I'm the same age as you Mark. My problem though is extreme fatigue. Each morning its a struggle just to breathe. I'm presently undergoing radiation treatment for my NSCLC (non small cell lung cancer). I've had seven treatments out of fifteen so far. After that its back to the Keytruda immunotherapy. This morning was especially difficult, took me over an hour to get my breathing under control. My doctor was not satisfied with a maintenance dose of prednizone, 10 mg per day, saying it wasn't enough and that it was causing the breathing issues. He upped it to 30 mg per day. Hopefully it will avoid another hospital stay. Since Jan. 1 I've been there four times. Take care of yourself cap'n.  

First thing you NEED to do is stop operating 'machinery'.  If you have to mow grass change to synthetic...

I just got my hands on a 10" Bosch Angle Grinder [From Terry's dad's estate] but at 64 I'll be just hanging it on the wall to look at.  They're about the deadliest tool you can handle.....

Hmmmm, seems not too many are interested in how my luck turned uglier just recently.... falling over 7 times now in recent weeks, putting a large dent in my head.  Lukily, after explaining my predicament and turning on the waterworks [which I thought was a nice touch] the bloke isnt suing me for the dent in his car and will blame his wife instead. 

Yup, I thought the tears would help.

Thing is, I'm not too happy with Jafo, telling me not to operate machinery.   I mean, how the fech am I gonna get my blow-up doll inflated without the motorised inflation device [eg: machinery] without it?  Like at 66 I'm gonna blow the bitch up myself?

However, there are other advantages.  Now I can just sit at the table and wait to be served on 'roast' day.... cos I'm not allowed to use the 'lectric knife to carve the meat.  And that fechen vacuum cleaner.... it IS machinery, right?

There is one part of this falling over that concerns me if the woman next door happened to be nearby.... she'd have my pants down around my ankles and be under me before I hit the ground.

I dunno, I'm either a stud or she's desperate.  

Quoting Uvah,

reply 6

At least your sense of humor hasn't been damaged. You're still ornery as hell.   

Life would be completely miserable with humour, a joke or three to brighten up the day

Speaking of impairments n' such, I paid a visit to tha Twistid Sister to see how tha crew were doing in my absence.  The first night were orright and us 'ad a few rums as nightcaps.

Well it were tha next morn when it all went guts up.  Normally, bein' as I don't see so well out o' me right eye, that's whar I puts me patch  Not this day tho..... silly bugger, goes n' puts it o'er me left eye afore doin' me inspection.  Big mistake!!!!!

I puts me 'ands out in front of I so's not ta bump inta anyfing, an' shure enuff, I did.  Bumped inta tha Missun, didn' I.

No, No, not tha mizzen mast, tha Bosun's tha Missus.  Well that be wot that crew calls 'er.

Now cos I 'ad me 'ands out in front of I tha collision weren't too bad, bur her still turned around n' abused I anyhow.  Her Reckoned: "Ye done it on purpose so's ye could fondle 'me tits." she did.

I did no such thing an' I told her: " If'n I wanted ta fondle yer tits I'd 'ave lifted yer top t' make shure they wos yours, bein' I can 'ardly see n' all."

She ne'er said anuvver word after I set them cats among tha pigeons.

On another note, I had a much better day today.  I managed to pack 17 crates of stuff we won't need until we move.  I'm feeling it a bit now but I am pleased with my efforts, the fact that I had no mishaps.

Hopefully tomorrow is as good.

 I am trying, though the strong bit can let me down at times.  I have plenty of strength in my arms, it's just my legs where it seems the muscles are withering some.  I bought myself a portable exercise bike to help with my legs, but it is also useful to give my arms a workout as well.

Thing is today, I got plenty of execise and muscle workout while packing and moving heavish crates around, and I've plenty more to do so I won't be slacking off anytime soon.  Hopefully as I rebuild my strength I can get back to walking a lot more.... perhaps even some swimming if they let persons my size in the pool.  It's just that last time I dove in and half emptied to pool of its water.

Hmmm, there was no deep or shallow end until the admins effected a ban on me that ensured the pool water didn't again end up inundating all the cars in the pool carpark.  Poor supermarket nearby cleaners didn't take it so well, though.  The chlorine and other chemicals put them out of work for a couple of weeks cos I made the establishment in question spotless.

The funniest part was the cop on points duty cos the traffic lights were out.  He got washed down the street on his ass by the torrent, with legs flailing in the air and his frantic blowing of his whistle.... like blowing that was going to stop his 20 knots travel down the main thoroughfare on his derrierre.

As for people losing interest and patience, it has got to the point where the forums are almost dead, where if it were not for a handful of contributors,  nothing new would ever happen.  There's still a few members seeking help with various issues, but even then the replies/offers of assistance have dwindled considerably from a couple of years ago.

I try to keep the forums alive with new posts and a bit of fun, but lately I feel like I'm in a losing battle because there are so few responders.

Sadly, the good old days ARE DEAD.... and the new days will be short lived because contributions are dwindling and nobody ['cept me and a few others] give a fech.

That woman, the one next door, the one who'd have my pants down around my ankles and be underneath me before I hit the ground, well she got her wicked way.  Got me as I fell down in the bike lane just before crossing the road the road.

I queried: "Are we having safe sex?"

"Safe sex, whaddya mean?   Of course we're having safe sex, she said: ".... like how far off the road d'ya wanna be.

Then there was the woman who propositioned me.  When I'd gotten all naked she stuck this paper bag over my head.

"Oi;" I snorted, that's a bit rude."

"Oh, don't worry,' she replied: "I'm putting one on as well."

"Well that's okay, then."

"In case yours blows off."

