MS and Aging
 

Do you feel like you've prematurely aged? I wasn't diagnosed until 2005 when I was 45 years old but I feel like I've aged more in the past 8 years than I have in the 20 years prior. :(

Maybe it's because when I stay home.....which is most of the time.....I don't wear makeup and usually wear pajamas or sweats. I do make an attempt to look my best when I do go out in public but that's not often.

I've also got residual nerve damage in the left side of my face from a Bells Palsy episode so that side of my face is droopier than the right side. Most wouldn't notice it but I know it's there and I notice it. It's especially more noticeable when I don't wear makeup.

Anybody else feel older than they really are? I suppose I do because I walk like I'm 80 and I'm slower than molasses in winter with everything I do. I'm just wondering......if I feel like this at 52 what on earth will I feel like 10 or even 20 years from now? :eek:

Sorry if this is a downer post. I'm just wondering if anyone else ever feels like this. My youngest son's wedding is in May so I know there's going to be alot of picture taking going on. I just don't feel like I look my best anymore. :(

I often will say 'Im 38- NOT 80'!!! I too wonder if this is what I'm like now what will 10 years from now look like. I try to take it one day at a time but it seems to get harder- not easier. I don't think your post was a downer, just reality. It is refreshing to see a post that expresses exactly what I think! I am supposed to be getting married this year and am wondering if people will be offended if I wear sweats and no makeup to the ceremony, lol. I can't imagine what will happen to my body with the stress that will come- so much that I am thinking of postponing. I feel like the most important thing to do at this point is take care of myself- listen to what my body is saying and plan my day accordingly. If that means being in bed for days at a time in sweats without makeup so be it! Take care of yourself! Warmest Regards, Lisa

You young whippersnappers!!!:D Have just turned 57, dxed at 46, last 4 in a chair. Sometimes I feel rrrrreeeaaaallllly old. My friend from college (almost 40 years ago) was here, I napped and in bed by 11. And my 20 year old twins (old motha, twins, MS - bad combination) and the always present friends (so it seemed) exhausted me. Jeez!.

Kitty, I'm with you. I've always been happy about the fact that I don't look my age (my parents didn't and my brother doesn't either; good genes and collagen! :winky:) but in the last several years I feel like I've aged at least two decades!

My DH jokingly says that I look like a 20-year-old but that, mobility-wise, I'm trapped in an 80-year-old's body! He's always referring to my "80-year-old body" because he see's how hard it is for me to shuffle around on some days! :(

Oh well, at least he still sees me as youthful in appearance, if not in activity! And at least I'm realistic enough to realize that he's looking through the eyes of love!

An old boyfriend- ( I was 16!!!) contacted me through Facebook. To my eyes he'd gotten old and heavy. Very up-front I told him about my MS and chair. He has had 2 strokes. My old college friend showed me pictures of his European adventures. I looked at one and ALMOST said "Who's the old guy in the picture?" It was him! In real life I never notice the passing years in people.

I just turned 28 and can relate with most people my grandma's age. So I totally hear you. Have lots of fun at the wedding though!

The body feels old at times, but I counter that with trying to remain at a high level of immaturity in mind...way more fun :D.

With love, Erika

Many days I catch myself thinking, "I knew I'd be like this someday, but I always thought I'd be 82 and not 62." :mad:

I don't think I LOOK 82 (though who knows), but I FEEL 82 and I ACT 82. I move like an old lady. I tire out like an old lady. Once I told my daughter, "Just think of me the way you'd think of somebody 20 or 30 years older."

She thought I was being "poor me", but I was serious. I wanted her to consider that the ride might be too long, the commotion might be too much, I might need longer to decide, etc.

Paradoxically, sometimes I look at myself in the mirror and think, "How can I be 62? I don't FEEL 62." Go figure.

Well, Kell my dear friend, I'm 72, so I guess I am finally looking and acting my age. In my mind I'm still about 39ish, but my body is deffinately 72+.:(

Pretty lucky to have gone thru my 30s, 40, &50s, hampered only once in awhile by MS attacks and symptoms. My DH, who thought i was still pretty and sexy thru my 50s, kept me young and appealing. After he died, all hell done broke loose.:D:p:D

I know exactly how you feel and it's downright depressing, if I allow it to be. Once in awhile I have a pity party as you are having now, but, in order to stay happy and still proud of myself, I have to accept and love myself the way I am now....and I do.:o

It still hurts when someone says to me, you've changed!!! I know exactly what they mean...I'm no longer the tall cool sexy blonde I used to be. But, inside, I still am.:o AND so are you Kell and all of you.:grouphug:

My soon to be DIL was over here yesterday. She was telling me about meeting some friends for lunch. Two "old ladies" were there having lunch, too, and one of them commented to the girls that they looked so energetic and young...out having fun. I thought it was sweet.....until she said it was funny that two "old ladies" - they must have been in their 50's - thought that she and her friends were cute! :thud:

:eek::eek: I didn't tell her I'm 52! I'm just going to assume that she must think I'm much younger!!! ;) Ignorance is bliss! :p :D

I shower in the dark. I shave in the dark. I still look 25. Denial is great.

