain myself. I am fully aware of how many people are so much worse off than me and how lucky I am for the support system I have.
I am now going to research the products you told me about right now. Thank you for that. Have a great day!
One more thing. I had to edit to add this:
Your husband was correct! I think we can learn and grow from every experience, good or bad!

Agree thoroughly with msmarymac! We are stronger mentally than we think we are! By challenging ourselves to raise our goals a little higher each day it is surprising how much we can achieve! Too many times when physical or mental crises arise, we tell ourselves “we are sick, too weak, not able, and resigned to suffer”. Instead of this self-pity, we have a choice to “try a different approach, push ourselves a little harder, use creativity, and lift our spirits to achieve more than yesterday”. We have a choice each day.
Be aware of all the people who have it soooo much worse! Be grateful for the abilities you can use each day, both mental and physical to ease the burdens of others. I try to use these thoughts when I have my “sinking spells” and self-pity creeps into my day. We are just humans all trying to make it through this life and result to “trial and error” as our learning tool.
None of us will make it out of this world alive!
Be happy, be creative, be the Best You!

@lukekee
Ya know, it really is getting old, having doctors tell us what is wrong with us, and when asked what can be done about it... nothing. If you only knew how many times I have heard that from so many different types of doctors. We just dont want to be diagnoised, we want to be healed, but that seems to be asking a little too much.
Want to laugh? I had two different doctors in two different states tell me I was ment to be a reptile having 1 1/2 extra coxics bones on my tail bone. Well, I am a Pieces. 🐟 When I asked for the xray to have, he said, no, this is going in a medical book.
I'm very glad you and your friend have a yearly travel date, to explore and unwind. I wish more people did that. It's important to change our surroundings periodically.