what did you do today? (2008-2015) (closed)

[MichaelB]

Having some new windows installed. They're behind schedule, one window had a fair amount of rotted wood around the frame and I wouldn't let them continue until it was (mostly) fixed.

The last - and largest - window is going in right now. The business owner and a Pella rep were outside, huddled with the installer team. I went out to investigate. Turns out the window is 1/2 inch too big due to a design change Pella made.

[braumeister]

An extraordinarily shocking and depressing morning.

All my life I've been a runner, skier, hiker, etc.
Nowhere near what you would call an athlete, but fairly athletic in general terms.

Until this past winter when I torqued my knee skiing and had to lay off my regular running for a couple of months.

Then about three months ago I suddenly developed an occasional very sharp intense pain in my right leg, in the groin area while hiking in Europe. That has kept me out of action for the last few months.

My family doc sent me to a very good specialist who did an MRI last week, and gave me the report this morning.

Among other things, "moderate to severe osteoarthritis" throughout both hips, and a chronic labral tear.

So it seems my athletic days are over, just like that. Getting old is bad enough, but having it happen so suddenly is a severe shock to the system!

I'm not seriously complaining, and I certainly won't let it get me down (after today's pity party), just putting my experience out as a data point to others. You might want to keep it in mind that as you age, it's probably wise to start taking things easy, even when you don't actually feel the need to.

[BBQ-Nut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister An extraordinarily shocking and depressing morning. All my life I've been a runner, skier, hiker, etc. Nowhere near what you would call an athlete, but fairly athletic in general terms. Until this past winter when I torqued my knee skiing and had to lay off my regular running for a couple of months. Then about three months ago I suddenly developed an occasional very sharp intense pain in my right leg, in the groin area while hiking in Europe. That has kept me out of action for the last few months. My family doc sent me to a very good specialist who did an MRI last week, and gave me the report this morning. Among other things, "moderate to severe osteoarthritis" throughout both hips, and a chronic labral tear. So it seems my athletic days are over, just like that. Getting old is bad enough, but having it happen so suddenly is a severe shock to the system! I'm not seriously complaining, and I certainly won't let it get me down (after today's pity party), just putting my experience out as a data point to others. You might want to keep it in mind that as you age, it's probably wise to start taking things easy, even when you don't actually feel the need to.

Sorry to hear about your situation. Are there other activities you can take up that won't cause pain or aggravation?

[Ronstar]

Hang in there Braumeister! You can still be an athlete (by my terms). Just choose easier battles. Shorter hikes with minimal elevation change. Take up bicycling. You'll find ways to keep fit, and maybe satisfy some of the athletic challenges you've always had. I've been a runner, skier and hiker all of my life also. But last year I quit running and now ride my bike almost daily. I've toned down my hikes also. Easy transitions into our elder years.

[splitwdw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister .......My family doc sent me to a very good specialist who did an MRI last week, and gave me the report this morning. Among other things, "moderate to severe osteoarthritis" throughout both hips, and a chronic labral tear. So it seems my athletic days are over, just like that. Getting old is bad enough, but having it happen so suddenly is a severe shock to the system! I'm not seriously complaining, and I certainly won't let it get me down (after today's pity party), just putting my experience out as a data point to others. You might want to keep it in mind that as you age, it's probably wise to start taking things easy, even when you don't actually feel the need to.

What are they/you going to do, surgery or physical therapy? My aunt had arthroscopic hip surgery to repair the tear. She's back to hiking but can't go back to skiing.

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister An extraordinarily shocking and depressing morning. ... My family doc sent me to a very good specialist who did an MRI last week, and gave me the report this morning. Among other things, "moderate to severe osteoarthritis" throughout both hips, and a chronic labral tear. So it seems my athletic days are over, just like that. Getting old is bad enough, but having it happen so suddenly is a severe shock to the system! ...

Well, when we get old, things start to happen.

At least this is not a life-threatening disease. Many have it worse. That would be a real shock.

[Walt34]

Went to the big box hardware store and got some grass seed and fertilizer then up the road to the gym. Two minutes on the treadmill and my heart goes into afib. Dang! The heart rate indicator went from 90 bpm to 160+, which is probably not accurate because those indicators aren't the most accurate to start with and it was getting irregular signals.

So I walked over to the cardiac rehab place and ask a nurse to check - pulse by then is 72 and irregular, and I can feel that too. While I didn't ask, I figured that doing a hard physical workout while my heart is in afib is probably not a good idea so I went home. On the way back it reverted back to normal sinus rhythm.

Later spread some weed killer that DW's been nagging urging me to put down, ate a salad for lunch and lay down reading a book for a while.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister Among other things, "moderate to severe osteoarthritis" throughout both hips, and a chronic labral tear. So it seems my athletic days are over, just like that. Getting old is bad enough, but having it happen so suddenly is a severe shock to the system! I'm not seriously complaining, and I certainly won't let it get me down (after today's pity party), just putting my experience out as a data point to others. You might want to keep it in mind that as you age, it's probably wise to start taking things easy, even when you don't actually feel the need to.

braumeister, I can imagine that you must feel stunned to get such a sudden and unexpected diagnosis. I don't see your post as a pity party. There have been several excellent responses to your post, but I especially like Ronstar's:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronstar Hang in there Braumeister! You can still be an athlete (by my terms). Just choose easier battles. Shorter hikes with minimal elevation change. Take up bicycling. You'll find ways to keep fit, and maybe satisfy some of the athletic challenges you've always had. I've been a runner, skier and hiker all of my life also. But last year I quit running and now ride my bike almost daily. I've toned down my hikes also. Easy transitions into our elder years.