My wife still looks 25 too. Thank god my eyesight sucks.

We're 55. I really don't feel that old.

Tom

You know Tom......I'm also beginning to appreciate not being able to see as well as I used to. :rolleyes: I wore my glasses in the bathroom the other day and saw WAY more than I wanted to. :eek:

One of my Emotionally Disturbed teenage students said to me (ED kids will say anything to you. I was only in my late 30's then)"Doesn't it bother you all the assistant teachers are younger and prettier then you?" Well, yeah. Principal hired pretty as often as possible. Always qualified, but if prettier, that one. They were young, 20ish. Sigh.......

:yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

I am told by new friends who hear my age, " wow you don't look 57!" but I feel physically like I'm 80. The stiffness & pain are occasionally so intense I want to go to the ER for morphine.
I told the neuro I am scared I'll end up in a WC...his response was that he and DH "two bald guys" won't let that happen. But when I hurt so much & feel like I can't walk another step, I think to myself, " my 91 yr old FIL can't walk anymore...am I headed that way?" and I look at myself in the mirror and wonder what woman DH sees when he tells me that I am so pretty...

If you have an iPhone, never use FaceTime, with the little front facing camera. It will frighten you if you aren't prepared for what you see. :D I feel young but I'm sometimes startled when I look in the mirror and see that older looking woman. :eek:

Well....up until this weekend, I was feeling pretty good about myself. Thought that all things considered, I didn't look too bad for my 43 years. Then, twice on Saturday, I was mistaken for the older sister when I was out with my 50 year old big sister.

My ego got well and truly smashed. Sure, we had a massive heat wave and EVERYTHING was a huge effort - but still......

They were both quick to say that they didn't mean I looked older than my 43 years - just that she looked considerably younger than her 50....sigh......

Bit rough on the ego!

I hate the slightly surprised look and the cheery voice saying "But you look so good for your age!!" Talk about a back-handed compliment.

I remember when I was in my 20's thinking people in their 50's looked ancient to me. Now, when I hear my kids talking about some "old" person and then finding out this "old" person is only in their 50's I have to wonder......what on earth do I look like to them!!?? :eek: :o

The media based fear of aging programming must have gone right over my head or something, because my body certainly looks its age; and maybe even older than that. Even if it looks and feels older than it is, I still don't care.
Apparently, the younger and older people in my life that share love and companionship with me, also don't care about how my body looks; just as I don't care what their bodies look like either.

Aging is not inevitable, only dying is.
I feel sad when I hear of those who die young, for the privilege of a long life has been taken from them.
I also feel sad for those who direct excessive time, effort and resources toward external appearances; for they may miss experiencing and appreciating the profundity of inner beauty (theirs and that of others).

I have experienced and appreciate that profundity in each and every one of you by the way.
You are truly beautiful, no matter what you look like or how old you are :).

With love, Erika

I remember reading somewhere (?) - a young mind in an aging container

Lyn, my DD will be 43 in May. You're still a beautiful baby, to me.:hug::hug:

And so are you peeps in your 50s. I think my 50s were the best years, even with the MS Carp.

My oldest son will be 30 in April!! My goodness.......I guess I have to start telling people I had him when I was 15!! :o Just kidding......actually I was 22 when he was born. Young enough! :eek:

Oh well, aging is inevitable. I just wish there weren't so many commercials about how to look younger, dress younger, etc. I think this fuels the fires of disappointment for so many women. They feel like they can't compete with the women on those ads. And they can't! It's unrealistic to try and look like someone who's been airbrushed and sculpted with photographic illusions. I just want to look like the best me I can be....and nothing else. Who needs the pressure?! :cool:

Not really.

I have had symptoms since childhood, diagnosed at the age of 24 and I am now 51. I have recently had 3 different experiences where a person was suprised I was 51. All three people thought I was in my mid to late thirties. None of them know each other and these were 3 seperate occasions.

For the most part I am still quite active and have found an increase in strength/stanima, less pain and more energy. I have found all of this in a 4 station weight machine we bought in early Oct.

Just last week I had been at the mall two days in a row. The first day I walked the mall end to end, top level and main level. The second day I spent 2 hours walking and shopping at this same mall. Both days were done without any walking aid or needing to sit down.

I want what Snoopy's on!!:D:p:D

What are you on Snoopers?:cool: