Always look on the bright side of life

[91Joe95]

This has been a rickety kind of year for me. As I inch ever closer to 50, my knee started hurting, my ankle started hurting, my arm started hurting, I got reading glasses, and I noticed my beard suddenly went from about 3 gray hairs to around 50% of them. Last week I had a sleep test to officially determine I have sleep apnea and will need a cpap machine. This weekend my back started acting up again, and on Saturday night I had ringing in my right ear. When I woke up Sunday morning I couldn't hear a thing out of it - nothing, nada, zilch. With apologies to those with long term hearing loss, it is very disorienting to suddenly go from full stereo to directional mono hearing - cars sneaking up on you, picking out words, etc. I've watched my grandmother and my father both lose almost all of their hearing in their late 70's so I've got a pretty good idea its heading my way at some point.

So, time to take care of the ear: regular doctor office was obviously closed, so I went to one of those emergency offices where they were pretty much dumbfounded. Ear drum was ok, no blockage, fluid buildup, pressure, pain, etc. They told me to give the ear nose specialist office a call on Tuesday, and in the meantime prescribed a corticosteroid regimen. Good news, while it has yet to help my hearing, the rest of me is feeling a whole lot better. My wife even gets to see what I was like when I was 16. Lucky her.

 

[Obliviax]

And The good news?....It is going to get worse.

Diet and exercise are your best bets. Take Dr's advice as "advice". As Dear Abby used to say "up to 50% of all doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class." Live it large and when the time comes, go out with class and dignity.

 

[artsandletters]

This has been a rickety kind of year for me. As I inch ever closer to 50, my knee started hurting, my ankle started hurting, my arm started hurting, I got reading glasses, and I noticed my beard suddenly went from about 3 gray hairs to around 50% of them. Last week I had a sleep test to officially determine I have sleep apnea and will need a cpap machine. This weekend my back started acting up again, and on Saturday night I had ringing in my right ear. When I woke up Sunday morning I couldn't hear a thing out of it - nothing, nada, zilch. With apologies to those with long term hearing loss, it is very disorienting to suddenly go from full stereo to directional mono hearing - cars sneaking up on you, picking out words, etc. I've watched my grandmother and my father both lose almost all of their hearing in their late 70's so I've got a pretty good idea its heading my way at some point.

So, time to take care of the ear: regular doctor office was obviously closed, so I went to one of those emergency offices where they were pretty much dumbfounded. Ear drum was ok, no blockage, fluid buildup, pressure, pain, etc. They told me to give the ear nose specialist office a call on Tuesday, and in the meantime prescribed a corticosteroid regimen. Good news, while it has yet to help my hearing, the rest of me is feeling a whole lot better. My wife even gets to see what I was like when I was 16. Lucky her.

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55 was the beginning of the end for me. I fixed it by drinking more.

 

[MJG-90]

I'll turn 53 in June. Proper diet and exercise are essential. But that still hasn't stopped all of the aches and pains. I have weak rotator cuff muscles now caused by computer and smart phone use and not enough proper exercise over the years. Now the ball of the shoulder isn't centered properly in the socket which causes lots of tendonitis type pain. I've stopped doing my regular exercises because I have to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles to get my shoulder back into proper position so I can do other exercises without so much pain. Yeah, getting old sucks. But it beats the alternative.

 

[Op2]

This has been a rickety kind of year for me. As I inch ever closer to 50, my knee started hurting, my ankle started hurting, my arm started hurting, I got reading glasses, and I noticed my beard suddenly went from about 3 gray hairs to around 50% of them. Last week I had a sleep test to officially determine I have sleep apnea and will need a cpap machine. This weekend my back started acting up again, and on Saturday night I had ringing in my right ear. When I woke up Sunday morning I couldn't hear a thing out of it - nothing, nada, zilch. With apologies to those with long term hearing loss, it is very disorienting to suddenly go from full stereo to directional mono hearing - cars sneaking up on you, picking out words, etc. I've watched my grandmother and my father both lose almost all of their hearing in their late 70's so I've got a pretty good idea its heading my way at some point.

