After reading some of you guys post I guess I am doing pretty good. I am 76 and the only thing I am concerned about is my memory slipping, but I guess that is par for the course, as is nodding off after supper only to miss half the how I was watching. George
Geezer Question???
- Thread starter happyrat1
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Funny enough, it seems to be sugar that can cause an attack and that can be a hard thing to moderate although I've been learning to do that. In my youth, I was a fanatical footballer which is probably catching up with me also as far as my feet are concerned. I don't drink (much) or have ever smoked so hopefully have a few years in the tank.Do you have a pedalboard for sale?
Seriously though, old man time catches up with us in a hundred different ways as we approach Logan's Run's Carousel.
The younger we are the more that we ignore the approaching shroud of old age.
Karma settles all scores.
Chinese Proverb: May the pleasures of your youth be the chains of your old age.
My brother's mother in law suffered from gout. Strict vegetarian diet her entire life. But hers was compounded by osteoporosis and multiple hip and knee replacements. She passed away a decade ago.
Avoid excessive protein intake, including vegetables like chickpeas, legumes in general, nuts, etc. And learn to enjoy your oncoming opioid addiction
I'm seeing a zillion pharmaceutical options for everything from IBS to itchy hair syndrome but there's not a lot they seem able to do for gout these days.
Keep smiling
Saying all that, on Tuesday, a friend of mine contacted me to say that an old work colleague we both worked with for many years was killed earlier that day in a hit and run road accident, he was cycling to work and a reckless driver killed him and he died in hospital later that day of his injuries, he was 45 with a young family. So, it can happen at any time, anywhere to anyone so you just have to get on with it and deal with the hand you're given.
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Hey! I have at least another 30 years to go before I play no more,,,, HAHAHA!
I'm 79 and the forces that be have tried to kill me at least 3 times already Twice with heart attack and triple bypass surgery, and once with Pneumonia. But HA! I beat em all.
Now, a recent issue with B-12 absorption has causes a balance issue, which is taken care of with B12 shots.
I have arthritis in my left elbow, and both hands and have difficulty lifting a pot of coffee.
But my manual dexterity (as far as playing keyboards) has not yet been affected.
Another affliction I've been saddled with, is Chronic Lymphedma. Now, in my lower legs, which I monitor closely, or else I won't be able to wear long pants and shoes! (another tasteless joke) .
I've been to a Therapy program and it really helped.
Now I wear compression devices, or wrap the legs with layers of special compressive bandage and layers of 1/4" foam padding over a cotton sleeve, with a heavily creamed medication applied first. and then sit for an hour or two, with my legs elevated while wearing an intermittent pressure
device, which compresses pneumatically in 8 stages from my toes to my hips, releases after 30 seconds, and repeats,
But Hey I'm not complaining... I am still breathing, and considering the alternative that's a big PLUS!
Also I am still in full control of all my faculties.
Unlike some who rule...(badly)! As he says...NO Joke!
So, live life, as if it were your last days alive! Because for some of us.......
It is!
I'm 79 and the forces that be have tried to kill me at least 3 times already Twice with heart attack and triple bypass surgery, and once with Pneumonia. But HA! I beat em all.
Now, a recent issue with B-12 absorption has causes a balance issue, which is taken care of with B12 shots.
I have arthritis in my left elbow, and both hands and have difficulty lifting a pot of coffee.
But my manual dexterity (as far as playing keyboards) has not yet been affected.
Another affliction I've been saddled with, is Chronic Lymphedma. Now, in my lower legs, which I monitor closely, or else I won't be able to wear long pants and shoes! (another tasteless joke) .
I've been to a Therapy program and it really helped.
Now I wear compression devices, or wrap the legs with layers of special compressive bandage and layers of 1/4" foam padding over a cotton sleeve, with a heavily creamed medication applied first. and then sit for an hour or two, with my legs elevated while wearing an intermittent pressure
device, which compresses pneumatically in 8 stages from my toes to my hips, releases after 30 seconds, and repeats,
But Hey I'm not complaining... I am still breathing, and considering the alternative that's a big PLUS!
Also I am still in full control of all my faculties.
Unlike some who rule...(badly)! As he says...NO Joke!
So, live life, as if it were your last days alive! Because for some of us.......
It is!
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happyrat1
Destroyer of Eardrums!!!
At least I can still dance in front of the keyboard when I play 
If you outlive me, do you want a job as a pall bearer?
If you outlive me, do you want a job as a pall bearer?
happyrat1
Destroyer of Eardrums!!!
Working with a keyboard and mouse for 2 thirds of your life can have a pretty wicked effect on your hands, people.
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As can I! So what;'s the going rate for a pallbearer?At least I can still dance in front of the keyboard when I play
If you outlive me, do you want a job as a pall bearer?
If you don't mind possibly being dropped...?
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You can say that again Happyrat1 !! But no one will listen till it's too late... By then the damage is done!.
happyrat1
Destroyer of Eardrums!!!