Quite correct, I did another typo and failed to pick it up.  Thing is, it is likely to be an ongoing issue with the vertigo, diabetes and other ailments I'm having to deal with.

I had another fall today, not that I hurt myself, but it took me a good fifteen minutes or so before I could regain my feet.  My balance is not good at all, then my legs are getting weaker as the days pass, with my knees struggling to bear my weight, which wasn't the case 4 - 5 months ago.  Hopefully some medical advice can help me get back to being fitter and more mobile again.

Serious. If you have a cell phone, have it with you 100% of the time. You fall and can't get up  or pass out for a few hours you can at least call 911 or a friend for help.

Thanks for your concern, 'tis much appreciated.  Thing is, Paul, I can walk okay and rarely fall while just walking. My knees hurt a lot and sometimes threaten to give way/lock up, but that's not necessarily the cause of these recent falls

The times I mostly fall are when I'm rising from the ground after kneeling.  My knees and leg muscles just don't have the strength anymore, so sometimes when I'm rising, one leg or the other just refuses to co-operate and down I go.  That's what happened yesterday.  I was on my knees and had just finished packing some stuff for our move back to Tassie.   I was almost back on my feet when my right leg just felt like it wasn't there and gave way.... next thing I'm on the ground and nobody was around to render assistance.  Steve was out walking the dogs and Shaunna was in the shower.

The other times I fall is due to a lack of balance due to vertigo and diabetes, the feeling of being a bit lopsided due to my right leg being 50cm shorter than the left.  None of that helps, either.

Thanks for your concern as well, Dave, I appreciate it a lot.  Normally I do have someone around who can help, it was just unfortunate that I fell when they were otherwise occupied.  And if necessary, I'll do as Jafo said, ring 000, that's our emergency No. here in Oz.

Before posting my reply I sat here and had a think about a few things.... like getting 'that' chair.  Perhaps I'm just a stubborn old bastard who doesn't like to feel defeated, and that's why I've always opted to manage on my own two feet, but maybe the time has come to reconsider and speak with a health professional about manual aids to help me manage better.

I already buggered up one hip when I had the motorcycle accident 38 years ago, along with my pelvis, lower back and neck.  So it's no wonder that I am having arthritic issues later in life, though it has been in the family on my mother's side for a few generations now.  What annoys me is that my mother and grandmother were both in their early 60's when they had orthopaedic surgery to correct the issues, my sister, who is three years younger than me has already had both hips and a knee replaced, yet at my last assessment I was more-or-less told that still I'm too young would be waiting until 70 - 75 before they'd even consider surgery for me.  That makes me mad because my niece, who just turned 41, is listed for a hip replacement in December.

Anyway, enough of that, it just infuriates me to think that my needs and pain are more acute than Renea's , yet I'm pushed to the back of the queue again and again.  At 58 I was told that it was necessary but that I was too young for hip replacement surgery, that I would have to wait until I was 65.  So now I'm 66.... and still too young?

So onto brighter and better things.  First thing, no falls today.  I ache like all buggery all over after packing 4 more boxes but I feel pleased with my effort.  I'll have a nice warm shower and some Deep Heat rubbed in and I'll be fine.

As for the manual aids to help me manage life better, a wheelchair is an important consideration, along with aids to help me in the bathroom and toilet.... getting in and out/up and down can sometimes be painful plus difficult.

Yeah, I'll be seeing my doctor soon.  I'm sure she will implement the best plan for me to get all the help I need.  I do believe hydrotherapy would be of immense help, so that's one avenue we will discuss.

Anyhow, I'm aching like buggery all over today so I'll be taking it easy... like no packing or lifting/moving stuff around.  We still have a couple of months before we move back to Tassie, so it's not like I need to hurry.  I've already packed close to 40 boxes over the last few weeks, so most of it's already done.  All that's left are a few nick-nacks and stuff we're still using, but I'll whittle that down until there's nothing else to do by the time the removalists get here.  Yup, being prepared is better than leaving it all for a mad rush at the end.

So why am I doing all the packing when I've had these physical issues?  Well it's what I used to do for a living when I was a removalist, so I'm good at it and would use less boxes than Steve or Shaunna, thus helping to keep the price down.  I would have rented a truck, got a mate to drive and done the removal myself, but truly I'm past loading and unloading trucks nowadays, so a removalist it is.  It'll cost more than doing it myself, but I'm happy to pay the extra to save the wear and tear on these 'ere old bones n' muscles.  Besides, it makes more sense than trying to do it myself and breaking down part way through.

Just when I think things are getting better, the bloke next door, easily 20 years my junior and in much better health, decided to come over and pick a fight with me because Buddy was barking at our postie.  I tried to settle things down but he just kept getting more irate and unreasonable, like he had come here for a fist fight and not much else.  He knows that I have been having issues with balance and falling over, yet he continued to provoke the situation towards violence.

I said to him: "So what's a fist fight going to prove? You know my health isn't good and the outcome is a foregone conclusion.  Or is it?  You would have to throw the first punch.... then it's assault even if I end up punching the shit out of you.  See, you don't know me or what I know.... what I can do or what I'm capable of."

I think that's what settled him down, the thought of me having him charged with assault and getting the police involved.... the thought of me potentially belting crap out of him.... which isn't entirely beyond the realms of possibility.  The thing is, I'd rather avoid violence and resolve things peacefully.

According to his neighbour on the other side, however, his name isn't Tony [the name he uses here] and that he's been in hiding for years because he's wanted by the British authorities for a string of crimes in the UK, so I can imagine why he has been keeping a low profile, not that coming here and provoking me the way he did is exactly keeping a low profile.

Anyhow, I'm going for a bit of a lay down as I'm feeling rather unwell at the moment, be back another time.