So, time to take care of the ear: regular doctor office was obviously closed, so I went to one of those emergency offices where they were pretty much dumbfounded. Ear drum was ok, no blockage, fluid buildup, pressure, pain, etc. They told me to give the ear nose specialist office a call on Tuesday, and in the meantime prescribed a corticosteroid regimen. Good news, while it has yet to help my hearing, the rest of me is feeling a whole lot better. My wife even gets to see what I was like when I was 16. Lucky her.

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I was getting ready for you to say you couldn't get disability because the government said the plate in your head wasn't big enough a la Clark Griswald's cousin in "Vacation."

 

[Obliviax]

 

[delcoLion]

This has been a rickety kind of year for me. As I inch ever closer to 50, my knee started hurting, my ankle started hurting, my arm started hurting, I got reading glasses, and I noticed my beard suddenly went from about 3 gray hairs to around 50% of them. Last week I had a sleep test to officially determine I have sleep apnea and will need a cpap machine. This weekend my back started acting up again, and on Saturday night I had ringing in my right ear. When I woke up Sunday morning I couldn't hear a thing out of it - nothing, nada, zilch. With apologies to those with long term hearing loss, it is very disorienting to suddenly go from full stereo to directional mono hearing - cars sneaking up on you, picking out words, etc. I've watched my grandmother and my father both lose almost all of their hearing in their late 70's so I've got a pretty good idea its heading my way at some point.

So, time to take care of the ear: regular doctor office was obviously closed, so I went to one of those emergency offices where they were pretty much dumbfounded. Ear drum was ok, no blockage, fluid buildup, pressure, pain, etc. They told me to give the ear nose specialist office a call on Tuesday, and in the meantime prescribed a corticosteroid regimen. Good news, while it has yet to help my hearing, the rest of me is feeling a whole lot better. My wife even gets to see what I was like when I was 16. Lucky her.

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50!?! Just a kid. And it ain’t gettin’ better.

 

[psuro]

Your warranty ran out.

 

[phillybillyreprise]

At the age of 34, I developed idiopathic cardio myopathy. Only idiots get it and my friends can't believe I didn’t have a more severe case. After 30 days hospitalization. I was allowed to go home. I watch what I eat and get exercise. I have a fib and have been through electrical cardioversion several times. I haven’t had a cigarette or alcoholic drink in 37 years. During that time, I’ve seen my son start school, graduate college, get married and become a father. I became primary care giver to my two grandchildren on Wednesdays and Fridays until they started school. I’ve been to Europe 6 times. I’ve been to Alaska and have traveled to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon. I’ve been to the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Alamo Bowl, Citrus Bowl, Outback Bowl, and Orange Bowl. I saw Grant Haley return a blocked kick for a touchdown to beaT Ohio State. And so much more.
Yes, there are aches and pains, but that’s part of journey. I decided 37 years ago I like living.

 

[Mixolydian]

Reminds me of my last rectal exam which seemed more uncomfortable and was taking longer than normal. Then I noticed there was a hand on both of my shoulders....

 

[Obliviax]

Reminds me of my last rectal exam which seemed more uncomfortable and was taking longer than normal. Then I noticed there was a hand on both of my shoulders....

LOL..the last one I had was referred out from my female GP to a specialist. The Dr. comes out to give me the exam and he looks like the actor Brad Garrett. Dude is like six foot six and has hands like Michael Jordan. He has a cartoon on the wall with a doctor looking at his assistant with a can of beer in his hand and the caption reads (dr to the assistant): "I asked for a Butt Light, not a Bud Lite".

 

[psuro]

This is the cranky old man with medical issues thread.

All others- get off my lawn.

 

[Obliviax]

This is the cranky old man with medical issues thread.

All others- get off my lawn.

I thought it was a "therapy" and way to release toxic masculinity thread.

 

[91Joe95]

This is the cranky old man with medical issues thread.

All others- get off my lawn.

I'm not cranky, but I think my wife is.