We're kind of drifting off topic here gentlemen.
This thread was set as a sticky for a purpose.
It was meant to be repository of therapeutic tips and tricks for people who are of declining years and losing the ability to play any longer.
It was NOT meant to be bragging rights for a bunch of geezers who complain their lumbago hurts when it's just about to rain.
A little less chit chat and a little more constructive advice please.
Talk to the administrators if you want to create a sticky called "Geezer Chat" in the Misc. Forum
We thank you for your attention.
Our aim is to keep this bathroom clean.
Your aim will help.
This thread was set as a sticky for a purpose.
It was meant to be repository of therapeutic tips and tricks for people who are of declining years and losing the ability to play any longer.
It was NOT meant to be bragging rights for a bunch of geezers who complain their lumbago hurts when it's just about to rain.
A little less chit chat and a little more constructive advice please.
Talk to the administrators if you want to create a sticky called "Geezer Chat" in the Misc. Forum
We thank you for your attention.
Our aim is to keep this bathroom clean.
Your aim will help.
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I have been taking a spoonful of Powdered Tumeric in my Drip coffee maker for over a year now, I don't know if it is doing any good or not but I know it is supposed to ... I still use wrist braces but find them horrid in the 100+ degree Texas heat. So I only use then in conditioned air.
Back on topic.
More applicable to those in a very cold climate and especially if you suffer from arthritis …… a pair of heated gloves.
As an ex Motorcyclist they were a boom for me and coupled with the heated handgrips I did not suffer from painful hands by the time I got to my destination.
Rechargeable battery powered gloved are readily available from £10 to £30
When I bought my last car I specified a heated steering wheel, the best option ever.
So no more stiff and painful cold fingers whilst driving.
More applicable to those in a very cold climate and especially if you suffer from arthritis …… a pair of heated gloves.
As an ex Motorcyclist they were a boom for me and coupled with the heated handgrips I did not suffer from painful hands by the time I got to my destination.
Rechargeable battery powered gloved are readily available from £10 to £30
When I bought my last car I specified a heated steering wheel, the best option ever.
So no more stiff and painful cold fingers whilst driving.
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71 and have been having problems with a right wrist swelling from time to time and unable to form a fist or flex fingers. Probably a result of a childhood injury. I have been taking a Turmeric capsule as mentioned here , daily for three weeks and have not had an attack. It seems to have reduced inflammation in my shoulder as well and my rings are looser on my fingers . Now if it would improve my memory and recall........
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I'm 77 going on almost 78. As far as hands go, I've got 4 broken fingers some of which never set back properly. Motto is, don't argue with propellors or hammers! And ALWAYS, take the keys off boat owners when you're working on their boats underwater... Lesson learned the hard way.... Lucky not to lose my face, although the wife would probably see it as an improvement!
Also arthritis. But it's a fact that in years gone by you didn't go whining to doctors and wasting A&E time with such trivial issues. You just learned to adapt and got on with it.
I find that spending even the first 5 or so minutes of every practice or playing session playing a couple of different scales or learning a couple of new chords really helps. It loosens my hands up nicely.
That and walking the dog every day come sun, rain, hail, snow or fog.
You just got to man up and get it done.
Also arthritis. But it's a fact that in years gone by you didn't go whining to doctors and wasting A&E time with such trivial issues. You just learned to adapt and got on with it.
I find that spending even the first 5 or so minutes of every practice or playing session playing a couple of different scales or learning a couple of new chords really helps. It loosens my hands up nicely.
That and walking the dog every day come sun, rain, hail, snow or fog.
You just got to man up and get it done.
Rayblewit
Love Music / Love Life
Wow!
That Propellor story sure is a valuable lesson to all.
When I worked as an engineer visiting factories and their machinery. I always asked the bosses to isolate the power source before I actually touch anything. I needed to see them do it it my self to be satisfied. Some plants had be closed down completely holding up production whist I just measured a chain link or inspected a sprocket etc... The bosses hated me and often told me to just measure during a quick stop. But I always said NO and demanded complete shutdown.
I still have all my fingers . . Like you @Bouncingogre in my 70's. too. I have crooked knuckles too and suffer arthritis pain but I play my keyboard EVERYDAY. Learn new songs all the time. Just picked up a David Bowie book.
Learning to play China Girl and Let's Dance.
Awesome tunes.
Love music Love life.
R
That Propellor story sure is a valuable lesson to all.
When I worked as an engineer visiting factories and their machinery. I always asked the bosses to isolate the power source before I actually touch anything. I needed to see them do it it my self to be satisfied. Some plants had be closed down completely holding up production whist I just measured a chain link or inspected a sprocket etc... The bosses hated me and often told me to just measure during a quick stop. But I always said NO and demanded complete shutdown.
I still have all my fingers . . Like you @Bouncingogre in my 70's. too. I have crooked knuckles too and suffer arthritis pain but I play my keyboard EVERYDAY. Learn new songs all the time. Just picked up a David Bowie book.
