Yes, definitily off topic but whatever.
I have macular degeneration in left eye and cannot gauge distance up close.
Also, hands and fingers not always steady. No more modeling or soldering.
I am slowly bringing rolling stock to a place in town for selling.
Gave large scale and 0-27 stuff to young boys in family.
Had many years of fun modeling.
I ride an eBike on local rail trails in my area now. My small city still has it’s train station and a Union Station on the same trail about ten miles away with an Amtrak loading platform. Pan Am freights through that city also right next to the rail trail. About forty miles of rail trails in my area.. Saves on wear and tear for the car.
Keep up with a couple train forums. Staying positive.
At seventy six, still dating and dancing.
I am a veteran and VA center about thirteen miles away I can bike to.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Mel: The most important thing in such a situation is (I believe) to not let the situation get the better of you. You have handled that wonderfully. I have AS and as such I had /have to adjust my layout construction techniques so that almost everything is on the top of the layout. Or come up with new ways to accomplish tasks that a lot of modelers look at as almost "plug and play" situations. Ironically, I have actually found that this slowing down and examining things has allowed me to build a better railroad. Perhaps the same is true with you and others in our boat. You are correct in your position on aging - it is most certainly not for the wimps.
Old Fat Robert
Wow Rich, 76 and bike 13 miles to the VA center. I can't bike 13 miles and I'm 25 years younger than you.
I am however falling apart and have been for at least 10 years noow. I have really bad arthritis in my knees, so I bought a single story house. If it gets really bad, I can install a chair lift down to the basement. I have partial vision loss in my right eye due to severe and stubborn glaucoma - various medicines did nothing to reduce the pressure so I had surgery on both eye, and even with that AND still using 2 kinds of eye drops, it's still well above normal. I've worn glasses since I was 7, I'm something like a -11 in one eye, not sure what the other is. A strong magnifier lamp has been my friend for years.
It's a vicious cycle, too. With my knees, I can't really walk up my front yard (house sits on a hill), let alone push a lawn mower up it, so a former means of exercise is totally out. I was away most of the best days of summer, now that I'm home and can use my pool, it's too dang cold. We've been having lows in the 50's at night and not so sunny days, and low 70's is just a bit too cool for the water. So I sit all day at work, come home, and mostly sit.
But, I'm trying to eat better, more healthy stuff. I have great plans for that basement and I want to be able to do it. I don't want someone else to build my layout for me.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
mel have you ever checked the habs habs/haer on the libary of congress site for scratch plans ?
j. c. mel have you ever checked the habs habs/haer on the libary of congress site for scratch plans ?
I am doing reasonably well, although I have recently developed paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Don't know why. I have always been athletic and active. Diet is quite good. Sleep a bit iffy; it's great while it lasts.
However, it isn't me that's been the problem. My aged father has had to have a carotid bypass and a hip replacement and relied on my heavily for travel, appointments, recovery, etc. No big deal, except my wife has also had her health problems. Between the two, I have lost my spark and have stalled for nearly two years on my latest layout. Just the past two weeks I have begun to get some mojo back and have been tinkering in the train room. I feel a track laying session coming on.
great looking build mel know what bad hips are like mine are also going , right now i'm working on the John Johnson house off the habr side , would post photo but i don't belong to any storage site . fun build if you put the name in on search you can see it.
Wow Mel......talk about opening a can of worms?...LOL. Just too much to list, in one sitting, so I won't go there. I'm going on My tenth reconstruction right shoulder surgery since 1967, from a infamous gift I got in Vietnam of the same yr. Just had one at the end of July and am due to have another this Sept 11, (of all days) to try and correct the constrictive movement of My shoulder, can't lift My shoulder past My head without terrific pain, I was able to do so before the last surgery with minimal pain. I have six pins in it and sumtin' ain't right........I told them this will be the last time....can't take it anymore......along with My other ailments...eyes, other shoulder, left ankle that gives out when it wants...balance, on constant alert....had a stroke in 2007 and that effected My balance, still learning how to do things without falling......being totally drunk without having a drink, would be how I would describe it...oh, and I forgot about My back...when that gets to hurting due to a pinched nerve in lower vertebra......I try to stand the pain as long as I can without the pain pills, for they are addictive......but it does get one to thinking about the end.....