 

[Bob78]

This has been a rickety kind of year for me. As I inch ever closer to 50, my knee started hurting, my ankle started hurting, my arm started hurting, I got reading glasses, and I noticed my beard suddenly went from about 3 gray hairs to around 50% of them. Last week I had a sleep test to officially determine I have sleep apnea and will need a cpap machine. This weekend my back started acting up again, and on Saturday night I had ringing in my right ear. When I woke up Sunday morning I couldn't hear a thing out of it - nothing, nada, zilch. With apologies to those with long term hearing loss, it is very disorienting to suddenly go from full stereo to directional mono hearing - cars sneaking up on you, picking out words, etc. I've watched my grandmother and my father both lose almost all of their hearing in their late 70's so I've got a pretty good idea its heading my way at some point.

So, time to take care of the ear: regular doctor office was obviously closed, so I went to one of those emergency offices where they were pretty much dumbfounded. Ear drum was ok, no blockage, fluid buildup, pressure, pain, etc. They told me to give the ear nose specialist office a call on Tuesday, and in the meantime prescribed a corticosteroid regimen. Good news, while it has yet to help my hearing, the rest of me is feeling a whole lot better. My wife even gets to see what I was like when I was 16. Lucky her.

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Mr. Fader, you sound like a real attractive guy.

 

[Bob78]

Reminds me of my last rectal exam which seemed more uncomfortable and was taking longer than normal. Then I noticed there was a hand on both of my shoulders....

And, as Rodney Dangerfield used to say, "Hey, Doc. Can ya use two fingers? I want to get a second opinion."

 

[lockhavenlion3]

55 was the beginning of the end for me. I fixed it by drinking more.

made it to 70 before the wheels started coming off. sure wasn't due to good living, that's for sure. more aches, pains & general deterioration in the last 5 years than the first 70

 

[Zenophile]

This has been a rickety kind of year for me. As I inch ever closer to 50, my knee started hurting, my ankle started hurting, my arm started hurting, I got reading glasses, and I noticed my beard suddenly went from about 3 gray hairs to around 50% of them. Last week I had a sleep test to officially determine I have sleep apnea and will need a cpap machine. This weekend my back started acting up again, and on Saturday night I had ringing in my right ear.

UPDATE: Though @Bob78 has indeed (*handily*) beaten me to this punch, I've no intention of pulling it.

 

[Zenophile]

Mr. Fader, you sound like a real attractive guy.

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He belongs in New Jersey.

 

[BudatPSU]

Yeah, in my 70's and I am surprised every morning when I wake up, then I get perturbed when I realize I have to pay taxes for another day.

 

[Bob78]

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UPDATE: Though @Bob78 has indeed (*handily*) beaten me to this punch, I've no intention of pulling it.

It is too good to not post early and often.

 

[Bob78]

made it to 70 before the wheels started coming off. sure wasn't due to good living, that's for sure. more aches, pains & general deterioration in the last 5 years than the first 70

Physically at 70 maybe.
Knowing you for about 35 years now, I'd say generations of bats have roosted in your belfry .... before down-sizing to mine in their later years.

 

[LemonEars]

This has been a rickety kind of year for me. As I inch ever closer to 50, my knee started hurting, my ankle started hurting, my arm started hurting, I got reading glasses, and I noticed my beard suddenly went from about 3 gray hairs to around 50% of them. Last week I had a sleep test to officially determine I have sleep apnea and will need a cpap machine. This weekend my back started acting up again, and on Saturday night I had ringing in my right ear. When I woke up Sunday morning I couldn't hear a thing out of it - nothing, nada, zilch. With apologies to those with long term hearing loss, it is very disorienting to suddenly go from full stereo to directional mono hearing - cars sneaking up on you, picking out words, etc. I've watched my grandmother and my father both lose almost all of their hearing in their late 70's so I've got a pretty good idea its heading my way at some point.

So, time to take care of the ear: regular doctor office was obviously closed, so I went to one of those emergency offices where they were pretty much dumbfounded. Ear drum was ok, no blockage, fluid buildup, pressure, pain, etc. They told me to give the ear nose specialist office a call on Tuesday, and in the meantime prescribed a corticosteroid regimen. Good news, while it has yet to help my hearing, the rest of me is feeling a whole lot better. My wife even gets to see what I was like when I was 16. Lucky her.

