Covid19 Spare time

txab · August 14, 2023

3 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Wait till you telling that story about wheelchairs.

As long as he posts about in the correct section and not the "2019-2023" section.

Edited August 14, 2023 by txab

Donstar · August 17, 2023

During my spare time declutter I sold two electric mobility scooters I had since my mother passed 10 years ago. My plans were to save them for my personal use or make a "go kart" type toy for the grandkids. The enthusiasm for either option never came. My son-in-law did suggest I keep one of them stock in appearance but make it suitable for racing! I couldn't share his vision at the time but maybe we're on to something here! I have done some window shopping for electric mobility aides. I look for stability, comfort and range. I should keep horsepower equivalency in mind in case I run into a Texan forum member in The Woodlands Mall in the next few years!

KARNUT · August 17, 2023

1 hour ago, Donstar said:

During my spare time declutter I sold two electric mobility scooters I had since my mother passed 10 years ago. My plans were to save them for my personal use or make a "go kart" type toy for the grandkids. The enthusiasm for either option never came. My son-in-law did suggest I keep one of them stock in appearance but make it suitable for racing! I couldn't share his vision at the time but maybe we're on to something here! I have done some window shopping for electric mobility aides. I look for stability, comfort and range. I should keep horsepower equivalency in mind in case I run into a Texan forum member in The Woodlands Mall in the next few years!

The mall is close to me. My experience dodging those electric hot rods there and casinos makes it evident they don’t need much.

Donstar · August 24, 2023

We have a lifelong friend who came home from a July cruise with covid. We phoned her yesterday and she says it was like a bad flu and she is now getting back to normal. However, while recuperating and in a weaker condition, she reports that she fell a few times. We stressed that she needs to get a mobility walker for those occasions when walking is difficult. Her age and back issues were the primary reasons for her falls and weeks of convalescing exacerbated these weaknesses. Our suggestion was poorly received as she felt 70 was too young to use a walker! We all laughed after this comment settled and realized how lucky we are to fell young in our seventies! The reality is that the use such devices aren't determined by the number of candles on your cake. I have found that most people believe this until it's them needing the help!

KARNUT · August 24, 2023

1 hour ago, Donstar said:

We have a lifelong friend who came home from a July cruise with covid. We phoned her yesterday and she says it was like a bad flu and she is now getting back to normal. However, while recuperating and in a weaker condition, she reports that she fell a few times. We stressed that she needs to get a mobility walker for those occasions when walking is difficult. Her age and back issues were the primary reasons for her falls and weeks of convalescing exacerbated these weaknesses. Our suggestion was poorly received as she felt 70 was too young to use a walker! We all laughed after this comment settled and realized how lucky we are to fell young in our seventies! The reality is that the use such devices aren't determined by the number of candles on your cake. I have found that most people believe this until it's them needing the help!

There’s plenty of aids to help when you decline. I’ve researched them for my 94 year old father in law. He mostly refuses. He recently consented to a walker. He fallen a few times, he’s been lucky. He’s had a long productive life. My father refused to go to the doctor even after being diagnosed with diabetes. He just wanted to check out. He didn’t age well mentally. I’ve seen what’s available for elderly. I’m in the early stages myself. I feel the decline. It’s the right of passage. I visited assisted living places. They’re not bad. The people that allow the change are much happier to be with their peers. Then alone at home missable. I’m ready when it comes. I’m not going to fight it. A walker when I need it no problem. It will keep me moving. No problem with that.

Donstar · August 26, 2023

There are many tools available to assist us as we age. However, we don't always recognize when we're in need. My mother was great at telling others to use a cane or a walker but resisted when the need arose for herself. I am guilty myself of delaying the use of assistance. I woke up when my wife and I were in an large airport trying to make it on time for a flight. Out of nowhere an employee appeared with a wheel chair offering me assistance. As I was saying, "No thank you", my wife spoke over my comment saying, "Thank you" politely to the porter and "get-in" very firmly to me!

Donstar · August 31, 2023

September tomorrow and Costco has Christmas decorations. News yesterday had a reminder that the fall Covid and Flu vaccine rollout will begin shortly. It appears that summer is coming to a close and for once, I think this is good! The heat, fires, smoke and droughts have made this a horrible summer for too many people. Looking forward to spring is taking on new meaning...

Donstar · September 4, 2023

Sixteen year old next door is sick with covid after cruise ship holiday with grandparent. Today, both parents off to work and sibling out with friends before returning to school tomorrow. (We're kept informed because we are emergency backups should their teens need help.) Such behavior doesn't bode well for keeping the spread of Covid or other afflictions under control this fall!

Donstar · September 9, 2023

The family next door now has only the matriarch without Covid. She looks more run down than the others as she works fulltime and does what she can to care for the others. Personally, I think she should be at home convalescing with the rest of her family but believes she is indispensable at her place of work. I won't argue with her because I remember having the same feeling. I remember in my early work life being ordered by my Doctor to go straight to the hospital from his office. I had no opportunity to arrange for a replacement at work yet they survived. I returned 6 weeks later feeling better (and more productive) than I had for months prior to this interruption. I was once told a test for being indispensable. "stick your finger in the ocean and if the indentation remains after you pull your finger out, - you're indispensable!"

Edited September 9, 2023 by Donstar

diyer2 · September 9, 2023

No one is indispensable IMO. Besides if I missed work it's the managers job to deal with it.

KARNUT · September 9, 2023

In my 20s I worked my way up to general manager for a family owned garbage company. During the 3 years there I didn’t take a vacation. Big mistake because they got lazy and eventually took advantage of me. Long story short they pissed me off and I became a competitor. After just 18 months I took a third of their business and they sold out. The company they sold to started calling me to come in with them after buying my startup. At the same time my family started our current business I retired from. The profit I made by being pissed off was a nice infusion to the family business. My philosophy always was make yourself indispensable where you need to train your replacement. Take your leave or vacation so they’re reminded.

Donstar · September 17, 2023

I spoke with a man in line with me waiting at the Costco prescription pickup counter. We talked about our plans for the rest of the day and his included going "to pay some bills". It turns out that, as he says, "never warmed up to computers and don't own one." I spent some time after that encounter musing about life without the internet in current times. I have lived life without but that was when everyone else was doing the same! Covid lock downs or quarantines would be exceptionally hard without, imo! When I was a child, not being able to go out and play was horrible. When the kids next door were kept indoors recently with Covid, their changes in activities were minimal!

Donstar · September 23, 2023

Whoopee! Cold, flu and covid season has arrived! As I age, the times I'm not feeling well become increasingly more worrisome. It's not like my working days when I knew an occasional illness would pass. The hardest part was sounding sick enough when I phoned my place of work to say I can't make it in today! In my retirement years I start to wonder if an illness may be the beginning of something serious. I found out last week after a lot of testing that I recently had a stroke but didn't recognize the symptoms. The part that I found particularly difficult was hearing the words from my Doctor, "You had a stroke". I took his statement as if he was telling me my demise is imminent. This was reinforced when I told my neighbor that I'd had a stroke and she teared up and threw her arms around me! I was very fortunate to have a follow-up appointment with a specialist and he walked me through my results and the path forward. He told me that I was lucky and after he was finished educating me, I felt lucky! However, this didn’t save me from a few upsetting days between hearing the diagnosis from my Doctor and visiting the specialist. I know my turn will come but I need more time as I'm defiantly not ready!!