My dad lived alone until he was 90. At that age we got him a Medic Alert to wear and he was in much worst shape than you. I live in a retirement community of over 125,000 seniors and 76 is not old here. Lots of guys that age or older living alone. Of course a heart attack or stroke can strike any of us at any time but you cannot go through life worrying about that. My friend had a heart attack while driving. Woke up in a Hospital. Luckily a State Trooper was behind him and got him out through the sun roof and used a Defibrillator on him and saved his life since his heart was not beating. His car had gone off the highway and crashed into a tree. My friend has recovered after a few weeks in intensive care and still drives alone to work and stays home alone. I started worrying about old age and all the things that could happen to me when I moved here and it caused depression and worry. Saw a Psychiatrist since I did not want to live like that. We talked and he put me on medication and it helped me get through my concerns. I am now almost tapered off of my medication and no longer worry about being alone or what can happen to me. I do wear my Apple Watch which can call for help by pressing one of its buttons for a few seconds. It will call 911, my wife, my doctor's office and my cousin who lives nearby. Best part is that is a a cool watch that also allows me to use it as a phone (also good for calling for help), tells me when it will rain and all sorts of other information. You can also just wear a smart phone like the Apple iPhone which you can use voice or phone to call for help. The real worry is becoming unconscious with no one around. That can happen but so can so many other things and you can go crazy worrying about it. Even though I am married I am alone when I drive to meetings or do other things on my own. I just stopped worrying since that does not accomplish much unless you do sometime to eliminate the worry. I use my Apple Watch. All I need to do is press a button and it sends my location to several people and 911.
@Shirley Martin In general, or survived this thread? Yeah, both. My real problems pale into insignificance when I observe those of many others around me. Frank
Update! Last night, cutting up a large, thick piece of beef, well over a pound and over an inch thick, my clumsiness resulted in a squirm of the meat, and I dang near sliced off the tip of my left index finger. Dime-sized slice hanging on out near the nail. Quickly becoming highly-alarmed, I grabbed at the paper-towel roll, dragged some off, by then blood everywhere, some on the cutting board oozed out of the meat, maybe even some of my own there, kept the flap of tissue pressed back in place, thinking "this needs stitches". Then came the fun part, trying to open bandage strips. Teeth, scissors, paring knife, let off pressure to get one or two left hand fingers to help, bleeding resumed heavily. Got the first bandage wrapped around, bleeding quelled. Two more, then adhesive tape to keep them on. Then I realized, boy, does this thing hurt! Irony? Finger taped up, proceded to clip the middle one with that same damned really sharp knife! Not bad, though. Meat turned out great, its own gravy, yellow squash and red onion in the mix, daubed Jewish Rye in the gravy, just like the old days, bandaged up, too! Few days after my wife left (she's due back a week from this coming Sunday), rummaging deep in the fridge, I found a stash of Royal & Jello pudding mixes! Banana sounded good, instant type, throw in milk, mix 2 mnutes, ya got puddin'! Sugar-free and all, loaded with Aspartame. For the hern of it, I checked the "sell-by" date: June, 2004! Asked my wife next day, she thought it OK. It was very tast, cold from the fridge. Did another banana, finished it this morning, took out a vanilla-----oops, cooking required. Had microwave directions, 6 minutes, or until full-boil reached. A first for me & my microwave! Looks pretty good, even burned my tongue, tasting the stuff! I am,..... Glutton
Welcome to the world of those who live alone Frank ...those are the least of the things people face...but I'm pleased you're coping lol.... ...and yes I agree, your work is fabulous..you sound just like my husband, if a job is worth doing it has to be done well, no corner cutting !! BTW '' picayunish ''...never heard it before... looked it up..great word!!
Both Bobby and I have Apple Watches, too, and we also love ours. I can’t imagine how I ever managed before i had it, now that I am used to wearing it. The emergency button is a wonderful feature, for sure, and one of the things that i was really happy about when I first got my watch (gift from my daughter). Hopefully, I never need to use that particular feature, but it gives me immense comfort just knowing that it is there. And If you can’t push that button, you can always get Siri to make the phone call in an emergency. I think that for older people , this is one of the best features that we can have in a device.
About the first part of your story... Be careful with those knives, Frank! Glad it turned out ok, so far anyway. One time I knocked a chunk like that loose from the side of my thumb, using a hammer. No bandaids. When the bleeding slowed down, I put it back in the right place and wrapped a layer of clear thin plastic, like a sandwich bag, tightly around it, and left it that way for a day or two. It worked. The chunk connected back, didn't drop off, doesn't show now. Have you ever tried this liquid superglue type stuff you paint on? That would take two hands also, I think.
I think that I have done that “saran wrap” kind of bandaging before, too. We almost never had regular bandaids, and had to make do. I remember using a paper towel, some kind of plastic wrap over that, and some of that black electrical tape to hold the whole thing in place. It healed just fine that way, just like yours did, @Nancy Hart . PS....... I HATE hammers, the only thing I can readily hit with one IS my thumb or finger !
@Nancy Hart This is not the first time you left me flabbergasted! Your work suggests that which is usually preferred by a male, yet "Nancy" could hardly be male, though I once worked with a guy named "Gail"! Frank
@Nancy Hart Hmmm, how to assess your response with finesse, tact, and disregard for the little girl sticking out her tongue at me? .........Okay, how many ladies have you seen hammering down new shingles on a roof? Frank
Little tip if you don't already know Yvonne..( I know you have Bobby to wield hammers when necessary) ...but in case ever needed, if you're using a hammer to knock a nail or some small item in so that you're fingers may be at risk.. , place the nail between the teeth of a comb rather than trying to hold with your fingers