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I recently turned 70 and found out that my dad was right: Once you reach your late 60s you live every day in constant pain. The pain varies from place to place and the intensity varies but you are never pain free as you age. Getting older is not for sissies!

I had tinnitus like you when I was 54. I also had hearing loss in one ear. I found out the cause was a brain tumor (acoustic neuroma) which I had treated with radiation. Not a real big deal. Make sure you discuss that possibility with your ENT doc.

 

[GulfCoastLion]

And, as Rodney Dangerfield used to say, "Hey, Doc. Can ya use two fingers? I want to get a second opinion."

Ah, the good doctor, Dr. Vinny Boombatz !

 

[wbcincy]

Apparently I'm going to start young. I'm still only 36, but today woke up and have a lower back pain so awful I had to work from home. Right where the lower back and pelvis meet. Lifting my left leg is excruciating, standing perfectly upright the same, and I'm walking like i'm 95. I did a lot of yard work this weekend, but did not have a specific moment of injury. I'm not even old yet, but this sucks.

 

[Obliviax]

Apparently I'm going to start young. I'm still only 36, but today woke up and have a lower back pain so awful I had to work from home. Right where the lower back and pelvis meet. Lifting my left leg is excruciating, standing perfectly upright the same, and I'm walking like i'm 95. I did a lot of yard work this weekend, but did not have a specific moment of injury. I'm not even old yet, but this sucks.

take a Tylenol and a jacuzzi bath..will do wonders

 

[psuro]

Apparently I'm going to start young. I'm still only 36, but today woke up and have a lower back pain so awful I had to work from home. Right where the lower back and pelvis meet. Lifting my left leg is excruciating, standing perfectly upright the same, and I'm walking like i'm 95. I did a lot of yard work this weekend, but did not have a specific moment of injury. I'm not even old yet, but this sucks.

You can stay on my lawn.

 

[The Song Remains the Same]

Reminds me of my last rectal exam which seemed more uncomfortable and was taking longer than normal. Then I noticed there was a hand on both of my shoulders....

 

[Bob78]

Apparently I'm going to start young. I'm still only 36, but today woke up and have a lower back pain so awful I had to work from home. Right where the lower back and pelvis meet. Lifting my left leg is excruciating, standing perfectly upright the same, and I'm walking like i'm 95. I did a lot of yard work this weekend, but did not have a specific moment of injury. I'm not even old yet, but this sucks.

I believe in the power of extra-strength Tylenol for those "where did that come from?!" pains that ambush me when I'm putting on a sock or reaching for my phone or performing some other super-powers-required feat like that.

 

[odshowtime]

I did too many dabs this weekend and now it hurts when I cough.

 

[flash86]

Nothing fixes the shoulder like well prescribed/ well performed kettlebell exercises. See someone who really knows what they’re doing and they’ll get you tuned up!

I'll turn 53 in June. Proper diet and exercise are essential. But that still hasn't stopped all of the aches and pains. I have weak rotator cuff muscles now caused by computer and smart phone use and not enough proper exercise over the years. Now the ball of the shoulder isn't centered properly in the socket which causes lots of tendonitis type pain. I've stopped doing my regular exercises because I have to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles to get my shoulder back into proper position so I can do other exercises without so much pain. Yeah, getting old sucks. But it beats the alternative.

 

[Media Fan]

Enjoy the gift of life that all of us have been given.

 

[hagberg]

And, as Rodney Dangerfield used to say, "Hey, Doc. Can ya use two fingers? I want to get a second opinion."

For the 11 years I was in Maryland, I had a female doc. When I signed up with Tricare Prime in the area, I chose her because she had small fingers. I've now moved to southwestern NY state, and only had one doctor within 50 miles who was in network. I signed up sight unseen, only to discover he has hairy sausage fingers (is it bad that I'm more bothered by the hair than the girth?). Fortunately, he doesn't seem any more eager to enter that phase of our relationship than I am.

