HAPPY NEW WEEK!
I hope everyone has a wonderful week.
PoinsettiasU.S. Dept. of Agriculture photoLabeled Public Domain (Copyright Free)
More on the age subject.
OH had a hospital appt yesterday. He saw an 'Elderly persons and stroke' consultant. The badge made me smile! We have arrived!
I think it means people over 65. He is 75.
Elderly Persons is very pc. The term used to be 'geriatrics' in my nursing days.
As young nurses we used to refer to this age group as 'Gerries" Remember Heather?
Who is laughing now!
I have been cantankerous recently. And I was wearing purple, OG and Clare!
Will bore everyone with the story later. Have to go out soon.
Ha ha ROSY! OH had surgery for colon cancer when he was 74. If he had been shoved into a 'Care of the Elderly' ward I would have raised a big fuss and yes, ROSY, because of the difference in medical attitude (but not nursing care) that I witnessed as a young nurse. Things must have improved? It would be interesting to hear ANNETTE's views on the subject of age because our late friend (with the Aston Martin!) was married to an American lady. They spent half the year in the States and he always used to opine that it wasn't such an ageist society. My sis in law in Toronto is having a great number of investigations for symptoms that might point to any one of a number of things. She is 85. I truly believe that my OH didn't receive the standard of care at 86, before his death, that he would have got and did get, ten or so years previously. For example - when he had his fatal stroke, he was left to die on a trolley in A and E. Official explanation - no beds available. Yet, others were being transferred to inpatient care from A and E. One doctor approached me with apologies that the bed manager couldn't even find us a single room/ bed in a ward in which to spend his last few hours. Sorry. better stop ranting. I don't want this to start a pro and anti NHS thing. Like you, OG, I can only speak as I find, or have found. Have to go out and get more shopping!!
Lots of age chat, I see. "Old age" is of course, always at least ten years older than you are at the time, once you're over 55!
I seem to remember thinking that my parents must be really, really old, when they must have been only about early 40's!!
Been busy, writing emails, letters, and gift tags! Wrapping presents and getting onto the Web to order our Eldests present, now that they've finally decided what they want! Phew! - now I must set to and empty the dozen boxes of decorations in the hallway. As OG says "Why do we do it??"
I think that I have unintentionally changed the focus of discussion by talking about my personal experiences with OH. It has very little to do with how this chat started and I apologise. It is the weekend one year after his death and I am a little all over the place :-)
Please don't feel you have to apologise, Heather: we all understand. You had such a distressing time. I was just wittering on, to cheer us all up a little, but it doesn't mean you can't come on here and get it off your chest. {{HUGS}}
Rosy - I have worn purple, and grape, and heather colours for a long time: they suit me! When I hear that famous poem about wearing purple being quoted, I'm immediately back at my dear cousin's funeral: she died of breast cancer, far too young, and she wanted the poem read out as we all sat in church gazing at her beautiful wicker woven coffin with white daisies wound into it by her loving family.
And contrary to perhaps some perceptions, I can be really cantankerous! Nowadays, my OH has to put up with my raging at the TV whenever something annoying comes on. Which is just about every day. But bless him, he knows that I'm not shouting at him, just at the state of the world and the injustices. It's funny, but with some things I now have a lot more patience and understanding, but with other things I just lose my rag altogether: that's ageing for you LOL!!
Heather, you most definitely haven't changed the focus of the 'ageist' discussion. Everyone's experience adds to the general understanding and knowledge of the subject. We are all at different stages on that path - and I personally find it very useful to hear about other people's experiences, which I may be able/need to draw on at some stage. I had remembered it was close to the anniversary of your OH's death, and of course you are feeling quite raw at the moment. You have done brilliantly over the past year - I really admire the way you have coped. Thank you for sharing this part of your journey with sensitivity, humour and bravery. My thoughts are with you and your family ...
Thank you, PatO and LINDY. So much appreciated.
Absolutely agree with with Pat , Heather.
Age is a funny thing. I've been told various age-related things in my life - too old to be trained (at 20!), really ancient (at 23!!!!!), not old enough (looking for part-time work before I was 30) and increasingly turned down for younger (and easier to mould) people once I passed 30. Nowadays (very happily) I tend to get people tell me I look younger than my age! I can live with that.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.