Getting old ain’t for the weak or frail

Imagine holding your arms almost straight out about shoulder high and a little more than shoulder wide.  For 8 Hours a day playing Whack-a-Mole where if you fail to hit the mole exactly on the head really serious consequences happen.  
Now do that when you're nearly 72. 
That's what being a bus driver is like.  
Your  arms tired?  Mine are more than tired, they hurt like He,••• well severely.  
Then usual Aspirin  Ibpruprin  every 6 hours only reduces the pain.  Last night when the 6 hours wore off at 2:20 it punched me awake.  Drugs Now!!! 
since I went over the time, to punish me further it kept throbbing for another hour and a half. Finally allowing me to drift back to sleep before the alarm woke me at 5:00 to get back to work. 
Caffine and sugar isn't helping much. Gotta stay awake.  

Can you switch to a short bus? the ones with the van chassis. Possibly less physically taxing?

Short bus. Sounds about right

My dad spent 6 hours yesterday running a chainsaw or a bush hog. He's 80 and has been doing that type of activity every day pretty much his entire life. It doesn't seem to slow him down much.

I think it's a mind over matter thing. If you don't mind, it don't matter. 

Man I wish I didn't mind.

You might get checked for shoulder joint issues. I've heard they can be massively painful. 

Getting old is killing me.

I had to quit taking aspirin because it made me bleed. So it's extra strength Tylenol and Ibuprofen 3 times a day. And waking up at 4am because the drugs have worn off. (I've already tortured my liver enough so no extra doses)

My favorite quote "If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself."

Toyman01 said:

My dad spent 6 hours yesterday running a chainsaw or a bush hog. He's 80 and has been doing that type of activity every day pretty much his entire life. It doesn't seem to slow him down much.

I think it's a mind over matter thing. If you don't mind, it don't matter. 

Man I wish I didn't mind.

You might get checked for shoulder joint issues. I've heard they can be massively painful. 

 

 

First thing I did. Joints are in great condition according to XRays. Worked with a occupational Theripist  who gave me exercises. Doing them just wore out muscles sooner. 
Now I'm trying to rest one arm at a time. I drive the bus left handed one day and right handed the next. That seems to help some. 

bentwrench said:

Getting old is killing me.

I had to quit taking aspirin because it made me bleed. So it's extra strength Tylenol and Ibuprofen 3 times a day. And waking up at 4am because the drugs have worn off. (I've already tortured my liver enough so no extra doses)

 

My favorite quote "If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself."

Rest is My best friend.  During the Christmas break I foolishly did a lot of work on the house.  I should have just rested 

drainoil said:

Can you switch to a short bus? the ones with the van chassis. Possibly less physically taxing?

They have too many blind spots, plus during the winter you're sliding around a lot with terrible traction.  
great during the summer with A/C.  But you are dealing with 100% problem kids. Kids who burst out of the seatbelts and attack the driver.  Loud foul mouthed trouble makers. Often with parents as bad or worse. 
Obviously not all but one bad apple etc.  

I hear a joint can help relieve joint pain.

frenchyd said:

drainoil said:

Can you switch to a short bus? the ones with the van chassis. Possibly less physically taxing?

They have too many blind spots, plus during the winter you're sliding around a lot with terrible traction.  
great during the summer with A/C.  But you are dealing with 100% problem kids. Kids who burst out of the seatbelts and attack the driver.  Loud foul mouthed trouble makers. Often with parents as bad or worse. 
Obviously not all but one bad apple etc.  

So unfortunately that kind of behavior is not relegated to just the St Paul and Mpls school districts? I know some of the drivers there and the stories they have would make the public cringe if they only knew. 

In reply to drainoil :

You are aware that city buses servicing that area are getting protective sealing aren't you?  Our school district services part of that area.  Plus we also serve the economic opposite end of that spectrum.  People who see that I get gift cards from stores and coffee shops.  Cookies and cakes etc at Christmas.  Their children get on the bus with a smile and a polite hi or good morning. Then go quickly to a seat and fall asleep to wake up at arrival to the school.  
 

I was a heavy equipment mechanic when I was in the military, loved it,  planned on doing it as a civilian when I got out.  Was even offered a position as a GS-10 at the base I was working at.  One day, during lunch, the old timer civilians were all trying to one up each other with who hurt more and who had had more surgeries; they had gruesome stories, multiple shoulder and knee surgeries, back problems, etc.  Then one guy changed gears and mentioned his upcoming 50th birthday.

I was floored.  The job had taken at least 20 years of functionality from their bodies.  They moved like old old men, not men only twice my age.  Started thinking about a different career that day.  I'm not happy with the spare tire I've gained behind a desk, but unlike being able to move my limbs without pain and being able to close my hands with no pain.

Hope you feel better, frenchyd

Be careful on the ibuprofen/Tylenol  intake.

