I'm 76 (or about 532 in dog years). The best thing for my health was when I retired and bought a house on 1-1/4 acres, and put in a large garden and landscaping. Maintaining it is my fitness program, and I'm out here 5-6 hours a day walking, kneeling, weeding, digging, planting, pruning, moving rocks, pushing a wheelbarrow around, and generally sweating and grunting. Toward the end of the day, I'll relax with a little woodworking and then a beer...never the reverse.
Age vs. Capability
41 - 59 of 59 Posts
Nope, 37 here. I don’t interact much, I like to read the other conversations.
Nick
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244 Posts
I'll be 82 in December. Over the past 10 or so years I've decided that I'm just not going to do some activities any more - hence the sales of my concrete mixer, jackhammer, etc., etc. Most of the woodworking activities are still within my capabilities, although man-handling full sheets of plywood/mdf have given way to more thoughtful and stressful techniques.
My biggest problem is that since my retirement I have widened the scope of my activities - dabbling in metal machining, 3d printing, mastering my CAD program, napping and boatbuilding to name a few. As a result, my activity has increased but my productivity (particularly in any one area) has dropped way off.
My biggest problem is that since my retirement I have widened the scope of my activities - dabbling in metal machining, 3d printing, mastering my CAD program, napping and boatbuilding to name a few. As a result, my activity has increased but my productivity (particularly in any one area) has dropped way off.
I’m 66 and still holding up. (Knock on wood, as it were.). No medical issues other than glaucoma. I can’t lift my canoe onto my shoulders as easily as I used to, but no complaints really. I think the secret to feeling good in your older years is keeping your weight down. About 10 years ago I dropped 65 lbs and have kept about half of it off. Best thing I ever did.
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4 Posts
I’m not in your situation, but I think I’d be like you, NEVER GIVE UP!!!
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539 Posts
66 and change .
Really strong and hard charging till diagnosed with the big C 3 yrs ago.
Ist surgery was something like 45 staples 2nd and 3rd were over 75 to close me up.
2nd and 3rd was a male surgeon with large hands .
Pick a woman surgeon with small hands when they need to dive deep.
Lost a kidney on the 1st (Covid delayed major surgs at the beginings and my C was choking the urater and killing one kidney)
Urater was collasping on the remaining kidney so stents were tried first and the second was a steel stent.
that started causing damage and back to the hosp I go.
I was as close to dialysis as you could get before I found my Urologist surgeon.
Urologist surg doc made a new urater with a part of my small intestine on 2 & 3 ( on 2 I developed a leak and sepsis).
Doc said radiation scarred things up so bad it took 9hrs to do a 5 hr op. Says I wont survive another.
Even though Docs will have other Docs cover for them on there day off they checked in on me ...dangit take me fishing with you.
Chemo at the very beginning and now immunotherapy as it came back stage 4 they call it( but I get the summer off as scans look good for now).
Chemo at the beginning before 1st surg was a train wreck for me with hospitalizations and minor surgery.
Imuno was gravy at the beginning but as time went on it slowly sapped my strength.
Side effects of Imuno and taking it means 2 days a week most of the day getting labs and IV drips.
Now its just a half day once a week keeps me in check.
Strength has been as low as 20% of what I think I should be but now I'm closer to 40% I think.
On a good note I got to know some wonderful people , surgeon was out to see my kayak build ( he's a boater fisherman Great lakes/ Mississippi)
Had to retire early which wasn't so bad.
Owner of my previous employer calls me up once in a while to chat and says he misses my rotten sense of humor.
I have a sense of humor only reserved for him heh heh.
Got the time to finish some projects ..slow going but they're finished.
Just starting a 50's style small wood powerboat. I don't need a boat just a challenging project to stay busy with.
Son doesn't know it but will get it when I'm done. Just take me out once in a while when the water is like glass.
Really strong and hard charging till diagnosed with the big C 3 yrs ago.
Ist surgery was something like 45 staples 2nd and 3rd were over 75 to close me up.
2nd and 3rd was a male surgeon with large hands .
Pick a woman surgeon with small hands when they need to dive deep.
Lost a kidney on the 1st (Covid delayed major surgs at the beginings and my C was choking the urater and killing one kidney)
Urater was collasping on the remaining kidney so stents were tried first and the second was a steel stent.
that started causing damage and back to the hosp I go.
I was as close to dialysis as you could get before I found my Urologist surgeon.
Urologist surg doc made a new urater with a part of my small intestine on 2 & 3 ( on 2 I developed a leak and sepsis).
Doc said radiation scarred things up so bad it took 9hrs to do a 5 hr op. Says I wont survive another.
Even though Docs will have other Docs cover for them on there day off they checked in on me ...dangit take me fishing with you.
Chemo at the very beginning and now immunotherapy as it came back stage 4 they call it( but I get the summer off as scans look good for now).
Chemo at the beginning before 1st surg was a train wreck for me with hospitalizations and minor surgery.
Imuno was gravy at the beginning but as time went on it slowly sapped my strength.
Side effects of Imuno and taking it means 2 days a week most of the day getting labs and IV drips.
Now its just a half day once a week keeps me in check.
Strength has been as low as 20% of what I think I should be but now I'm closer to 40% I think.
On a good note I got to know some wonderful people , surgeon was out to see my kayak build ( he's a boater fisherman Great lakes/ Mississippi)
Had to retire early which wasn't so bad.
Owner of my previous employer calls me up once in a while to chat and says he misses my rotten sense of humor.
I have a sense of humor only reserved for him heh heh.
Got the time to finish some projects ..slow going but they're finished.