Learning to play China Girl and Let's Dance.
Awesome tunes.
Love music Love life.
R
Hi , brain is getting a bit dodgy 
, I get pain in my knees, not sure if it’s arthritis, when it gets bad I use a cream called Pain Away, works incredibly well for me. So far I’vebeen fortunate with my hands. I practice piano exercises, don’t know whether that has helped, but so far so good
, I get pain in my knees, not sure if it’s arthritis, when it gets bad I use a cream called Pain Away, works incredibly well for me. So far I’vebeen fortunate with my hands. I practice piano exercises, don’t know whether that has helped, but so far so good
I'm not *yet* at the point where my fingers fail me (except my right pinky, which was accidentally snapped at work in 2007 and never fully recovered, but it turned out I can play a lot with just the other right hand digits (just not octaves); it's recovered enough but it's not as fast or strong as it was originally. Just learned to play around that new limitation. But then I don't have the greatest technical skill.
However, I do tend to sing a lot; but that's eluded me since I lost my voice suddenly Feb 19th. As of the end of May it comes and goes (so it partially returned), but it's odd; I have about 90% control of the low notes, 80% of the highest notes, but no control over the mid range, which means certain songs aren't singable. at all. right now.
As I've never experienced losing my voice before, I still have no idea what to do, other than figure out which songs work without the midrange (I've found 1 so far: Genesis' Mama). And Take on Me might work, since it's *mostly* high notes.
Didn't expect the ravages of age to hit so suddenly (only mid 50's!), but Iprobably should have; right after the Mrs turned 40 she was suddenly hit with Ramsay Hunts syndrome (it happened almost instantly) and it permanently paralyzed part of her face, incl corner of mouth. It's slowly returning to level, which we're both grateful for; as well as it *could* have caused blindness or deafness; grateful neither happened.
Logan's run indeed. (Ironically, Logan himself, Michael York, is 82 and counting!)
I'm still holding out hope my full singing range returns (or at least most of it). In the meantime, I'm mostly working on new *keyboard only* demos :1
Mark
www.youtube.com/MarkWilburnTLM/Videos
DX7, CLP300, PSR60, Roland E20, CVP309, PSRS970, Fender Strat, Ibanez SA262, Yamaha CG131, Fujiyama FC390, TUC-Kitty
However, I do tend to sing a lot; but that's eluded me since I lost my voice suddenly Feb 19th. As of the end of May it comes and goes (so it partially returned), but it's odd; I have about 90% control of the low notes, 80% of the highest notes, but no control over the mid range, which means certain songs aren't singable. at all. right now.
As I've never experienced losing my voice before, I still have no idea what to do, other than figure out which songs work without the midrange (I've found 1 so far: Genesis' Mama). And Take on Me might work, since it's *mostly* high notes.
Didn't expect the ravages of age to hit so suddenly (only mid 50's!), but Iprobably should have; right after the Mrs turned 40 she was suddenly hit with Ramsay Hunts syndrome (it happened almost instantly) and it permanently paralyzed part of her face, incl corner of mouth. It's slowly returning to level, which we're both grateful for; as well as it *could* have caused blindness or deafness; grateful neither happened.
Logan's run indeed. (Ironically, Logan himself, Michael York, is 82 and counting!)
I'm still holding out hope my full singing range returns (or at least most of it). In the meantime, I'm mostly working on new *keyboard only* demos :1
Mark
www.youtube.com/MarkWilburnTLM/Videos
DX7, CLP300, PSR60, Roland E20, CVP309, PSRS970, Fender Strat, Ibanez SA262, Yamaha CG131, Fujiyama FC390, TUC-Kitty
Bit late into this topic, but about a year ago my ring finger on my left hand went all floppy on me (Viagra’s not going to fix it . So, off to the doc. and he sent me to a neurologist who sent me for an MRI. Turns out there’s a nerve branching out from a cluster of nerves at the top of the spine and which are specific to individual fingers. Anyway, this nerve to the affected finger was somehow being impeded, not necessarily trapped. The neuro suggested I take a daily B12 vitamin. Lo and behold, after a few weeks my finger came back and has been okay since.
. So, off to the doc. and he sent me to a neurologist who sent me for an MRI. Turns out there’s a nerve branching out from a cluster of nerves at the top of the spine and which are specific to individual fingers. Anyway, this nerve to the affected finger was somehow being impeded, not necessarily trapped. The neuro suggested I take a daily B12 vitamin. Lo and behold, after a few weeks my finger came back and has been okay since.
happyrat1
Destroyer of Eardrums!!!
Taking B12 is always a good idea after a certain age
Pleased the B12 is working for you.Bit late into this topic, but about a year ago my ring finger on my left hand went all floppy on me (Viagra’s not going to fix it
I have just installed an App and am able to see my Medical History including a lot of blood tests that I had last week, low and behold low B12, guess I’m ordering a bottle.
Hopefully it will help me as the wait to see a Neurologist on our NHS is currently two years.