 

[Nitwit]

“As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can’t remember the other two.” –– Sir Norman Wisdom

 

[Zenophile]

This has been a rickety kind of year for me. As I inch ever closer to 50, my knee started hurting, my ankle started hurting, my arm started hurting, I got reading glasses, and I noticed my beard suddenly went from about 3 gray hairs to around 50% of them. Last week I had a sleep test to officially determine I have sleep apnea and will need a cpap machine. This weekend my back started acting up again, and on Saturday night I had ringing in my right ear. When I woke up Sunday morning I couldn't hear a thing out of it - nothing, nada, zilch. With apologies to those with long term hearing loss, it is very disorienting to suddenly go from full stereo to directional mono hearing - cars sneaking up on you, picking out words, etc. I've watched my grandmother and my father both lose almost all of their hearing in their late 70's so I've got a pretty good idea its heading my way at some point.

So, time to take care of the ear: regular doctor office was obviously closed, so I went to one of those emergency offices where they were pretty much dumbfounded. Ear drum was ok, no blockage, fluid buildup, pressure, pain, etc. They told me to give the ear nose specialist office a call on Tuesday, and in the meantime prescribed a corticosteroid regimen. Good news, while it has yet to help my hearing, the rest of me is feeling a whole lot better. My wife even gets to see what I was like when I was 16. Lucky her.

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Kidding aside, if I could offer any advice it would this: do NOT go gently.

Any update from the ENT?

 

[91Joe95]

Kidding aside, if I could offer any advice it would this: do NOT go gently.

Any update from the ENT?

Yeah, they needed a formal referral from my pcp before they could schedule something, so if I hadn't heard back by Thursday to give them a call again (palms forehead). On Monday I felt a slight draining sensation in my ear and I got about 1/2 of my hearing back for the rest of the night, which was then gone again the next morning, so I'm hoping this isn't too serious of an issue.

 

[91Joe95]

An update:

I went to the ENT yesterday, and they confirmed I do have massive hearing loss in my right ear. They were also able to determine everything in my ear still has a good range of motion, so that's a positive sign. They said getting it treated with steroids right away was the way to go, and is very important to do within that first 72 hours (I love you webmd.com). Also wanted me to stop the oral steroids and switch to steroids injected directly into the ear. So they "numb" the ear, insert a tube, and inject the steroids. Talk about 45 minutes worth of rather strange and uncomfortable sensations. A mild dosage of valium similar to when I had my Lasik surgery would have been helpful. Only 7 more to go over the next month. If it doesn't respond to treatment, then MRI and blood work, but since this is the normal course of treatment, no big harm in holding off on those until the steroid regimen is complete. On the positive side my wife said I didn't seem as cranky today. She still seems the same to me.

 

[MJG-90]

I was reminded again this morning that the only thing made with any sort of "quality" is packaging. Why do they make packaging so difficult for us to open? I'm 53 (in a week), not in bad shape yet regularly have to grab the scissors to open packaging that is supposed to as simple as "pull here".

 

[ouirpsu]

This has been a rickety kind of year for me. As I inch ever closer to 50, my knee started hurting, my ankle started hurting, my arm started hurting, I got reading glasses, and I noticed my beard suddenly went from about 3 gray hairs to around 50% of them. Last week I had a sleep test to officially determine I have sleep apnea and will need a cpap machine. This weekend my back started acting up again, and on Saturday night I had ringing in my right ear. When I woke up Sunday morning I couldn't hear a thing out of it - nothing, nada, zilch. With apologies to those with long term hearing loss, it is very disorienting to suddenly go from full stereo to directional mono hearing - cars sneaking up on you, picking out words, etc. I've watched my grandmother and my father both lose almost all of their hearing in their late 70's so I've got a pretty good idea its heading my way at some point.

So, time to take care of the ear: regular doctor office was obviously closed, so I went to one of those emergency offices where they were pretty much dumbfounded. Ear drum was ok, no blockage, fluid buildup, pressure, pain, etc. They told me to give the ear nose specialist office a call on Tuesday, and in the meantime prescribed a corticosteroid regimen. Good news, while it has yet to help my hearing, the rest of me is feeling a whole lot better. My wife even gets to see what I was like when I was 16. Lucky her.

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[ouirpsu]

Nothing fixes the shoulder like well prescribed/ well performed kettlebell exercises. See someone who really knows what they’re doing and they’ll get you tuned up!

Is that you Izzy Mandelbaum?