Really random things

[susandennis]

As I have complained about often, my hands and arms get giant dark splotches - blood bruises - if they lightly touch anything hard. It's called Senile Purpura. There is no cure or any way to stop it or make it go away. It does not hurt even under pressure. But it is ugly and old people-y and I hate it.

But, this manicure I got last week...? It's made it worlds better! Now, when I look at my hands, I see pretty nails instead of the ugly bruises. It's a silly slight of hand (pun intended) but it works for me and I am delighted.

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I am not now, nor have I ever once in my entire life, been athletic. Not even close. This is one of the very big surprises about finding swimming. I learned it as a kid but didn't go near a pool for more than 40 years. Now it is way more fun, to me, than exercise. The exercise is a happy coincidence.

I always swim in the easy lane - the slowest lane in the pool. Most people in my lane do not swim as fast as I do or as far because it's the easy lane. All the good swimmers have moved on to the better lanes. But, still, when one of the not-as-good swimmers stops and comments favorably on my swimming, I love it. A very fit looking man about my age shared the lane with me today and, at one point, said 'You have some impressive stamina!'. I love hearing that more than is appropriate.

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I got a letter today from my eye doctor essentially saying he could no longer live without seeing me again. (Well, that is a bit of a paraphrase.) I need to send a note asking if I can get a macular degeneration check only. I can see fine and have no vision insurance. I love being able to email my doctor with questions.

Comments

Re: Hmmm...

[susandennis]

hahahaha! that did not occur to me. sorry, swimmer guy!

[luzclarita.livejournal.com]

I wish more people would talk about things like this (the skin spots). We spend so much time in school prepping for adolescence and then no time at all on the physical changes that we will have in menopause or even after that. It was only this past few years when I began spending more time with my neighbor in her late 70s that I realized how little I know about getting older. Like she said her ears have gotten lower and I felt utterly shocked and intrigued. It's not on TV or in books or anything and I feel like I have a huge knowledge void.

[susandennis]

So true. I remember hearing someone once apologizing for working something out between his teeth and saying in passing 'when you get old, the most amazing stuff gets trapped between your teeth'. Doh! I had noticed that eating was getting a lot more stuff stuck in my teeth and I had never equated it with old.

We need Getting Old For Dummies!!

Concealer

[(Anonymous)]

Hi Susan, I know you don't wear makeup but you might consider using a waterproof liquid concealer to cover the blood bruises when you're out and about. Something like Revlon Colorstay. It's cheap, effective and liquid so it should be gentle to apply. I use concealer to cover the scratch scars on my arms and hands...reminders of my time volunteering at a cat shelter.