How many 83 year olds do this??????
By mummymo
@mummymo (23706)
December 22, 2007 7:42am CST
Many of you know about my Grandmother who at 83 is amazing and has helped me so much since my health problems began - well I have just had to return part of the favour!
Being very independant (and very stubborn) my Gran recently decided it would be a good idea for her to go into her loft herself and bring down her Christmas decorations - it was just too much hassle to wait until someone could do it in an hour or two! Anyway off she goes up the ladders and starts rooting around up there - next thing she knew she had one foot through the ceiling below and the other jammed against the hatch surround! Eventually she managed to move herself, get downstairs and phone us. She refused to let me take her to hospital or the Dr to get checked out but agreed to let me stay with her to keep an eye on her. Just as well I did as a couple of hours later she collapsed and I had to ring for an ambulance - despite her protests! I was very scared as she was grey and ill but I kept trying to keep her spirits up. The paramedics got her to hospital and it turns out she chipped a tiny bit of bone of her hip and her blood pressure was very low. Luckily she is now out of hospital and doing better but really what is she all about? All I want to know is are there any other 83 year olds out there who would do the same? I hope not - for their families sake if no other reason!!! xxx
5 people like this
16 responses
@mummymo (23706)
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22 Dec 07
Yep I know you would do it - you are just as stubborn aren't you! lol Mind you maybe in the years til you are 83 we will be lucky and you might not be so fiercely stubborn! She is doing much better now - I didn't believe her but my sister she is staying with told me too and I DO believe her! lol xxxx
1 person likes this
@violeta_va (4831)
• Australia
22 Dec 07
oh dear she sounds like my grandmother. She is 85 and lives on her own her sons are in Australia and she lives in Europe. Few years ago I was there but as we have our own house we didnt live with her. Anyway one day we went to see her. And she had few cuts and bruises. I asked what happened and at first he would not tell me. Then she said that she went to the little house at the back (there is a big house where she lives and a small house that was devides between the 4 neighbours and she has 2 rooms that she uses as storage room. She decided to move some roof tiles from the inside and got a ladder and was half on the ladder hals on the suporting wood and the ladder fell so she had to jump as no one could have helped her even if they heard her because they have a high walls between the houses. I still lough when I think about it. We call her supper granny.
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@mummymo (23706)
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22 Dec 07
Yep I definitely see a trend here - it is always the women - do you think women are just more stubborn and independant? My gran had no excuse as there are a lot of family very close by who are only to happy to do anything they can for her! Do you think they are trying to get revenge for all the scares we give them when we are young children? lol I think we should all be grateful that we can laugh - they could really hurt themselves! xxxx
@violeta_va (4831)
• Australia
22 Dec 07
I think its more to do with them trying to prove that thet are able to look after themself and that they can be independant. My husband offered to help her and if she asked or if we saw something that needed to be done he did it no questions asked. But as he was in the army and was only allowed few days off every month and we had a small baby. (my son was 2 weeks when my husband left for the army which was compolsury) She knew that he didnt have lots of time to spend with us so she tried to do everything on her own which was stupid really as my husband loves my grandmother and after all that she has done for us we didnt care if he spend all his free time helping her.
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@mummymo (23706)
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22 Dec 07
I am recovering Mam - wasn't able to move for a day or two after Gran went to my sisters as i had been sitting up so much! Gran is doing much better - my sister told me so I can believe it! She loved her card and the telling off has had everyone in stitches! xxxx
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
22 Dec 07
my mom is 87 and till she had a storke in april she did all the things she always did.
But she was driving with my nephew with her and had got to turn left from the wrong lane scared him almosted peed his pants.
And she did some other stupid stuff that night that was a couple of days before the stroke .
Now they have her in an assistant living place she bemoans that she cant drive any more but told her it was for the best for her and other poeple lol she still wants to do alot for herself but now has short term memory. Good thing she is in this place for the have round the clock nurse there.
So hopeing your grand is doing ok now and is healing ok hugs and blessings to you both
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
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22 Dec 07
Your poor Mum - My Gran had a stroke a few years ago and we were very worried about her but she made a remarkably quick and full recovery - she has never driven though so thankfully we didn't have the problem of convincing her not to drive! Hopefully she is recovering just as quickly from this setback, she certainly seems to be!
Hugs to you and your Mum sweety - tell her that a family here in Scotland are sending all our lovexxx
@Eskimo (2315)
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22 Dec 07
That's the sort of thing my dad did when he was well into his 80's (in fact he moved house at the age of 79), and helped move things himself. One day I found him standing on a wobbly chair changing curtains, so really things like this is normal for an 80 (or more) year old. Perhaps she should have a telephone in the loft (I do, but then I'm a bit more eccentric than most people!!!).
You also have to remember that most old people don't really think about how old they are, and also like to be independent, although there are some who try to milk their age for as much sympathy as they can get.
