Hi Nancy, no I do not share my age or weight with the world! I feel like people already know enough about me and some things can stay private. As a substitute teacher I'm one of the oldest women there and I know the kids often wonder about my age. Some even just ask me. I decided from now on I'll say 89 and let them ponder that a little! There are times when I compare my aches and pains to someone with problems so much worse then myself and I feel guilty, but I also believe that I've earned every gray hair and every achy bone and that it's ok to complain a little. I just don't want to be a drag and bring anyone down listening to me. There's a happy medium somewhere! I do try to just enjoy life and deal with whatever comes!
I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't share my age or weight. I agree that some things can stay private. I love how you tell your students you are 89. So funny! Of course, age can be a difficult concept for kids - even someone in her 20s or 30s can seem old to kids - little ones anyway! I sure don't want to be a drag and bring anyone down either, but gosh, I will state my truths when my listeners are appropriate. And yes, there is that happy medium, as with most things. Sounds like you and I are in agreement on this one. Thank you for commenting.
Great post, Nancy! I, too, won't divulge my weight and age. Frankly, who needs to know? I also find myself aging and feel lucky to have gotten this far in life. I will never believe I beat cancer. It was plain luck that I survived.
And though I feel lucky, I often feel unlucky. I was diagnosed in my late 30s when I was full of vim and vigor (or so I thought). Ever since treatment ended, I've not been the same. I have aged faster than I think I should have.
And as you know, the psychological toll is horrific. Many people think cancer is over for me, but when I take my psych meds and when I talk with my excellent mental health professionals, I know I'm not the same since cancer. Still, thank goodness I have outlets like painting. It truly is my salvation.
You are so right. Who needs to know? Other than our medical teams. My husband doesn't even know my weight. Ha.
I'm sorry you've had those struggles post cancer. It had to be rugged getting diagnosed so young. Not like there's a good age, of course. I'm so glad you have tools in place to help you deal with the fallout. And one of those tools means you're creating beautiful art!
Thanks Nancy we all need prayers. I’m going to the local school to play with 345 year old kids. Praying for you and me. It’s been 7 years and I have not gotten rid of the anxiety. I don’t know why. Thanks for your last message. Kathy
Oh, I hope you enjoyed playing with those kids! Volunteer work can do wonders. I am so sorry you have such horrible anxiety. I hope you are figuring out some tools to help even a little bit. My best to you and thank you for sharing.
Hello Nancy - I loved reading this essay, and had to laugh at the "grateful" bit - after an interesting phone chat with my grown son Ben yesterday. Ben was on his way to pick me up some ginger ale at the store because that's all I have been able to keep down since last Thursday - when at 3:30 a.m. I suddenly awoke to severe stomach pain followed by non-stop vomiting for the whole day. It was miserable and disgusting. I'm still in bed three days later, weak as a baby, barely able to stand or walk more than a few steps. Unlike cancer, of course, while a bad case of viral gastroenteritis is rarely fatal, it is a truly horrible - but temporary - experience at the time. I'm just hoping my "temporary" means "almost over now" very soon.
But Ben, wanting the "cheer me up" reminded me on the phone that in his experience, the "good thing" about being really really sick is how wonderful we feel when we recover, and how much we appreciate all the little things in life even more. I interrupted him to say: "No Ben. I did not need this virus to learn how to appreciate all the little things - and I said the same thing to Jesus after my heart attack!"
Yet the expectation that "from great suffering comes great good" remains embedded in our advice-giving friends and family. Sometimes, S**T JUST HAPPENS and it's AWFUL, and there is no "lesson" we needed to learn from this, and as you so brilliantly point out in your memoir (best title ever!!) - being sick "is NOT a gift and does NOT make me a better person." I'm now in bed writing this on my laptop, and when I finish, I'm going to collapse back to sleep, I hope.