Osteoarthritis doesn't have to be the end of the world. In fact, the most athletic woman at my gym is 78 years old and has unusually severe osteoarthritis. She rides the elliptical crosstrainer very intensely for 45-75 minutes every single day, and she does it to help her arthritis because she says the movement lowers her level of pain. She also lifts weights. These particular activities may not be "your thing", exactly, but I am telling you about this to encourage you and suggest that this may not be an end to your physical activity after all.

Still, it's a shock to get a diagnosis like that, I know. My sympathies! You have a tough road ahead but you are not a quitter AFAIK.

[Sea Kayaker]

Perfect ER day. Up early, but not excessively so. Made some coffee and enjoyed today's market action considerably - especially admiring (so far so good) my big CVX purchase a few months back. Went to gym, 30 minutes on the stationary bike and 400 calories burned, then an hour of weight training. Because of some elbow tendonitis that has flared up in the past few weeks I went a bit lighter (5 or 10 pounds less per exercise) and actually as I type this later in the evening there is very little pain. Went shopping for nephews birthday - I probably had my greatest one day "on paper" gains in the market today so...to put it bluntly, I felt like spoiling the kid. Made DW and I a HUGE batch of chilli in the slow cooker - a tad too spicy for her, perfect for me. Now for some Monday Night football - and NO thoughts about work tomorrow. Or EVER. Life is good.

[Moemg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister So it seems my athletic days are over, just like that. Getting old is bad enough, but having it happen so suddenly is a severe shock to the system!

The good news is this will not hurt your beer tasting gig !

[ElizabethT]

Yet another training hike, again with heavy backpacks. I will freely admit it was less than high-ho fun. My shoulders ached something awful. The good news is I only intend to carry 33 lbs on our upcoming Grand Canyon backpack, 5 less than I carried today, so I think we are as ready as we will ever be.

Attended two college lectures in the afternoon, then returned home to enjoy an amazing dish I made over the weekend - risotto with sauteed mushrooms and roasted butternut squash. Spent the remainder of evening reading.

Pretty much a perfect day start to finish. Made me very, very thankful that I determine the fabric of my day now. We try hard to not waste a single moment.

[Dash man]

Today I did a quarterly review of our financial assets and expenses for the first three quarters of the year. It's amazing how with all the market turmoil that our assets have grown nearly 20%.
We have a mix of funds and individuals stocks, and the individual,stocks have pulled through for,us this time. The bad news is we now need to worry about the possibility of paying estate taxes. We need to spend more or find a good cause to donate to. There are worse problems or have.


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[daylatedollarshort]

We came back from Lake Tahoe. We had dinner with friends, took in a show and a boat cruise around the lake. It is such a pretty place every time we go there we always wonder why we don't go more often.

[MBAustin]

Heading home after a great trip back east. 40th high school reunion in western MD, NASCAR race at Dover, nice visit with sister near Philly, and best crabcake in the world for lunch at G&M Restaurant near BWI. ImageUploadedByEarly Retirement Forum1444149874.927733.jpg

Now if I could just make some of the rain and cool temps follow my plane home...


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[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBAustin Heading home after a great trip back east. 40th high school reunion in western MD, NASCAR race at Dover, nice visit with sister near Philly, and best crabcake in the world for lunch at G&M Restaurant near BWI. Attachment 22385 Now if I could just make some of the rain and cool temps follow my plane home... Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

Great that the trip was well worth it. Boy do I miss those crab cakes and soft shell crab sandwiches.

[NW-Bound]

I have been to the Chesapeake Bay area quite a few times, and have had my share of blue crabs. But I have never hit the soft-shell crab season. Something to keep in mind to plan my RV trip there next time.

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBAustin Heading home after a great trip back east. 40th high school reunion in western MD, NASCAR race at Dover, nice visit with sister near Philly, and best crabcake in the world for lunch at G&M Restaurant near BWI. .....

DW and I got stranded for an overnight at BWI one time and discovered G&M (recommended by our hotel). I loved it... talk about crab-cake heaven!

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronstar Hang in there Braumeister! You can still be an athlete (by my terms). Just choose easier battles. Shorter hikes with minimal elevation change. Take up bicycling. You'll find ways to keep fit, and maybe satisfy some of the athletic challenges you've always had. I've been a runner, skier and hiker all of my life also. But last year I quit running and now ride my bike almost daily. I've toned down my hikes also. Easy transitions into our elder years.

+1 Once we retired we started hanging out with people who are generally older than us (mostly through golf and the country club). Most are in their mid to late 60s and recently many are starting to get various ailments (knee, shoulder, a-fib, etc). Scary and makes me glad that I retired early while we can still enjoy being active.

[MichaelB]

Busy day. Met contractor at THD at dawn to buy stuff, slepped it over to my brother's new digs (3rd floor walk-up). Then went to DM's place to pack a box and interview a realtor. Went for coffee (and to calm down), then back to the condo, worked out next phase details with the contractor, then drove home in rush hour traffic.

[splitwdw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB Busy day. Met contractor at THD at dawn to buy stuff, slepped it over to my brother's new digs (3rd floor walk-up). Then went to DM's place to pack a box and interview a realtor. Went for coffee (and to calm down), then back to the condo, worked out next phase details with the contractor, then drove home in rush hour traffic.

Why the need to calm down....realtor??