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@mummymo (23706)
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22 Dec 07
Yeah I know - I think she would lose a lot of spirit and will to keep going if we took away that independance - I guess I am a bit like a Mum letting her kids grow up - I just worry too much! At least I am not an only child and we are all there for her if she does need us! xxx
@mummymo (23706)
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22 Dec 07
I shudder when I think of your Dad on that chair! He is the first man like this I have heard of - the rest have been women! My other half did suggest putting a phone up there but she has promised never to go back up - we'll see! The only time she uses her age as an excuse is when she has been silly or forgets things, we have to be creative to find ways of doing things for her so that she won't think we are pandering to her or trying to look after her too much! xxx
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@mummymo (23706)
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3 Mar 08
Aww thank you Loen! There was a time during all of this that her health and confidence all but disappeared but I am glad to say that she has bounced back, she is back out shopping, playing bowls and helping me out again - in fact she went on a weekend break with some of the family last week! Thank you for your good wishes! xxx
@Loen210 (1540)
• United States
4 Mar 08
Woohoo! Wait-a-go! So glad to hear the great news. She sounds like one tough cookie! Reminds me, I have a beloved 97 year old who is a wonderful, dear friend of mine. I just went on a "date" with him last weekend to go to a lovely concert. He also travels all around the world, giving lessons. And over the summer, ever year, he drives down to Maine (yes, he still drives all over the place), to coach at a musical camp for adults!
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
23 Dec 07
Oh my YES my mum in law who is the same age as your gram has done things like that repeatedly over the past yr or so....She is a VERY spunky woman and with her health declining she's become very stubborn about giving up (in her eyes) what independance she still has..SO mum does things like carrying too much, climbing ladders, not staying in bed when she's been told to by her doc and so on..She's had numerous accidents over the past 12 - 18 months (luckily none of them were TOO bad but at her age with her health ALL of them werent great either ya know).....My husband and I worry about her so much especially since we live an hour away and many of the siblings are either idiots or live in different states! My husband calls her every day though and since he works near her house he stops by during the week to check on her, do any errands and just help out (when she lets him LOL)..
1 person likes this
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
26 Jan 08
Hi mummymo! Even thou this discussion is a month old I hope your grandmom is doing better. Yes she does sound a bit stubborn.LOL My aunt who is 75 is like that. I often worry about her and go over there every week to do my wash but Im really going to see if see needs anything.LOL Her children live very far away from her. I only live a half an hour away. Tell your granny stay off those ladders and I hope she is doing good.
@mummymo (23706)
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26 Jan 08
She is very stubborn and very special terry. She went through a lot more health problems just after I wrote this - but she is on the mend now and regaining her confidence. Thanks for your good wishes Terry and I have to tell you I think she has learned a big lesson now! xxxx
@mummymo (23706)
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14 Feb 08
Lols sweetheart how good to see you I have been thinking about you a lot and been praying that you are ok! My Gran is back to normal now - something we didn't think would ever happen as she lost all confidence as well as all the injuries she gave herself! She is very young and fit or her age - you would never think she was 83, 84 in a few months - not only is she independant she is back to helping me as well! My family all tell me just to let her get on with it as she feels she is useful and when she can't she gets depressed! WE have to be very sneaky when we are trying to help her! Hugs sweety! xxxxx
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
28 Dec 07
I don't know of any 83 year olds that would do what your Grandmother did. I'm sorry to hear that she had hurt herself after all of that and hope that she is recovering well. She is one strong woman!
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@mummymo (23706)
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17 Jan 08
Thank you sweety - I am glad to say that in the last few days she is starting to get better and get some of her confidence back - she kept on telling us she was fine even though it was so obvious that she was anything but! She is very strong but also independant and stubborn! At least we know she won't go back up in the attic again! xxx
@cosylvia (399)
• China
23 Dec 07
no,i know my grandmother is not able to do that,their foot can not walk in weel-balanced,used a third leg,wish you have a good day and bestregards with your family specially your grandmother,,advice the older grandmother could some light exercise..merry christmas
1 person likes this
@xboxboy (5576)
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22 Dec 07
you certainly have your hands filled there! what a independent sole! my gran is in her late 80's and farts like a field of cows in a pasture of rich juicy grass.
she smiles when she does it so we figure it is deliberate and feed her xmas dinner in the shed. too many sprouts to risk chemical extermination for our blood line.
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@xiaojuchina (6)
• China
23 Dec 07
i had a grandmother too, but she is very healthy!if she had a cold, she din't want to go to hospital too!luckily she was healthy till 93!
i think we should persuade them to check monthly in order to keep them healthy!
@raydene (9871)
• United States
22 Dec 07
Sweet Daughter...You do not know how happy I am to see you here and how much I have missed reading your words..
As for Gran..My mother in law will be 90 in May and she would do just the same..She will go out on the porch roof to clean off the snow if my boys don't get there fast enough after a storm!...Needless to say when we get a bit of snow my sons trip over each other to get to Grammy's house to get the snow cleared off before Grammy tries to get out there herself.
Great to have you back Doll
xooxxoxoxo
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@mummymo (23706)
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22 Dec 07
Mom I have missed you so much! Sorry the kids haven't been in touch but Niall was banned from the internet so I couldn't get him to email you (got to have some punishment that works!) Another woman who is still doing so much in her more mature years - have you noticed it is all women? We are always trying to do things before she tries but she is very sneaky you know! lol Hugs xxxx
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
22 Dec 07
This is how my mother got into the predicament she is in today. She was 80 and being the independant woman she always was she climbed on a ladder in her apartment to change some curtains and fell off the ladder! She broke her foot and has had two surgeries on it in the last two years. Now she's not quite so independant any more and hopefully has learned her lesson. I was supposed to go to her apartment to do it the day after she did it but she was too stubborn to wait!
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
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22 Dec 07
What are they like? I sometimes wish I could wrap my gran in cotton wool but I know it is impossible! Your poor Mum seems to have suffered terribly for her independance - please give her a hug from me and tell her she is not alone! Everyone at the hospital has told my Gran how lucky she was - she could so easily have broken her hip and if she had not managed to get herself out of the loft the cold would have killed her - the warmest the temperature got that day was -6!
Good to see you sweety! xxx