I take one day at a time and do what My body will let Me......that's all I can do, try not to dwell on it. My spirits are high...family taken care....so I laugh whenever I can.....and found that also helps others around Me. I will be 75 in a 2 months..........
Take Care, All!
Frank
When I was in my early twenties I suffered a bad injury at work and spent almost four months more or less in bed.
.
I buit a trestle. Probably the best model I will ever build, just because there was nothing else I could do.
In preparation for the future, I am remodeling my house, and it will be wheelchair access and include all assist apparatus. My wife and I are OK now, but we are knocking on the door of becoming elderly. I never want to give up my hobbies, so I am planning for what may come.
While you are in your recliner, the scratchbuilding seems like a great idea. That trestle sure kept my spirits up.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
With my declining health I decided to sell off all my older BB and Roundhouse cars and BB locomotives since my oldest Grandson is more into the DCC/Sound and highly detailed cars.
My modeling has almost cease since I'm using my higher detailed RTR cars and engines these will go to my Grandson.
I'm currently slowly working on another 1' x 12' ISL.
After my recent congestive heart failure the old pep in my hobby step has slowed. I still railfan locally.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
RR_Mel . . . at 80 everything takes two to four times longer to heal than in my younger years.
Hey Mel-
Not everything. You seem to be typing as well as ever. No misspellings or anything.
Regarding the porch. I like a big porch too. Down south, we call that a veranda. Wraps around three sides. Move the chairs and tables and iced tea and whatnot depending on the sun, the wind, and/or the rain.
Good luck on your convalescence. Keep us up-to-date on progress. And don't skimp on the photos.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
ROBERT PETRICK RR_Mel . . . at 80 everything takes two to four times longer to heal than in my younger years. Hey Mel- Not everything. You seem to be typing as well as ever. No misspellings or anything. Robert
Luv that Antigue homes site!! Only used it so far for quick paper mock ups in N but they are based on real plans and are a scale size.
In a way, I found the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes to have some positives. I have beem exercising more and have lost some weight. Yes, I've changed my diet somewhat, but I'm not denying myself those things I really enjoy.
I don't believe in giving in to illnesses and injuries. I do what I can to alleviate the symptoms with medications, diet and exercise. I try to be aware of side effects, because they can be worse than the condition they are intended to treat. I discuss negative side effects, and if they bother me too much, the doctor helps by listening to me and adjusting the pills.
I really think too many people, particularly us older folks, give in to the side effects and don't ask for a change. If you are taking Lisinopril for high blood pressure, for example, you may develop a distinctive cough. Tell your doctor. There is no reason to suffer with it. There are alternatives that will work just as well for you.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Mel: Health issues be ****** that mill is wonderful work. Keep up that kind of modeling and people will want to be stuck in the recliner!!
I intend to keep modelling until they pull the #11 blade from my cold dead fingers!
I guess I can relate to you guys too. I'll be 69 in Oct., and my health isn't anything to brag about. I had an aluminum ladder collapse under me in 2007, separated 3 ribs, dislocated 6 vertebras, sprained my right ankle and knee, and bounced my head off the rock hard ground. It took 6 months in a recliner before I could lay down in bed.Then in 2011 I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, lost 50 pounds through diet and exercise, and continue the regimen to maintain my weight. Then in 2013 I had surgery on my left shoulder to remove a bone spur that severed 95% of my bicep tendon while I was doing therapy for frozen shoulders. He also repaired my rotator cuff.Then the big one in 2015. I went to my Dr. For my semi annual blood work and told him about a tightening sensation at the base of my throat when doing heavy work. He said “you’re over 50, a former smoker, and you have diabetes, I would suggest we schedule you for a stress test. Flunked that, so they said we’ll do a heart cath and probably put in a stent or two. Flunked that too. I knew it was bad when the Dr. said “look at all the trash in there”. Turned out to have 85-95% blockage in the arteries. Then he called up the heart surgeon and said he has an opening Friday first thing or on Tues in the afternoon. I said let’s do it Friday and get it over with. So after over 4 hours on the table I wound up with 5 bypasses. That put a serious crimp in my plans for my railroad. I had the basement walls insulated, drywalled, and painted, the new electric run, the floor insulated, and OSB on the floor almost completed. I had to put all that on hold while my sternum knitted back together as I wasn’t allowed to stress the joint. The 2 worst things about the whole ordeal was riding in the back seat of the wife’s car while she sought out every bump in the road, and not being able to run my tractor for a month.But since then I’ve been working almost daily in the 62'x15' section of my basement, and I’m almost ready to start with the other side to extend the layout back to the back side of the first part.Gettin old ain’t for woosies.Joe
I take a whole cocktail of pills. Blood pressure, Type II diabetes, problems after prostate cancer treatment and arthritis in all major joints plus upper and lower spine. I use an electric wheelchair (US built Zinger, which is great fun which I can recommend to anyone with mobility problems).
