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EVERYONE says the same thing. Wow you must have good genes in your family. I didnt think much until I heard it too many times. Its a meaningless saying. I have a few thoughts about it.
I have a 98 yr old great uncle and a 94 yr old grandmother who I am the sole caregiver. (36,F). They are both in pretty much good health, able to care for themselves and get around but homebound.
People say oh Good Genes! There is so much more to the complexity of our lives and what causes death!! What you eat, take care of yourself, stress, etc, and many many unknowns. And what about the fact they are aging in their homes gracefully thanks to me. Yeah I know how that sounds. But really, I guess me feeling responsible for them I want to take some credit. LoL!!! Ok now im laughing at myself.
Its just interesting, what people commonly think of as "environmental factors" vs "genes".
And I am amazed all the time at the age of my elders, the passing of the years, its alot its heavy stuff.
I put this in the burnout category because why else am I going crazy?

Just an expression that makes the rounds sort of thing, you know? Of course there are things that do travel in family genes. Even Schizophrenia, to say nothing of cancers. But generally when you hear this left handed compliment it is just jabber.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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Blipblop, that's funny, I never new why that statement bugged me!! Now I know!

I once said , we may have good genes physically, mentally??? 😜 That's a whole other story.. 🤣
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Reply to Drivingdaisy
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It's easy for people to dismiss someone else's situation with a simple, "Oh, good genes!". But if you turned around and told them their achievements were just down to luck or genetics, they'd probably be offended.
It's like everyone thinks their own struggles are unique and hard-won, but other people's successes just "happen".

You are clearly putting a ton of effort, and it's frustrating when that gets overlooked.
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Reply to SeriousS
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Don’t you just love when people think it’s good genes ??? 🙄🙄
I kept my parents alive an extra 10 years , by recognizing Dad’s CHF multiple times before it got to the critical level . I also caught Mom’s stroke early .
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Reply to waytomisery
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Yeah, I am amazed too at the longevity of my parents. People told me I'm lucky that I have good genes. My mother called her longevity a curse, she frequently asked God why he wasn't calling her home. Her last two years were not golden years, that's for sure. She finally died last year at 95, just a month short of her 96th birthday. My father will be 97 in October and is just lingering in the nursing home, drooling, and sitting in his wheelchair sleeping most of the day. But he is not going anywhere any time soon. He just takes one multivitamin a day. Nothing else.

What became apparent to me witnessing all this is I am at risk for outliving my money if I live as long as they have. That is scary. I had never considered this. All my grandparents died a lot younger than my parents (and my parents never had to do for their parents what my siblings and I had to do for them).

And no, you're not going crazy. This sort of caregiving is crazy-making.
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Reply to Hothouseflower
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