Getting old with all the accoutrements.

Had to go to a funeral in ATL Friday. No big deal. Monday morning, a ton of bricks fell on me. Sinus, aches everywhere pretty much classic influenza symptoms.

It's hell not having a viable immune system any longer. Thanks to the Covid lockdown and my old age, mine appear to have gone on vacation.

Symptoms improving this morning, but still largely there.

RMD

While getting older sucks it's better than the alternative.

I feel your pain.
I am lucky to work from home so when I get ill, I can just stay put.

Hope you get better soon.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
While getting older sucks it's better than the alternative.

I have friends (man and wife, mid-80's) that have gotten to the point health-wise where they're rethinking that. I get really nervous if I don't hear from them every couple of days.

quote:

Originally posted by rduckwor:
Getting old with all the accoutrements.

Had to go to a funeral in ATL Friday. No big deal. Monday morning, a ton of bricks fell on me. Sinus, aches everywhere pretty much classic influenza symptoms.

It's hell not having a viable immune system any longer. Thanks to the Covid lockdown and my old age, mine appear to have gone on vacation.

Symptoms improving this morning, but still largely there.

RMD

I don't think you getting infected is because of your old age. Even in my prime, if a kid sneezed within 20 feet from me, I got sick. But your old age certainly takes its toll when you get infected.

Here's a realization that came to me. I was at a funeral service where I saw a friend I hadn't see a while. He remarked we used to see each other at weddings, then at children's parties, then graduations, and now funeral. When we took our leave of each other, he said, "see you at the next funeral."

quote:

Originally posted by rduckwor:
It's hell not having a viable immune system any longer. Thanks to the Covid lockdown and my old age, mine appear to have gone on vacation.

People get sick from viruses regardless of age. It's mainly a matter of exposure and chance.

As for old age and immune systems: You don't have to live with it. It has been proven in study-after-study that ones immune system can be maintained, even in old age, with regular exercise and proper nutrition.

I'm seventy-two, now. I get no sicker, any more often, than I did when I was a young stud. (Knock on wood.) Could be a strong immune system. Could also be I've generally tended to be in better shape than the majority of my age cohort. Could be both.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
While getting older sucks it's better than the alternative.

I have friends (man and wife, mid-80's) that have gotten to the point health-wise where they're rethinking that. I get really nervous if I don't hear from them every couple of days.

I know a couple of people who were saying things like that a while back. I pointed out other people who were in much worse shape than they were and told them to stop the pity party and enjoy what they have.

And to my surprise, they did. They're much better now.

^^^^

Yep, it's been a bad year for sure.

I was in the little room a couple days ago, waiting for the doctor. Racked with anxiety about what may be to come, the wife felt the same. I told her imagine the thousands of people waiting in little rooms all over the country, some will hear nothing, others, well, you know.

Turned out my concerns were unfounded, this time. Dodged another bullet. Still, problems linger.

Yeah, getting old sucks.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:

I know a couple of people who were saying things like that a while back. I pointed out other people who were in much worse shape than they were and told them to stop the pity party and enjoy what they have.

And to my surprise, they did. They're much better now.

I get your point, but anyone in worse shape than them would be in a hospital or nursing home. Frankly, they should be in assisted living at the very least, but the money/insurance isn't there.

I don't want to hijack the thread with details, but the short version is that given their circumstances, I'm amazed that they are as positive as they are.

quote:

I was in the little room a couple days ago, waiting for the doctor. Racked with anxiety about what may be to come, the wife felt the same. I told her imagine the thousands of people waiting in little rooms all over the country, some will hear nothing, others, well, you know.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That anxiety is a big part of your problem. Granted the doctor is not gonna tell you that you have won the lottery. Mental health issues will steer you to an early grave. Relax and enjoy the time you have.

quote:

Originally posted by Ripley:
^^^^

Yep, it's been a bad year for sure.

I was in the little room a couple days ago, waiting for the doctor. Racked with anxiety about what may be to come, the wife felt the same. I told her imagine the thousands of people waiting in little rooms all over the country, some will hear nothing, others, well, you know.

Turned out my concerns were unfounded, this time. Dodged another bullet. Still, problems linger.

Yeah, getting old sucks.

I've found that a lot of doctors are essentially selling fear to ensure that they'll have a lot of cash cows coming through their revolving door.

The last Doctor I fired was doing exactly that.

Doc-in-the-Box Wednesday - COVID. Well I avoided it for two years, I guess its my turn.

RMD

This just popped-up in my Twitter feed. I thought it apropos to the discussion

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
This just popped-up in my Twitter feed. I thought it apropos to the discussion

There's an awful lot of truth in that picture.