As far as aging is concerned, I'm pretty amazed that I'm still alive, honestly, having survived a misdiagnosed 'widow maker' heart attack that few can survive. So I'm rather shocked that I'm as old as I am - and not dead yet. I'm okay with sharing my age (but it's usually only at medical appointments where that query would come up). All my friend and family already know my age.
Thanks again for this provocative post! Enjoy your week. . .
I'm so sorry to hear how sick you've been. Sounds truly awful. Sure hope you feel better soon. I'm wondering now how your son reacted to your reaction to his comment! Was he surprised, or not so much?
That expectation society has that "from great suffering comes great good" is indeed well embedded into the minds of many. You are so right. Sometimes, shit just happens, and there may or may not be lessons to be learned. Lessons are sure not mandatory! Thank you for mentioning my memoir, and I love how you always refer to the title the way you do. Always brings me a smile.
Take care of yourself and feel better soon. Thank you for reading and taking time to comment, too, especially when you're feeling so rotten!
My son knows me pretty well by now, so he laughed out loud at my little finger-wagging comment - and i understood that he just wanted his Mum to feel better... :-)
Happy Birthday Nancy! I do share my age-58 as of today-from a "glad to be here, age is a frame of mind, better older than deader" attitude. I marvel at how quickly the years pass. Grateful for each day, each year. They are blessings--cancer or no cancer. Thanks!
Great to hear from you. You're still young! I like how you frame age - better older than deader - indeed! The years do pass quickly, that's for sure. I am grateful for each day, each year too. Thank you for commenting and for the happy birthday wishes too.
For twenty years I claimed to be 24 but my kids were questioning it, especially since I was 24 when the first was born! Now, I don't care who knows my age but I certainly don't publish it! Not on facebook or any of this places. I just say I'm an old biddy and leave it at that!
That is funny that you claimed for years to be 24. Glad you were able to pull that off for a while anyway! Good for you for not caring who knows your age. I don't either really. I just don't put it online. Sounds like you have a good sense of humor about aging. Always helpful. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this.
Hi Nancy, no I do not share my age or weight with the world! I feel like people already know enough about me and some things can stay private. As a substitute teacher I'm one of the oldest women there and I know the kids often wonder about my age. Some even just ask me. I decided from now on I'll say 89 and let them ponder that a little! There are times when I compare my aches and pains to someone with problems so much worse then myself and I feel guilty, but I also believe that I've earned every gray hair and every achy bone and that it's ok to complain a little. I just don't want to be a drag and bring anyone down listening to me. There's a happy medium somewhere! I do try to just enjoy life and deal with whatever comes!
Hi Donna,
I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't share my age or weight. I agree that some things can stay private. I love how you tell your students you are 89. So funny! Of course, age can be a difficult concept for kids - even someone in her 20s or 30s can seem old to kids - little ones anyway! I sure don't want to be a drag and bring anyone down either, but gosh, I will state my truths when my listeners are appropriate. And yes, there is that happy medium, as with most things. Sounds like you and I are in agreement on this one. Thank you for commenting.
Great post, Nancy! I, too, won't divulge my weight and age. Frankly, who needs to know? I also find myself aging and feel lucky to have gotten this far in life. I will never believe I beat cancer. It was plain luck that I survived.
And though I feel lucky, I often feel unlucky. I was diagnosed in my late 30s when I was full of vim and vigor (or so I thought). Ever since treatment ended, I've not been the same. I have aged faster than I think I should have.
And as you know, the psychological toll is horrific. Many people think cancer is over for me, but when I take my psych meds and when I talk with my excellent mental health professionals, I know I'm not the same since cancer. Still, thank goodness I have outlets like painting. It truly is my salvation.
Hi Beth,
You are so right. Who needs to know? Other than our medical teams. My husband doesn't even know my weight. Ha.
I'm sorry you've had those struggles post cancer. It had to be rugged getting diagnosed so young. Not like there's a good age, of course. I'm so glad you have tools in place to help you deal with the fallout. And one of those tools means you're creating beautiful art!
Thank you for commenting.