I am just completing an Open University degree with my project as designing and building an Android app to manage freight car routing. My railroad is fully DCC and runs off a Digitrax wireless set up.
I had my railroad on top of kitchen units. I make my boards of 5mm foam core so I can lift them up and down without effort- I put lots of crossmembers in to keep it all straight. Evetually, I couldn't even stand up at the railroad so I took it down. I took the plinths off the bottom of the units and now I can sit and work on most of it as it is only 2' deep. I find that I can't work for extended periods so I have adjusted my way of working to suit. I am 72 and still having lots of fun.
As an aside, I feed my slow motion DCC switch motors from the side rails of the points. Then if I have an electrical problem, I can cut around the switch, release the rail joiners, lift the switch out, fix it and then, with a few cross members to support it, pop it back into place.
David
Sunset & North Eastern RR
Ipswich, UK
Long Haired DavidA.K.A. David Penningtonmain man on the Sunset and North Eastern R.R.http://www.gmrblog.co.ukfrom the UK
Mel, I see you subscribe to the "when handed lemons, make lemonade." Your perseverance is inspiring.
Some years back while making a long term recovery from a cycling injury I began to feel sorry for myself until remembering my stash of unpainted Preiser and Roco kits, turned out to be a rewarding recuperation.
Wishing you the best, regards, Peter
Mel (and others who posted about their health issues) ... Praying your helath impoves soon.
Peter ... I can relate a little to your story. Instead of a cycling accident, I was in a collision caused by a drunk driver. I, too, had a long term recovery. I built a Fine Scale Miniatures kit during that time.
Larry... I can also relate to your situation. I also have congestive heart failure, and I no longer have the energy I once had. However, I am very thankful for medical treatments which allow me to have a close to normal life.
Happy Model Railroading !
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
30 foot fall AND a 7.2Kv shock and you're still here to talk about it? You may, in fact, be a cat.
RR_Mel Well I have a Hickory House HO scale floor plan. Working from the recliner ain’t to bad. My HP 3500 computer has dual monitor outputs, I scrounged up a couple of 15 foot monitor cables and put my spare monitor next the recliner. My mouse is wireless and I had several keyboard extension cables so I’m in business again. I’ve been using my wife’s laptop and they leave a lot to be desired when working in a CAD program. Notice the Train Room on the second floor. Walls are next. Lots of good input on this thread. Mel Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951 My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Mel,
I'd love to see that Hickory House when built. On the other hand, as a 73 year old, I'd dare not live in it. I'd be spending almost all my time on the second floor, dreaming of and messing with steam engines. That leaves far too many trips up and down stairs on creaky knees to get to the bathroom. Of course there would be the obligatory stops in the kitchen going both diections. Well, probably on the return leg only, now that I think about it.
We all wish you well, Mel.
John
richg1998At seventy six, still dating and dancing. I am a veteran...
Sir, thank you very much for you service to our country. Your sacrifies are not lost on us that pay attention to such things. <salute>
HO-Velo Some years back while making a long term recovery from a cycling injury I began to feel sorry for myself until remembering my stash of unpainted Preiser and Roco kits, turned out to be a rewarding recuperation.
Peter, All that scene is missing is "Allez" written on the pavement in front of the peleton in white chalk or paint. :)
rrinker 30 foot fall AND a 7.2Kv shock and you're still here to talk about it? You may, in fact, be a cat. --Randy