Getting old is tough but it beats the alternative. . I am starting to feel more and more aches,especially with the sciatic nerve pain.

quote:

've found that a lot of doctors are essentially selling fear to ensure that they'll have a lot of cash cows coming through their revolving door.

The last Doctor I fired was doing exactly that.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Can you be more specific? Never had that happen to me over many years. Seems rather cynical if I say so.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

quote:

've found that a lot of doctors are essentially selling fear to ensure that they'll have a lot of cash cows coming through their revolving door.

The last Doctor I fired was doing exactly that.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Can you be more specific? Never had that happen to me over many years. Seems rather cynical if I say so.

Agreed and same.

I'm pretty cynical of the so-called "health care" system, to which I'm sure ZSMICHAEL will attest , but, even I'm not quite that cynical.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

quote:

've found that a lot of doctors are essentially selling fear to ensure that they'll have a lot of cash cows coming through their revolving door.

The last Doctor I fired was doing exactly that.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Can you be more specific? Never had that happen to me over many years. Seems rather cynical if I say so.

Sure.

Went for my annual physical complete with blood work and EKG. As usual, they said they'd call me when the test results came in.

Got a phone call at 4:20PM on Friday. Highly excited female calling from the Doctor's office stating they'd just got my test results in and there was a "major problem". I said I'd be right down to their office. She said no, we're closing in a couple of minutes so you have to come in Monday, and it's urgent so we'll give you the first appointment of the day.

I said okay, I'll take the appointment, but what's the problem? I don't want to worry about this all weekend. She said she wasn't allowed to tell me that. I said okay, put the Doctor on the horn and he can tell me. She said he's gone until Monday.

So I spent Saturday and Sunday getting my affairs in order, making sure the wife knew the safe combination, where the will and power of attorney was along with my other Medical paperwork was.

I get into the doctor's office 15 minutes early for the appointment after having slept perhaps 4 hours in the last 2 days because of this whole thing. They let me into the examination room and I wait...and wait...and wait.

Finally 9:AM arrives and I've been in the room an hour, still no Doctor. The nurse comes in with a clip board. She says the Doctor's running late but be sure and stay because this is highly important. I said "are those my test results on the clipboard?" and she said yes. I said give them to me and she said she couldn't do that so I grabbed them and started going through the test results. Fortunately I know how to read these things.

So what" sthe big flap about? Two things.

1. My LDL is 131. However, my HDL is 99 and my triglycerides is 60. The Doctor feels this is an emergency and I must get on Statins immediately.

2. My PSA went from 3.5 the previous year to 3.7 and he wants me to schedule a biopsy immediately to have it checked as it's urgent.

To all of this I said bullshit. When the Doctor finally came in at 9:30AM I verified that these two things were the "emergency" with him.

I then told him that he was nuts and to not even think of billing me for this office visit and that he was fired.

This whole thing was obviously set up to get me to come in on a regular basis for more "checkups" and "statin adjustments" and so on, thus increasing the revenue stream.

I've discussed this with my two weekly shooting groups and found a number of others in the groups who have encountered similar things. Most of them see it for what it is but a couple of them are so scared of getting something that they go along with it while admitting they know they're getting taken by the Doctors. Two of them have wives who are getting taken but the wives insist on getting all the tests, drugs and operations that are offered and the husbands go along with it to keep peace in the house.

I think the problem here is the office staff who created the drama to begin with. Clearly alarmist and not helpful.
PSA is not as important any more, but it would be a good idea to see a urologist. I do question your assuming this is a money maker for the doc. Needless surgeries maybe. I would find another PCP with a good office staff. My doc is great and his office staff superb. I spent time looking and talking to other physicians.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
I think the problem here is the office staff who created the drama to begin with. Clearly alarmist and not helpful.

Except...

quote:

When the Doctor finally came in at 9:30AM I verified that these two things were the "emergency" with him.

Presumably he admitted those were the "emergency."

Flash-LB, I've never had anything like that happen with any of my PCPs. Closest was I had one PCP get alarmed over what she heard in her stethoscope and what she subsequently saw in my EKG, and send me off for a heart echo.

Long story short: After a while the tech goes "Why did your doctor prescribe this?" I told her. She carries on with the echo'ing. "Do you run?" "No," I replied, "but, I do HIIT on cardio machines twice-a-week." "Well, that's it, then. You have a ``runner's heart``. She should have known better."

Apparently the cardiologist that reviewed the results of the heart echo concurred, because nothing ever came from it.