Nan, I think you and I are the senior members here, and everything you said is right on. Besides all the particular health issues, I just plain ol' don't feel good. Weak, lifeless, hurt everywhere. My first waking hour is just misery. Until 2010 I got up everyday at 5:30, taught school till 3:30, and did this for 31 years as a quad. I don't think I could do one day now. I used to drive to Cincinnati, Nashville, Louisville with no problem. Now I struggle to drive to the Kroger store. I get tired brushing my teeth! Growing old is not for cowards and wimps, that's for sure.
Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: > Resent-From: quad-list@eskimo.com > From: Ed Tessier <e...@teamjeved.com> > Date: November 3, 2014 at 10:44:42 PM EST > To: Nan <nlg52...@yahoo.com> > Cc: Don Smith <scamper2...@att.net>, greg <g...@eskimo.com>, > "quad-list@eskimo.com" <quad-list@eskimo.com> > Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] I am shriveling up > > I was injured in 1984, age almost 17. I'm 47 now. I think my disability is > harder to manage now, even with all of these years of experience, then it was > 10 or 20 years ago. Back then, I could have a problem, identify a solution, > and move on. Now, it's harder to read what's happening to me physically. > Worse, is that my health is now a moving target. As I age my disability > changes, requiring different equipment, different routines, different > expectations. Staying active and healthy is now, at the least, a part-time > job. > >> On Sun, Nov 2, 2014 at 9:38 AM, Nan <nlg52...@yahoo.com> wrote: >> Just wait until you're in your 60's! >> >> >> Seriously, I hear you Bobbie, Larry, et al. I am 62 and my accident was 46 >> years ago. I used to be able to >> >> do SO much more than I can now. The most debilitating "conditions" >> affecting me now are scoliosis and >> >> edema/lymphedema in my feet. >> >> >> My only advice is to the "younger" (age + years post injury) quads - address >> these kind of problems before they occur. Be hyper vigilant - listen to the >> older quads and try to be proactive. Get a podiatrist if you don't have >> one. Address edema early - use compression stockings and use products that >> will keep your skin supple. Be aware of how you sit ... if you start to >> see curvature of your spine, address it immediately. Don't ignore "little" >> things - often they will only get worse with time. I wish I'd had older >> quads to listen to when I was younger - I always thought I could handle >> anything on my own. I was wrong! >> >> >> Nan >> On Sunday, November 2, 2014 12:33 AM, Don Smith <scamper2...@att.net> wrote: >> >> >> I was injured in 88 and turned 50 this year, I have pretty much the same >> issues as you. Just bcuz we're quads don't exempt us from aging. >> Don in Calif. >> >> >> >> On Saturday, November 1, 2014 5:47 PM, greg <g...@eskimo.com> wrote: >> >> >> I was injured in 1982. I am 50 now. My age is catching up on me pretty fast. >> My feet swell and my toes like to curl up. My nails don't curl, but they are >> very thick. I try spreading my toes out, but they just pop back. I went >> years without lateral supports, so my spine is now curving bit. My eyes are >> getting worse. Things use to pop up often, and I haven't noticed it do that >> for a long time. And now I seem to have grown a 2nd chin/neck. >> Greg >> >> >> >> > I am 42 years post now and and starting to shrivel up. It started >> > with atrophy and my legs are getting very skinny. Then the >> > scoliosis on my back where I lean over toward my left. >> > I went to my podiatrist and he said I have bad foot drop and my >> > toes are curling up on one foot and so are my toenails. >> > It seems like the only place I am not shriveling, or curling, as my >> > quad gut. >> > >> > Are any of the other "older quads" experiencing what I am? Bobbie >> > >> > Smile Everyday >