Thanks Nancy we all need prayers. I’m going to the local school to play with 345 year old kids. Praying for you and me. It’s been 7 years and I have not gotten rid of the anxiety. I don’t know why. Thanks for your last message. Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Oh, I hope you enjoyed playing with those kids! Volunteer work can do wonders. I am so sorry you have such horrible anxiety. I hope you are figuring out some tools to help even a little bit. My best to you and thank you for sharing.
Hello Nancy - I loved reading this essay, and had to laugh at the "grateful" bit - after an interesting phone chat with my grown son Ben yesterday. Ben was on his way to pick me up some ginger ale at the store because that's all I have been able to keep down since last Thursday - when at 3:30 a.m. I suddenly awoke to severe stomach pain followed by non-stop vomiting for the whole day. It was miserable and disgusting. I'm still in bed three days later, weak as a baby, barely able to stand or walk more than a few steps. Unlike cancer, of course, while a bad case of viral gastroenteritis is rarely fatal, it is a truly horrible - but temporary - experience at the time. I'm just hoping my "temporary" means "almost over now" very soon.
But Ben, wanting the "cheer me up" reminded me on the phone that in his experience, the "good thing" about being really really sick is how wonderful we feel when we recover, and how much we appreciate all the little things in life even more. I interrupted him to say: "No Ben. I did not need this virus to learn how to appreciate all the little things - and I said the same thing to Jesus after my heart attack!"
Yet the expectation that "from great suffering comes great good" remains embedded in our advice-giving friends and family. Sometimes, S**T JUST HAPPENS and it's AWFUL, and there is no "lesson" we needed to learn from this, and as you so brilliantly point out in your memoir (best title ever!!) - being sick "is NOT a gift and does NOT make me a better person." I'm now in bed writing this on my laptop, and when I finish, I'm going to collapse back to sleep, I hope.
As far as aging is concerned, I'm pretty amazed that I'm still alive, honestly, having survived a misdiagnosed 'widow maker' heart attack that few can survive. So I'm rather shocked that I'm as old as I am - and not dead yet. I'm okay with sharing my age (but it's usually only at medical appointments where that query would come up). All my friend and family already know my age.
Thanks again for this provocative post! Enjoy your week. . .
Hi Carolyn,
I'm so sorry to hear how sick you've been. Sounds truly awful. Sure hope you feel better soon. I'm wondering now how your son reacted to your reaction to his comment! Was he surprised, or not so much?
That expectation society has that "from great suffering comes great good" is indeed well embedded into the minds of many. You are so right. Sometimes, shit just happens, and there may or may not be lessons to be learned. Lessons are sure not mandatory! Thank you for mentioning my memoir, and I love how you always refer to the title the way you do. Always brings me a smile.
Take care of yourself and feel better soon. Thank you for reading and taking time to comment, too, especially when you're feeling so rotten!
My son knows me pretty well by now, so he laughed out loud at my little finger-wagging comment - and i understood that he just wanted his Mum to feel better... :-)
Happy Birthday Nancy! I do share my age-58 as of today-from a "glad to be here, age is a frame of mind, better older than deader" attitude. I marvel at how quickly the years pass. Grateful for each day, each year. They are blessings--cancer or no cancer. Thanks!
Hi Lisa,
Great to hear from you. You're still young! I like how you frame age - better older than deader - indeed! The years do pass quickly, that's for sure. I am grateful for each day, each year too. Thank you for commenting and for the happy birthday wishes too.
Happy birthday!!!!!!
For twenty years I claimed to be 24 but my kids were questioning it, especially since I was 24 when the first was born! Now, I don't care who knows my age but I certainly don't publish it! Not on facebook or any of this places. I just say I'm an old biddy and leave it at that!
Hi Avsfan,
That is funny that you claimed for years to be 24. Glad you were able to pull that off for a while anyway! Good for you for not caring who knows your age. I don't either really. I just don't put it online. Sounds like you have a good sense of humor about aging. Always helpful. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this.