Aging has caused me to change

[hoc9sw]

There are several posts here I might have added a "like" to, but it would be for the ability to stand up and discuss this thread, not for the things that we are fighting.

I am also failing faster than I would like, after several years fighting a cancer that I will die of, not with.

I've had to give up a number of firearms, mainly those that require a larger grip or solid shoulder, as the arthritis & bone loss driven by my cancer meds make some literally "bone-breakers".

On top of that, my vision is going down hill faster than my eye surgeon can prescribe lens changes. Good thing I originally learned to shoot pistols with a government issue 1911 - wasn't so much aiming as shooting down the back of the slide.

But I'm here today to talk about yesterday, and that has to be a good thing!

 

[H Richard]

Some of the same, I just ordered a 16.5Lb recoil spring for my favorite 1911 as the slide was getting difficult manipulate with the 18 lb spring. I have no problem shooting it with my major loads, and my Gold Cup is set up with a 12 lb spring for target loads. I do exercise my hands, with an"eggcersizer".

 

[pmanton]

I just turned 79. Never in my life did I ever imagine me being married to and kissing a 77 year old Great Grandmother. OMG this getting old business stinks.
Weakness in my left hand makes racking a slide a real challenge.
I guess I'll just have to find a time machine and we'll go back to our teen aged bodies.

 

[BE Mike]

I've found that if I want to keep doing the same things (injury or disease aside) I have to continually train for the physical activity. If I start sitting around and not working on my hand and arm strength, I'll soon lose the ability to do the same things. Where it wasn't so much work to keep up even 20 years ago, now I have to physically train at least twice a week.

 

[CATI1835]

There are several posts here I might have added a "like" to, but it would be for the ability to stand up and discuss this thread, not for the things that we are fighting.

++++This exactly.

My thought in this thread was not "what can I do to put off the inevitable"? We are going to age. Our bodies are going to change. Our abilities will diminish. All the hand exercises and strength devices in the world won't stop the effects of arthritis. Ultimately it is not will it win, but when.

I simply wanted to start a discussion about we adapt to the changes. Denying they are happening and refusing to discuss them changes nothing.

Let me relate a story. For some reason this behavior seems more prevalent in men than women but women exhibit it too. I lost a good friend a few years ago. Lost him to cancer. That in itself is not uncommon. What is sad is what happened before he passed. Most of this was related to me by his wife after the fact.

It seems that he noticed a lump on one of his thighs but did nothing hoping it would go away. After a few weeks, when it did not go away, he mentioned it to his wife. She told him he needed to see his doctor and let him look at it. He said no.

Several months go by and the lump has grown. His wife becomes more insistent he see the doctor. Again, he refuses.

As time goes by, it begins to interfere with his normal activities, sitting is uncomfortable, walking is too. His wife gives him an ultimatum, go on your own or I will somehow force you. He relents and finally goes.

The worst possible news, some rare form of cancer that is difficult to control and metastasizes quickly. He went straight to the hospital. Chemo, radiation, the works. It did not end well. They managed to prolong his life a bit but could not do anything about the cancer.

His oncologist told his wife they probably could have controlled it if they had intervened earlier. The 6 months or more my friend refused to see his doctor probably cost him his life.

Afterward I asked her why he didn't go to the doctor earlier, when he first noticed it. She told me he was afraid the news would be bad and he didn't want to hear it.

My point is this - ignoring something almost never makes things better. Usually they get worse. We are getting older. We can't ignore that. By discussing it, we can see how everyone handles the issues and, quite possibly, make things better for ourselves in the process. Maybe make my life more enjoyable.

 

[Talldog]

At 63 with arthritis in the pinky finger of my shooting hand, one thing that has really helped my is my Prohands Grip Master. I started out with the medium resistance model, but moved up to the heavy resistance some months ago. I've been thinking about maybe moving up to the very heavy resistance, possibly in their tactical model.

 

[Cyrano]

At 83, I have my aches and pains; I can't stand or walk for very long without my back hurting. However I still shoot everythig in my collection, although my shooting skills have deteriorated a lot, msotly from lack of practice. I've lived alone for about 15 years since I lost my wife, so I have to do it or it doesn't get done whateve it may be. My great fear is that sometimeIi'll be unable to drive; when that happens my quality of life will approach zero.

 

[vigil617]

You seem to have 22 semi-autos covered, but in case you're still looking at adding any: the 422, 622, and 2206 guns have slides that are very easy to rack, and the triggers are easy too. Field stripping is a bit of an acquired touch -- not hard, just different -- but all in all, these guns are very user-friendly.

