Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group
Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.
Sorry I have to bother you guys with all this stuff, but I work with a bunch of 20 somethings, and when I tell them my age related problems, the response is always along the lines of "Shouldn't you expect that, being like 100?"
So, the Army has a bunch of money to burn before the end of the fiscal year, so they are trying to put me on orders for 60 days. However, I needed an eye exam (they require one every 2 years). I have noticed that it is getting harder and harder to read the paper every morning, so I figured I might need a bump up in my reading glasses. Oh NO! My optometrist said "You are now ready for your first pair of ADULT glasses." He was referring to...I think he called them "blended" glasses? Top third for far distance, middle third for computers, bottom for reading the paper. I wore cokebottle glasses for 40 years, but then got the Lasik done in 1995. So NO glasses at all until 2 years ago, when I started using reading glasses...now back to glasses full time. So, Afib at 56, all my top teeth needing crowns at 58, and full time glasses at 58. Golden years my Great Auntie Em's patootie!
I know, it can (and probably WILL) get much worse, but geez, I was figuring all this stuff would start at SEVENTY eight, not FIFTY eight! And on yeah, these wonderful glasses cost $850!!!! Sorry for any typing mistakes..remember, I cannot see the screen!
Old and broken in Severn Maryland
So, the Army has a bunch of money to burn before the end of the fiscal year, so they are trying to put me on orders for 60 days. However, I needed an eye exam (they require one every 2 years). I have noticed that it is getting harder and harder to read the paper every morning, so I figured I might need a bump up in my reading glasses. Oh NO! My optometrist said "You are now ready for your first pair of ADULT glasses." He was referring to...I think he called them "blended" glasses? Top third for far distance, middle third for computers, bottom for reading the paper. I wore cokebottle glasses for 40 years, but then got the Lasik done in 1995. So NO glasses at all until 2 years ago, when I started using reading glasses...now back to glasses full time. So, Afib at 56, all my top teeth needing crowns at 58, and full time glasses at 58. Golden years my Great Auntie Em's patootie!
I know, it can (and probably WILL) get much worse, but geez, I was figuring all this stuff would start at SEVENTY eight, not FIFTY eight! And on yeah, these wonderful glasses cost $850!!!! Sorry for any typing mistakes..remember, I cannot see the screen!
Old and broken in Severn Maryland
Love them!Younger people wear glasses and contacts!
One hundred years - now that is "funny!
You are still YOUNG! Can't wait to see a photo;
Hugs,
Christine
I always thought this was an interesting and sort of hopeful theory.
D.
At any rate, good luck to you! Be sure to take a new profile pic with your new glasses:)
Travis
P.S. I just had an eye appointment myself a couple weeks ago. Like you, I've been wearing coke bottle glasses most of my life as well (but thank god for contacts). I have had a helluva a time reading anything lately so I'm now in the market for my first pair of cheaters so I can sort of relate. Does anything good happen as you age I wonder???
Petey, when I get my glasses maybe I can look and see how old I really look! With my crummy eyesight I sort of thought I was looking like a teenage Tom Selleck (no, NOBODY is THAT blind!)
Seriously, thanks to everyone for the good laugh. I needed it! So, we won't be heading to D.C. tomorrow until AFTER the dentist fixes the broken temp. Unless of course I fall down the stairs! Oh, that shouldn't happen if I take Petey's advice about that awesome cane!
58 going on 98 (no insult intended to any 98 year olds out there!)
So what if you're missing a tooth or two..
And you say you can't see, and you now need a cane....
I noticed you had nothing to say about your little ole brain.
All that doesn't matter, it doesn't matter at all....
Cuz you give us all laughter, just ask your friend Paul!
Yogacat: I love your poem!
heartfelt comment!
Soo funny.
58 is still young in my opinion being 10 years older.. but like
a building there is always ongoing maintenance .. think of
a 58 year old building ... it needs a new roof, new furnace,
painting, water heater etc etc.
So we just keep on patching and live our lives.
Be well and keep your great sense of humor!!!!!
Marilyn
Let's see, ... oh wait, I have trouble doing that. I can no longer get blended lenses and I was told I'm not a candidate for lasik. Well, at least I can run... despite the sciatica, arthritis, knee problems, low back, mid-back and shoulder problems as well as the exercise induced asthma and afib. Write it all down and it looks like I should be watching, not doing. But I'm not. I still compete in running events. I have a good world ranking in the 60-64 age group for the 50K on a certified course (15th). Being alive and still running gives me an advantage over a lot of others.
I'm retired. I'm traveling to places I never imagined I could go (the Alps and Switzerland last year and Machu Picchu in Peru this year) I spend time with people I like and not people I have to be around (like I did when I was working). I have plenty of time to work at the things I like doing and avoid the things that I truly dislike. I'm not rich by today's standards but 200 years ago, retirement was only available to the extremely wealthy. So by historical standards, I'm rich. Never earned a lot of money but I saved enough of what I earned. I'm still alive despite a couple of scares including pleurisy and pulmonary embolisms (afib so far has just been a nuisance). Can't get much luckier than that. These truly are the Golden Years.
I have to squint even with my glasses to type and proof this and there's still probably some mistakes. I'm worn but not that old (64) and patched but not broken in California.
:-)
Todd
1. Its no wonder that the 20 somethings think you are old; you wear READING GLASSES! Nobody looks young in reading glasses, have you ever seen a 20 year old wearing them? No? No! You are going to look sophisticated, yes probably even SMART in big-people glasses! You will have people giving you a polite nod and a timid sir when they walk by you, thinking you are some big shot. Enjoy it (and this allure will ONLY cost you $850!).
2. Your new teeth will not only be nice and white (dont have to use that special whitening toothpaste anymore) BUT you will be able to eat meat (or raw carrots) if you want again!
3. If you decide to go for that cane that Petey suggested, you will not only be able to walk without falling down (which is ALWAYS nice, I know I enjoy doing that ;-)) BUT you will be able to use it as a dancing stick when you shimmy off a stage OR you can use it as an extended arm when pointing at something. Lots of fun!
4. A-fib? Ehm, we all know the silver lining of a-fib. It brought us here. Without it none of us would be here! You meet and can hang out with neat people AND learn new words (I had to look up patootie, now I will try and weave it nonchalantly into conversations so people will know just how educated I am!)
See what I mean? ONLY positive, only positive!
Take care,
atp :)