I Heard a study awhile back were they found taking those daily for long time can actually cause more inflammation and pain.

frenchyd said:

In reply to drainoil :

You are aware that city buses servicing that area are getting protective sealing aren't you?  Our school district services part of that area.  Plus we also serve the economic opposite end of that spectrum.  People who see that I get gift cards from stores and coffee shops.  Cookies and cakes etc at Christmas.  Their children get on the bus with a smile and a polite hi or good morning. Then go quickly to a seat and fall asleep to wake up at arrival to the school.  
 

sealing? 

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Thank you for your story. Smart move on your part I think. Heavy equipment is just that, heavy and demands on your body can be brutal.  I sold heavy equipment for decades and thus know how right you are. By 50 most mechanics were done.  Yet you've got at least a decade and a half before social security and Medicare kick in.  

Starting a new career at midlife really is hard if not impossible.  
I'm trying to ease out of some of the intensity I've been going at things. Lately I've cut way back  on working on the house.  Plus race car work has come to a screeching halt at least until the pain goes away.  

If I'd know I was gonna live this long, I woulda taken better care of myself.

poopshovel again said:

If I'd know I was gonna live this long, I woulda taken better care of myself.

If I had known I was going to fall apart so early, I would have enjoyed high school and College a lot more instead of taking care of myself.    

My neighbor growing up, Sterling Dahmer, farmed until he died at 96. He always said, "It's better to wear out than to rust out." In his final years, because he was in so much pain, he used to cry every morning when my parents would come over with breakfast and help him out of bed. But he'd get up, eat, and plan his work for the day. Dad said when stopped wanting to work, he knew the end was near. And it was.

I'd be careful about giving in to the pain. I've known people that sat down for a rest and never really got back up. Even if they eventually wanted to, they weren't able anymore. I hope I go out with my boots on and a shovel in my hand rather than withering away in bed watching TV.

I'm more disturbed by my Dad's decline due to old age and chronic pain than my own. While I know I'm not bulletproof, he was made of ballistic steel and reinforced concrete and could run wide open all day long. It's sad to see time take that from him.

Since I'm 32 with a pair of back surgeries and facing a 3rd one this exact scenario scares the hell out of me.

drainoil said:

frenchyd said:

In reply to drainoil :

You are aware that city buses servicing that area are getting protective sealing aren't you?  Our school district services part of that area.  Plus we also serve the economic opposite end of that spectrum.  People who see that I get gift cards from stores and coffee shops.  Cookies and cakes etc at Christmas.  Their children get on the bus with a smile and a polite hi or good morning. Then go quickly to a seat and fall asleep to wake up at arrival to the school.  
 

sealing? 

Designed to protect the driver.  Much like airline cockpit doors except clear plastic?  

Apis Mellifera said:

My neighbor growing up, Sterling Dahmer, farmed until he died at 96. He always said, "It's better to wear out than to rust out." In his final years, because he was in so much pain, he used to cry every morning when my parents would come over with breakfast and help him out of bed. But he'd get up, eat, and plan his work for the day. Dad said when stopped wanting to work, he knew the end was near. And it was.

I'd be careful about giving in to the pain. I've known people that sat down for a rest and never really got back up. Even if they eventually wanted to, they weren't able anymore. I hope I go out with my boots on and a shovel in my rather than withering away in bed watching TV.

I'm more disturbed by my Dad's decline do to old age and chronic pain than my own. While I know I'm not bulletproof, he was made of ballistic steel and reinforced concrete and could run wide open all day long. It's sad to see time take that from him.

That's my feeling too! I know I'm not immortal so when I go I don't want to be gently slid into my grave , but rather go crashing completely out of control sideways at full speed. 

poopshovel again said:

If I'd know I was gonna live this long, I woulda taken better care of myself.

But ya didn't did ya?..................welcome to the I'm gettin' old and here i am club..... 

I’m only 30 (or will be in 5 days), so as long as I remember that I can’t tolerate alcohol like I used to and that I NEED at least 7.5 hours of sleep, I do pretty good. I always feel much better when I skate more. A lot more energy even though I’ve exerted quite a bit. 6 games this weekend, although tonight’s was a snoozer. 

But, the aches and pains. The left knee was tweaked about 3 months ago when some idiot teenagers ran into me on the ice. Stupid hit, puck was gone, and I was yelling at them to pick their heads up. That knee is now in a sleeve when I skate. The right knee will randomly hurt. The shoulders, especially the right one, are iffy due to old injuries when I was playing - but that is mostly exacerbated by sleeping on them funny and working at a desk. 

Ah well, grandpa had the same issue. He finally had to quit golf around age 85. 

I don;t know what to say, I will be 50 this year, and if I am to brag, no daily aches and pains. I do have a small tear in my right rotator, but unless I do something stupid, it gives me no reasons to worry. My co-workers, who are all around my age, +/- 5 years are all falling apart

I am glad that I am still far from this age, but to be honest it scares me. What will happen when I will be 70? [will I still be able to canoe?] better not to know..