Groin pain

[Danneaux]

Matt,

I think you're incredibly brave, foresighted and proactive to consider these symptoms of memory decline and then take action on them. In my late father's last years (he lived in good health till a month short of his 98th birthday) he developed dementia characterized by memory loss (he remained his sweet-natured self throughout). His compensatory and coping mechanisms were so good, we realize only in hindsight how well and for how long he had covered for his deficits. Some shortcomings simply came across as quirky and he had a quirky and delightful sense of humor anyway, so they weren't noticeable till near the end, even to those of us close to him. I feel sure he would have been the first to ask me to share this with you.

Coping strategies certainly are helpful and do work. Lists aren't a bad thing if they help you keep track. Labels too and of course, being open and recruiting friends and family and riding partners to lend a hand when you need it. Deficits and shortcomings develop over the years for all of us.

You may wish to talk with your doctor to see if medications are having an effect. Here, a number of people have reported memory and sequencing issues after infection with some Covid variants. Our neighbor developed Long Covid and in her words, "It turned my brain to mush, memory all gone" -- until she participated in a special program setup at the state medical university and if she still have deficits, they are unnoticeable after a year in the program. She feels better and has regained balance and no longer uses her walker or cane. You might also wish to have your hearing checked as that is often mistaken for early signs of dementia in ways that are not obvious, as in trying so hard to hear that other things get lost from memory or never get logged. What I'm saying is there can be contributors other than age that can be addressed if they are identified. I think attending the local dementia clinic will open up a world of resources to you.

Knock on wood, I have not yet developed memory problems but I became near-obsessive about putting things away on my European double-crossing tour. I didn't carry that much so everything I had was essential and would have been terribly missed if lost. I got in the habit of not just laying an object or tool down but actually putting it away each time it left my hand. I think my diligence paid off as I never lost a single item.

As someone with a history of repeated traumatic brain injury due to accidental and assaultive trauma, I am always aware the next blow to my head could scramble my ability to ask for help, so I keep my name and contact info on me (and on a watchband tag, left hand as that's where pulse and BP are checked most often here) and a sketch of my overall and planned day's itinerary, the idea being such info might be able to speak for me if I can't speak for myself. I do check in with family at home periodically so they know my progress and intent and it brings us all peace of mind.

So..."be prepared" and keep things in mind and perspective as you travel and you should be fine. Wishing you a wonderful re-tour of Thailand and only good times.

All the best, Dan.

[Matt2matt2002]

But I've had increasing memory issues.
At 71 I guess we all decline a little. But what's a little or a lot?

Day to day I am fine and family haven't commented on a decline.
But I increasingly rely on lists of 'to do' things, to get me through the day.

I'm a couple of years older than you and I now need to write down reminders much more than a few years ago. At the moment I'm treating it as normal age-related deterioration rather than anything more worrying.

Thanks for sharing.
A positive attitude is essential unless you want to drive family and friends nuts!
My mother-in-law unfortunately did not cope with her own decline very well. A lovely lady but hard to love in her later years.
Having a glass half full outlook should smooth out things.
One of my pals had a phrase she used that helps me and makes me smile;
Ride the wave.

Best
Matt

[Danneaux]

Ride the wave.

I practice "Wave the Ride" myself, greeting everyone I see and pass with a pleasant wave and greeting. Has worked well so far and is generally appreciated. 

Best, Dan.

[Andyb1]

Matt - I am glad to hear that you are continuing with your trip to Thailand.
There are some wise words written in the messages above and all I can add is that IMHO you are not being foolish in doing the trip, and you are making a good decision to keep to familiar areas.
We all age and physical issues appear that start to limit us so the boundaries of what we can do will contract a little - a 40 mile ride today might feel as hard as a 60 mile ride a few years ago -  but we need to push up to those boundaries to stop them closing in quicker.
Enjoy your trip.

[in4]

As an additional thought and if appropriate: Try not to create a self-fulfilling prophesy. It’s quite easy to kind of ‘catastrophise’ things that are usually quite solvable with a cool, calm head in gear. I wouldn’t dare share the ‘muppets moments’ I’ve had through stressing the bones out of something!

 

[Matt2matt2002]

Ride the wave.

I practice "Wave the Ride" myself, greeting everyone I see and pass with a pleasant wave and greeting. Has worked well so far and is generally appreciated. 

Best, Dan.

Many thanks Dan
She was not a cyclist and I think the term to her was just to ride out any adverse situation.
( but perhaps you were aware of that ?)

But I also share your habit of greeting folks with a smile and a wave as we cross paths.
It brightens my day and perhaps theirs as well.

Best

Matt

[John Saxby]

Hi Matt,

Happy New Year to you and yours, and best wishes for your tour in Thailand.  Glad to hear that your groin pain is largely gone -- hope it stays that way.

And, thanks for being so open about Ageing and All That -- we all have to contend with stuff that happens after three-score-and ten.  Seeking comfort from friends and family, as well as professional advice, will help, for sure.

On the matter of memory:  First, a self-mocking anecdote from twenty years ago, when I was about 58. We were living in South Africa, and I had been out on some errands.  I took along a banana as a snack, and returning to the house, tossed the banana peel onto the kitchen counter & my car keys into the composting bin. 

In a more serious vein, a year or so ago I heard part of an interview with a woman named Lisa Genova, then based in New York. The subject was her recent book, Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting.  One brief comment she made on indicators has stayed with me:  If you have trouble remembering proper nouns -- place names, somebody's name, and so on -- don't worry about it, they'll pop up sooner of later.  But, if you have trouble remembering the names of day-to-day items, that's an important signal, and you should seek professional help.

And again from my own long experience, happily confirmed a few weeks back by my physiotherapist: He said that making lists, and especially, writing down items by hand, can be a big help in managing your days/weeks/etc. Here, I readily admit to confirmation bias:  I still have my Daytimer agenda wallet issued by my employer in May 1982, and I renew the daily/weekly schedule every year.  I don't bother with the calendars in my phone or laptop, and wave away suggestions about being an OWF (Old White Fart).

Cheers, mate.

John