The FastDay Forum

@azureblue
Father William! Its a good while since ive heard that! an old fave of mine and my parents! X

As a new Nanna ( NannaMooMoo) may i present to the SSS my first ' grandchild' Ziggy Stardust x

There's a cute little bundle of fluff! Lot's of fun and cuddles (and growing claws and teeth to be tested)

What a blessing when the little mites return to school!
Teehee :0)

Hello fellow over 60-ers, I think I need some advice and encouragement. I have an opportunity to apply for inclusion in a study of the aging brain at Cornell's Laboratory of Brain and Cognition http://lbc.human.cornell.edu/Home.html
It involves several cognition exercises followed up by an MRI study of the brain. I imagine some of it will be fun and it's to be compensated at the rate of $10 an hour with a total of $100 to $150.

But I find myself reluctant to sign up--what if I find out I'm in the beginning stages of dementia? Do I really want to know? I know that if I were further along that line, I would want to know because I have no intention of sticking around to waste away for years like my mother and sister (see Derek Humphrey, "Final Exit"--in fact, I have my "exit kit" all prepared).

I have excuses at the ready: "It's close to holiday time, I'll be too busy to invest 10 to 15 hours in this project, etc." But really I think I'm just afraid.

Actually, I'm already participating in a muscle study at the Thalacker-Mercer muscle lab. I had an interview yesterday and next week I will have a very small piece of thigh muscle removed for biopsy. They are looking for how (and if) mitochondrial dna in skeletal muscle changes with aging http://www.human.cornell.edu/bio.cfm?netid=aet74 This one I'm not afraid of--I like the idea of assisting with cutting-edge research, but am having a hard time when it comes to finding out more about the state of my cognition.

What do you all think? Should I go for it?

Not sure I'd want to do it either!
I think I'd have to be very hard up before I considered it.
Not exactly encouraging am I!

I think you should go for it@marybeth
I would jump at the chance tho i understand your reservations and i would have a few fears about going ahead too.
There's a big campaign on in the Uk at the moment about dementia awareness ...i would rather know,and if necessary, then see what i could do to help myself - and get my family prepared as to how to help when / if the time came.
But you know best how you would respond,so the decision has to be what you feel comfortable with x
We' ll back you up either way

@Merlin @CandiceMarie Thank you both for your input. After some hard thinking and talking to myself, I've decided to do it. I'm a believer in science, so now that I have an opportunity to be part of a study and perhaps help advance the state of knowledge re aging and the brain, I should really do it. OH is encouraging me--he can't participate because his pacemaker precludes an MRI brain scan.

I sent the lab an email and hope to hear from them soon.

Thanks again

Woooo hoooo! You go,girl! Good for you xx!

@Marybeth you are an inspiration. I admire your joining in to advance our knowledge and completely sympathise with your early dilemmas.
Um, may I impertinently enquire about your 'exit kit'? I have idly wondered if I'd ever be brave enough to euthanise myself, not suicide but to end interminable suffering that can't be cured. My conclusion currently is no, but who knows our future?
{{{+}}}

GETTIN' OLD AINT FOR SISSIES!!!!

An elderly gentleman.... Had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%.
The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, 'Your hearing is perfect... Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.'
The gentleman replied, 'Oh, I haven't told my family yet.
I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!'

Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says: 'Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?'
Slim says, 'I feel just like a newborn baby.'
'Really!? Like a newborn baby!?'
'Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants .'

An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen.
The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, 'Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great.. I would recommend it very highly.'
The other man said, 'What is the name of the restaurant?'
The first man thought and thought and finally said, 'What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know.... The one that's red and has thorns.'
'Do you mean a rose?'
'Yes, that's the one,' replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, 'Rose, what's the name of that rest aurant we went to last night?'

Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember ......
Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. 'Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?' he asks.
'Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?'
'Sure..'
'Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?' she asks.
'No, I can remember it.'
'Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so as not to forget it?'
He says, 'I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.'
'I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?' she asks.
Irritated, he says, 'I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!'
Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, The old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs.. She stares at the plate for a moment.
'Where's my toast ?'


Three old guys are out walking.
First one says, 'Windy, isn't it?'
Second one says, 'No, it's Thursday!'
Third one says, 'So am I. Let's go get a beer..'

Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical.
A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm.
A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, 'You're really doing great, aren't you?'
Morris replied, 'Just doing what you said, Doc: 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.''
The doctor said, 'I didn't say that.. I said, 'You've got a heart murmur; be careful.'

One more. . .!
A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool.. After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.
The waitress asked kindly, 'Crushed nuts?'
'No,' he replied, 'Arthritis.'
XXX

Very true, you should hear some of our conversations, totally crazy!

Hi @Azureblue, Here's the wikipedia article about Derek Humphry and the book, Final Exit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Exit . I don't want to get too explicit about what's in my Exit Kit because of the controversial nature of the subject--it consists of the objects that I would need for self-deliverance from unbearable pain and other suffering that comes from terminal illness. There are a few states in the US that have legal doctor-assisted suicide, but NY is not one of them. The book is available from Amazon in the US and a quick check just now shows that our local library has 3 copies and that 4 more are in our library system--but then, this is a very progressive part of the state.

Not an impertinent question!--I think as we age, many of us fear loss of control over our lives more than we fear death itself.

@Marybeth, I'm glad you decided to be in the study. As I watch my mother deteriorate - she's starting to not recognize family members, I am increasingly determined to be fit and to fast. I think I'd be in a study, too, to help advance the research. Now that you mention it, I should keep my eyes open for opportunities, as I also live in a university town.

@CandiceMarie, those are great jokes! And I don't usually laugh at jokes...

@Wendyjane Thanks for the encouragement--when my mother was my age, she had already been in a nursing home for 2 years --too irrational to stay at home. It took 9 more years for her to die there. My sister (11 years older than I) at my age was starting to show signs of dementia, perhaps already had a diagnosis. She died in a nursing home at age 80 in 2010. Her husband took care of her at home until the the last year or so. It was all so excruciating for everyone, in both cases. My heart goes out to your Mom and you and your family.

btw--is it U. of Colorado that's near you? My OH has a degree from U of C at Boulder (that was in his ex's time, so I never got to live in that beautiful area.)