seeing an old friend and getting a shock - Page 3

sgraham30 · ‎03-14-2010

@Carmie wrote:
@cherry I understand what you are saying. I have family and friends who are not aging very well. My MIL used to say that being super rich meant you have good health.

I know what she meant now. All of the money, status and good looks mean nothing if you don't have good health to enjoy it.

In the past two years, two of my younger cousins passed away. They both were jocks and always active.

I have come to realize that every day above ground is a gift. What we have today is not promised for tomorrow and relationships are more important than any expensive junk we think we need.

All things living will die. I pray that I will pass quickly when my time comes, but if not, I hope to go gracefully so that my family and friends don't suffer with me.

I hope when it 's my time, I go quietly & peacefully in my sleep. I also want to spare my loved ones any suffering.

BohemianGal · ‎03-29-2016

@chrystaltree wrote:
We all have our issues and challenges as we age but I do not believe that we are destined to morph into a collection of aches, pains and disabilities in our senior years. That wasnt't the case with my mom or any of the older people in my family. I think we can all age well but for that to happen, we have to live well and take care of our minds and bodies in our 40's, 50's and 60's.

@chrystaltree

I understand what you are saying in one respect, but there are MANY people who take very good care of themselves and still get catastrophic illnesses and diseases. I have been chronically ill since my early 20's. At age 55 I am terribly fraile (84 lbs) and appear much older then my age. People from my past don't even recognize me..and honestly, I don't recoginze myself. I can even look in the mirror. I never expected my life would "play out" this way. Believe me, I had "other plans". I always "valued" my health, and therefore always took great care of myself. I've tried everything possible to help myself... even throughtout the years of health struggles I've faced.. I have never drank, smoked, used drugs, or abused my body in any respect. I just "got sick. Whether it was genetics, or just "fate" I don't know. My father lived until nearly 80, and my mother almost 90. So, how or why I've been sick and suffering for all these years isn't something I understand. I suppose it's just the "luck of the draw" sometimes.....

Peace and Blessings.....BohemianGal

AngelPuppy1 · ‎03-13-2010

I think at this time of the year these things can hit us even harder. The reality of life and how we have so little control over so much of our lives. We may think we have everything under control. We may think if we eat this way and exercise that way and have these good genes from our family that we have it made. Then --- boom --- things can change in the blink of an eye. It's really scary!!!!

I always looked way younger than my age my whole life. I took no credit for that -- I mean it was my genes. I was lucky. Now --- I'm at an age where I look my age --- thanks to ill health and stress. It is not a happy thing to look in the mirror and not recognize the person you see! And also if you happen to see someone you haven't seen in a long time -- they look at you like --- do I know you? I should know you --- but --- what the heck happened to you? They have no way of knowing what your life has been. They might think you did not take care of yourself, that you drank a lot, did drugs, etc. But through no fault of your own, you have aged and do not look like the same person.

Age is not our friend, for the most part. We can do our part as much as we can but ultimately, what will happen will happen.

I love what cherry posted that Joan Rivers said about acquring things early on and then letting them go later on. A lot of truth to that. What our values are and what is important to us certainly does change as we age. Health --- the most important commodity of all!!!

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin

Hooty · ‎03-09-2010

@hoosieroriginal wrote:
It all has a lot to do with how we treat our bodies.

@hoosieroriginal, I totally disagree!!! My sister was a very active, energetic person all her life, never had a weight problem, always exercised, no real health issues, always ate healthy, etc.! Then she became ill, first thing came her eyes, she had cornea transplants, then at the same developed manseur gravis(sp) eye disease, which she now can only see out of one eye, serious IBS, and Parkinsons disease, and now weighs 96 lbs.! Maybe for some they abuse their body, but things happen to some they have no control over! My father died of HBP (brain hemorage) at 58, mother died of liver disease at 67 (no she did not drink)!

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@chrystaltree wrote:
We all have our issues and challenges as we age but I do not believe that we are destined to morph into a collection of aches, pains and disabilities in our senior years. That wasnt't the case with my mom or any of the older people in my family. I think we can all age well but for that to happen, we have to live well and take care of our minds and bodies in our 40's, 50's and 60's.

No we aren't all destined to that, but the real facts are that we are living longer, and have much more in medicines, procedures etc. to extend lives. With that extending of age, comes the often slow and painful downfall of our bodies.

Proper nutrition and activity can increase the odds of living better longer, but it doesn't help many people. Disease and genetics make life painful and conditions the reality they will face, should they live long enough.

One of the reasons that people in past generations seemed to live healthier longer is due to their diets and lifestyles (ate from the land without processed foods, were very active daily in their work and daily lives).

And quite frankly, many of those that lived long lives did so mostly as a part of their genetic makeup. People have always gotten sick and died, and many more of them did at younger ages in the past. Like I stated before, we simply have more drugs and procedures to keep people alive and functioning, that would have been dead in generations past. They are often alive, but not in a great quality of health.

BohemianGal · ‎03-29-2016

@Hooty wrote:
@hoosieroriginal wrote:
It all has a lot to do with how we treat our bodies.

@hoosieroriginal, I totally disagree!!! My sister was a very active, energetic person all her life, never had a weight problem, always exercised, no real health issues, always ate healthy, etc.! Then she became ill, first thing came her eyes, she had cornea transplants, then at the same developed manseur gravis(sp) eye disease, which she now can only see out of one eye, serious IBS, and Parkinsons disease, and now weighs 96 lbs.! Maybe for some they abuse their body, but things happen to some they have no control over! My father died of HBP (brain hemorage) at 58, mother died of liver disease at 67 (no she did not drink)!

@Hooty..I agree completely...(you can read my reply earlier in the thread).

cherry · ‎03-09-2010

@BohemianGal I hope 2017 brings you good health ,again

Hooty · ‎03-09-2010

@BohemianGal, I wish you a Happy & Healthy New Year!

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

I live in a plan of 140 homes, all but about 3 or 4 are owned by retirees, mostly younger retirees still in their 60's. In the 6 years we have lived here the changes I see in us all are astounding.I was going through some photos for DH to put them on the computer and as I looked at them I am stunned by how much all of us have aged in those 6 years. Not to even mention those who are no longer with us.

I am rather sad today - my lovely, kind and friendly next door neighbor had a stroke last night. Has not regained consciousness yet.Thank goodness her nephew came by or she would have just laid there on the kitchen floor.