 

[OLDNAVYMCPO]

At 83, I have my aches and pains; I can't stand or walk for very long without my back hurting. However I still shoot everythig in my collection, although my shooting skills have deteriorated a lot, msotly from lack of practice. I've lived alone for about 15 years since I lost my wife, so I have to do it or it doesn't get done whateve it may be. My great fear is that sometimeIi'll be unable to drive; when that happens my quality of life will approach zero.

You have my admiration for being able to hang tough all these years. I sincerely hope you have many more years of shooting ahead of you. If I'm still above the grass when you can no longer drive, I'll take you to the range.

 

[RubenZ]

The Problem with me is not age (I'm 36) but its more my body. Working in the IT field my dominant hand (right) is getting early early signs of carpel tunnel. I just get pain in the wrist, not to mention I develop a liquid CYST in my wrist cartilage that pops when I fire my magnums LOL. Which is nice I guess LOL.

2nd is my eyesight. I was pretty much almost blind with my contacts being in the -9.75+ range so I got LASIK which was a gift from God because it is awesome but I never fully got my eyes able to really focus on the rear sights as good as I used to.

 

[Murphy's Law]

At 71, with having had three back surgeries, and now recent "reverse shoulder replacement" things are still going well. My only complaint is my balance is not what it use to be. Oh ya, muscle pains I view is just a matter that comes with age. Heck, I just got in big trouble with the spouse for getting up on the roof to blow out the gutters (she wasn't home when I did so). Boy did I catch hell for that one. Life is good !

 

[RubenZ]

....... (she wasn't home when I did so). Boy did I catch hell for that one. Life is good !

Thats when I usually have to do the dangerous stuff LOL when the wife aint home.

 

[TTSH]

Sometimes the only thing that keeps me going is the reality that there are folks here older than moi who are still active in the hobby... ... but my ears are really shot and the tinnitus is so loud it is unbearable at times. That is my single biggest limitation by far. Even with the very best plugs and muffs (used together) that money can buy, I still come home from the indoor range at screaming over-the-top tinnitus volume and wonder constantly why the Hell I am still doing it.

Collecting, by itself, is much easier on the ears. But that leaves out over half the fun.

 

[BAM-BAM]

LOL..... or not ........ you guys got me thinking I need to go buy one last bullet.........before I get any older!!!


just funnin....


Remember the story of the old bull and the young bull standing on the hill.... looking out over the herd...........................

The young bull said " lets run down there and _(your word(s) here*)_____________ a cow!"

The old Bull replied........"lets walk down there and ___(your word(s) here*)______________ all of them!!!!"



* my words are "dance with"......................don't know what you were thinking, You dirty old men!!!!!

 

[tops]

My great fear is that sometimeIi'll be unable to drive; when that happens my quality of life will approach zero.

I had a neighbor that had to quit driving his car so he bought a tractor with cab, heater, ac, etc. and had a water proof box about 3 ft. sq., tractor width, mounted on the back.
He lived a couple of miles from his church and grocery store so he used his tractor. It is a rural area and tractors on the road are common. He kept his car and when he wanted to go any distance he would get a neighbor to drive his car. Larry

 

[RubenZ]

I had a neighbor that had to quit driving his car so he bought a tractor with cab, heater, ac, etc. and had a water proof box about 3 ft. sq., tractor width, mounted on the back.
He lived a couple of miles from his church and grocery store so he used his tractor. It is a rural area and tractors on the road are common. He kept his car and when he wanted to go any distance he would get a neighbor to drive his car. Larry

Why was he able to drive a tractor but not a car?

 

[ggibson511960]

Uber/Lyft

For those living in an area where it's available, strongly consider using Uber or its imitators when driving a car becomes an issue. It's half the expense of cabs, safer, cleaner, more convenient, and truth be told cheaper than your vehicle below a break-even mileage if one is honest about the fixed costs of insurance, licensing, taxes, depreciation, and the considerable variable costs of fuel, maintenance, parking, and God forbid, an accident. It's totally safe and kind of fun, not to mention the sensation of affluence at having your own chauffeur. It is a very good bridge to the world of self-driving cars.

 

[KKECK5]

The two things i notice the most as i progress through my 'golden years'... (ya right !!) is....... i have trouble handling the kick of my shield 40 and Ruger 357..Also i can't shot as long as i did in the past due to arm and hand fatigue.. Towards the end of any session it becomes a waste of ammo, which is a sin....

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

The key to successful aging is to enjoy excellent health. I have been very lucky so far-age 67-I think it was all those comics I read as a kid. Developing some sort of super powers. Given a choice. I think invulnerability is as good a choice as any.

 

[Talldog]

The key to successful aging is to enjoy excellent health. I have been very lucky so far-age 67-I think it was all those comics I read as a kid. Developing some sort of super powers. Given a choice. I think invulnerability is as good a choice as any.

Yeah, it's all fun and games until someone pulls out the kryptonite.