David, I know what you're talking about. I'm 62 and have always been good with math. Today I was in Lowe's, struggling to divide 55 by 4 in my mind. I had to do it a few times to make sure I was right. Such a simple thing had turned into rocket science. I wonder if it would help to practice the mental math, instead of using a calculator, or if the math brain cells are vanishing one by one.

Fortunately, I can still feel my feet. They just don't go as fast anymore.

The only hope I have for myself is that my mind holds out as long as my body.
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I am 68 years old, I am tittering between mid-life and elderly.

There are times when I don't feel that sturdy on my feet, especially walking down a flight of stairs unless there are railings on both sides of the stairs..... I use to get annoyed when I saw new home builders advertisements about their one-level homes for those 55 and older. At 55 I was still a gym rat, still hiking through the woods, working full time.... prffff at getting old..... I come from a good gene pool of *young* elders.

Once I turned 60 it was like a light switch being turned on.... one ailment after another.... and the dreaded menopause, such a cruel joke on women.... why can't I lose these new added pounds?.... I am still a gym rat.

Then cancer introduced itself and my world turned upside down.... even though I am in remission, I am still a deer in headlights, still looking over my shoulder to see what will be catching up with me next.

My memory isn't as sharp and that scares me... I always valued myself as being resourceful, thinking out and solving problems.... now things that use to quickly pop up in my brain are taking a detour, it takes a few seconds longer to find that right file drawer that has that memory. But wait a minute, I come a gene pool of *young* elders. Guess I am breaking that chain.
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I'm 24. My body is 69. Getting old is not for the timid or faint of heart. It isn't a lot of fun. So I have to make my thoughts fun. And I write and still do art. But yes. It is very difficult not to feel less-than. I still think of myself as 24. But my body doesn't.
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