Just starting a 50's style small wood powerboat. I don't need a boat just a challenging project to stay busy with.
Son doesn't know it but will get it when I'm done. Just take me out once in a while when the water is like glass.
Joined
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602 Posts
I'm closing in on 76; doing OK, all things considered.
No prescription meds. I had been on assorted blood pressure medicines since my early 20's, but about 10 years ago I adopted about a 99% vegan diet & lost about 50+ lbs, and no longer needed the prescriptions. I've picked a few of those lbs back up, but docs says BP is still good. Currently trying to get rid of those gained lbs. "Real Soon Now", as was frequently said during my IT/software career.
My biggest problem is bad knees and general arthritis aches & pains, which cause more difficulty standing & moving around in my shop for for longer than I'd prefer, and my hands hurt a lot. So I take more breaks than I used to.
Due to the foregoing, I'm having more difficulty than in the past picking up lumber & building larger projects. I'm currently working on a sort of baker's rack thing for our kitchen, and bringing home the maple boards & carrying them around the shop for ripping, sawing, planing, etc., is much more difficult than in the past. I'm expecting that my future woodworking hobby will consist of mostly smaller projects. But who knows?
Another age-related issue is that my thinking & planning abilities have noticeably declined over the last few years. It takes me forever to plan a project on paper, figuring dimensions, material needed, etc. I constantly check & recheck dimensions before starting any operations, as I no longer have the confidence that I once had. If I wait longer than a day or so after calculating cut lists for a project, I have to go back & redo them, "just to make sure".
Acknowledging all of the above, I'm still thankful for being where I am & being able to do what I'm capable of. Several of my contemporaries have passed away, lost spouses, had serious medical issues, etc. My late father-in-law used to mention an old saying that if everyone brought all their problems & troubles to one place, most would take their own back & go home. I'm thinking that you get used to your challenges & how to work with them, and just keep on keepin' on.
No prescription meds. I had been on assorted blood pressure medicines since my early 20's, but about 10 years ago I adopted about a 99% vegan diet & lost about 50+ lbs, and no longer needed the prescriptions. I've picked a few of those lbs back up, but docs says BP is still good. Currently trying to get rid of those gained lbs. "Real Soon Now", as was frequently said during my IT/software career.
My biggest problem is bad knees and general arthritis aches & pains, which cause more difficulty standing & moving around in my shop for for longer than I'd prefer, and my hands hurt a lot. So I take more breaks than I used to.
Due to the foregoing, I'm having more difficulty than in the past picking up lumber & building larger projects. I'm currently working on a sort of baker's rack thing for our kitchen, and bringing home the maple boards & carrying them around the shop for ripping, sawing, planing, etc., is much more difficult than in the past. I'm expecting that my future woodworking hobby will consist of mostly smaller projects. But who knows?
Another age-related issue is that my thinking & planning abilities have noticeably declined over the last few years. It takes me forever to plan a project on paper, figuring dimensions, material needed, etc. I constantly check & recheck dimensions before starting any operations, as I no longer have the confidence that I once had. If I wait longer than a day or so after calculating cut lists for a project, I have to go back & redo them, "just to make sure".
Acknowledging all of the above, I'm still thankful for being where I am & being able to do what I'm capable of. Several of my contemporaries have passed away, lost spouses, had serious medical issues, etc. My late father-in-law used to mention an old saying that if everyone brought all their problems & troubles to one place, most would take their own back & go home. I'm thinking that you get used to your challenges & how to work with them, and just keep on keepin' on.
Joined
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539 Posts
I've had great gains with Palliative care. It's not just for end of life.
Some doctors just have a narrow focus with there specialty and forget about quality of life.
Cramping could be your low on Magnesium , I fight that as a side effect.
Joined
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539 Posts
Probably finish up some projects and start some new ones when I was up to it.
Keep being optimistic.
I didn't have it as bad as you and I wish you the best.
I'm starting a 9 month project maybe 15 hrs a week, keeps the mind busy and the optimism up.
Joined
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4 Posts
Just turned 65. Just getting back into the shop recovering from a knee replacement surgery. Fear my other knee may need replaced. Gonna hold off as long as I can. Have some re-organizing plans for my shop for this fall/winter. Change out a small window to a larger one so I can install a window ac unit. Also have a 15” helical carbide head planer coming that I need to make room for. Also want a miter saw station with storage above. Really looking forward to getting out there more full time. This heat is just too much!
Instead of rebuilding your window, it might be easier and better overall to just make a hole in the wall for the a/c.
George
Joined
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14 Posts
Well when I was your age LOL LOL. How many of us sound like our dad's? And I would bet any one of us could out perform most. Quality of American workers has taken a dump a discussion for another time.
70 head of building maintenance at a Country Club in California. Had Arthroscopic in left knee and about 30 staples in the right, 4 vertebrae fused pads between and bone grafts on either side for stability. I'm still a kid in my mind 2006 Haley Davidson Road King Police hit her front wheel drivers side. Double flip landed on my left side on back no broken bones. Wife said it's all that dam milk you drink. Other than that I'm fine.
Lol.
Covid Dragon
Joined
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14 Posts
PS. About a 20 handy cap on my golf game.
Hitting 72 in October and still going strong. Actually I’m enjoying my woodworking more now then when I was young and had my own cabinet business.
It was always a battle between time and money. Now it’s my time and I don’t care if the project takes one day or one year.
I too have to be careful with heavy objects, big pieces of lumber, etc. But just take it slow.
I’ve started making knife handles, nice small light projects. You can do much of the work sitting at my workbench. My wife calls me Geppetto.
Getting old may be biological, but feeling young is all in the mind and heart
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