Passing it on

[mack]

Dang it, My fingers are twisted!
Spent some time with #3 son out back with with a brick of .22s, my frigging hands are a mess now!
Kid came home from MMA and needed some R&R so we set up out back with a brick of .22s, a 39 Marlin and a 10/22 Ruger, had a great time, but for the first time in my life the little snot out shot me! My hands are so twisted with arthritis that I can only snap shoot, no good trigger control anymore,( eyes are on the edge but I can still do open sights).
The shoot de-stressed the kid OK, but left me a mess. Some of you guys are in my age group, (21 plus 40 and then a few), how do you deal with the age stuff? I know, the alternative s***ks but growing old ain't fun here! I taught these buggers and I don't like them besting me!

[walks with gun]

I guess you should be proud he is besting you, he's at that prime age where he should excel. sounds like you two spent some quality time together. I just turned 50 the other day but do to some wrecks the arthritis is already set in, it's hard to run the slide on my pistols sometimes, but not going to stop. When everything else fails, it's time for a cool scattergun to show'em you can still take care of business.

[Old No7]

Glad you got out for some fun.

As for the hand pain...

I take 2 large Fish Oil pills every night, plus I wear wrist guards to bed too (one on each hand/wrist). That, plus taking some Advil as needed, really helps my "21+33" year-old-hands do what I need to on the weekends. (It's not so much of an issue working at the desk/computer during the week...)

No, they're not as tough or as strong as when I was 30 or 40, but since I've done that the last 3 years, I no longer feel like I have the hands of a 70- or 80-year old.

Good luck.

Old No7

[Pete44ru]

As for the hand pain... I no longer feel like I have the hands of a 70- or 80-year old.

HEY !

I represent that ! .

It sounds like yer overdue for a move South - waaaay South.

I guess I'm fortunate, indeed - Although I'm in my 70's, I've no arthritis yet, and can still use open sights (although I've preferred a peep sight since the late 60's).

I attribute my good luck to an early regimen of wine, women & song.

I like a scope, though, for those long shots that a (big) field edge, and/or a powerline right-of-way, affords.


.

[AJMD429]

Try Andrew Weil's 'anti-inflammatory-diet' and see if it helps - takes up to three months to START helping in some people, but for many, it is a major improvement.

Topicals with salicylate (like Icy Hot) and menthol (like Biofreeze) or capsacin (Zostrix-HP) or even histamine (Australian Dream) may help - try one of each type before giving up on 'topicals' altogether.

[Merle]

I turn 67 next month. For me it's glucosamine-chondroitan with MSM to help the joints. For pain only Tylonol Arthritis Formula does anything at all. Cataracts are wrecking my eyesight, but at this time "the risks outweigh the potential benefits" is the answer I get. COPD, chronic bronchitis and asthema take their toll, along with diabetes.

Whenever I start to feel too sorry for myself I think of all the guys my age who died in Viet Nam - I'll bet they would love to be old & decrepit right about now. A little humility and gratitude is a good thing.

[Booger Bill]

Take up gold panning. The shakes are good for that.

[Blaine]

If you can stand the smell, DMSO works wonders with that sort of thing. It's widely used in sports medicine, and on million dollar horses. You can get it at farm supply, feed and grain places.

[Canuck Bob]

It is a curious blessing when our kids start to best us! I dream of it and then hate it at some level when it finally happens. Hard to beat a day with Dad shooting cans to balance a kids head! You honored his stress and did something about it, gives me the warm fuzzies worthy of sore hands.

I faced a terrible emotional time when they replaced both my hips at an early age. These kind of age related problems can be devastating for a guy. Then arthritis, cancer and a bone marrow transplant and the complications from the big C and chemo. What worked for me was to wrestle with my feelings because that is all I could change. Acceptance is the key for me. To me these things are what molds me into an angry old man or an elderly gentleman with a limp. The spiritual work of old age if a guy thinks that way.

My kids see me suffer but never quit. Thats a lesson worth passing on they will use long after I'm gone.

Aspirin worked for me regarding joint pain. Daily stretching and a hot soak work as well. Doc mentioned diet and there is much worth researching there. Major weight loss and a healthier diet relieved my symptoms greatly. I find I have to stretch fingers into a fist regularly during the day followed by a vigorous massage, kinda like brisk hand washing, keeps them flexible. I treat designer pain killers like it is heroine!

[mack]

I guess I don't really mind the young one besting me. It's good to see that the boys are all going farther than I ever could. Just hate to think I' givin' in to age!
Hey Old No 7, your handle sounds like a cure!

[mikld]

Yep, I got one of those "rode hard and put away wet" bodies. Bad knees, some fingers with about 1/2 normal feeling, 68 year old eyes that need trifocals, and generally out of shape. Since I'm only 28 years old mentally (sober years), my mind sometimes fergets the body is 68, and I occasionally trip over gum wrappers and fall, and walking up hill sucks. But I just make do with what I've got and research "old folks shooting suff". I went to receiver sights and scopes on my guns, except my .44 Mag revolvers. My Garand gets less and less accurate as time goes on but I still get tickled when I hear the "ping" (but my 10-22 is still a tack driver). I have a walking staff I use to keep my balance in the rough stuff, and it has a gun rest on the handle and I lace my boots up tight. Nope, I ain't so spry anymore, but life sure is good...

God Bless and Merry CHRISTmas...