Gradually Accepting The Claims Of Age

I am wondering how others come to grips with the dillema of slowly losing abilities that seems inevitable with aging. I have several things I want to carry out, and have begun to think they are now unrealistic, beyond my physical abilities. I want (and need) to install a vehicle lift in my shop. It has become more and more difficult to slide in and out frtom under a vehicle. Soon, I can see the need to remove a transmission, a feat I accomplished years ago with ease. In fact, sometimes early on I removed engines and transmissions more out curiosity than need. Those seemingly foolish excursions made such jobs later on, when necessity arose, an easy task. A car lift would aid me greatly.

Modification of my shop's roof structure, to provide overhead clearance, are a part of this scheme. I no longer feel safe on ladders, though I still use them as needed. The on-again off-again Vertigo doesn't help.

So this morning, sitting outside looking at the impossibly blue desert sky, I pondered the latest imponderable: when one realizes that limitations are encroaching on physical abilities, should one "fight to the finish", or is it better to give-in? If we do the latter, then what? Sit about waiting to die?

Has anyone else thought along similar lines?
Frank

 

Having gone through all this myself, I decided to accept the fact that I can't carry on as before. Do I miss the old times? Not only yes, but hell yes. However, I have found, when something is taken from you, quite often something else takes it's place. It's our job to seek out that something else.
I had a friend who was a mechanic all his life. Like you, he was having a more difficult time doing the things he once found easy. He no longer had to do it for a living, it as mostly now a pastime. Not wanting to totally quit yet, he gave up working on tractors, trucks etc. and switched gears, so to speak. He scaled back to lawn tractors and mowers.
Me, I'm not much good for anything anymore. My family does use me an example of what happens if you misspend your life, though.

 

Growing Old Isn't For Wimps, right Frank? Just 10 Years ago I was Scuba Diving regularly and walking 18 holes of golf three times a week as well as daily Pickle Ball. Now I just walk (with a bit of pain) daily & swim several times a week. I gave up golf because my legs were becoming unsteady and my balance became a issue. Pickle Ball I really miss but I'm afraid I would fall on my butt real quick.

 

We both miss things we did in the "old days". I can no longer swing a rope or perhaps even ride a horse anymore. It's been 15 years since I've sat in a saddle. Although, I'm fairly sure that I could still saddle-up and bridle a horse. Use to be active in rodeo, but today, it would be sitting in the stands and watching. Both of us use to Country dance quite a bit, before and after we met. Where we live now, no rodeo or Country dance places (just another reason to move back to Colorado), For me, no more being a "backyard mechanic". Physically, just can't do it. But, can still check/add fluids, check tire pressure, change a tail light and change air filter, but that's it. Have to let the pro's do it now.........and pay the hefty hourly labor charge.

As long as we can still operate our power boat, get to the Range and hit targets and play our Wii Game, we are still doing ok. Also, I can still clean our apt., do laundry, load/run dishwasher and strip/make the bed, I feel good.

Although, definitely do miss those "old days" of doing things, before older age and a few extra pounds hit both of us.

 

That's a fact of life to grow old and to fade, so to speak. When you reach age 50, the changes are noticeable especially in the strength of your body especially the stamina. I used to walk distances but now even half a kilometer would make me pant. And I'm always tired in the afternoon such that I fall flat on the bed before 10pm. But I'm glad that the changes are gradual so we don't notice it except when we feel the shortage of what we used to have. Well, all we can do is to adapt to the changes. As a reminder to myself, I avoid rushing and I never run for fear of tripping or sliding on slippery floor.

 

Fact is, I guess all my life the time for slowing down, because of physical necessity, I knew would eventually arrive. Never thought about when might it arrive, though. How old? I know I'm doing pretty well for 74, but see guys much older doing better.

When we were renting a condo here for the winter, the complex sat atop a fairly high hill, perhaps 40 or 50 feet above street level. To the north, the hillside sloped steeply downwards with nothing at the bottom but untouched desert, no buildings. There were numerous zig-zagging paths worn into the hillside, where folks hiking had gone up and down. One morning, intending to head down, we encountered an elderly couple, also renters of a condo, and talked a bit. This was 6 years ago, I was 68, and the gentleman answered, when I remarked I wonder how long I might be able to continue such strenuous hiking, that he was 80 years old! Spry as a 40-year old! Today, I think I could still make that hill, hopefully just as easily as back then.
Frank

 

I am a person who does not exercise just jumping out of bed in the morning yelling at the kids to get ready for school and getting on the motorcycle to take them there. I have come to the opinion I should start doing something. I went to the tailor in town and having him make Judo Gis for my children and the other children in the neighbourhood also I have purchased mats in Canada and waiting for them to arrive here. Hopefully in a month or so the kids and I can start playing. I had a large dojo in Canada and now I will have one here. Time will tell but I feel better and healthier than when I taught Judo in Canada some 30 years ago.