A milestone in my life

On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:33:02 -0700, "HellSickle"
<jldnospameeney RemoveThis @comcast.spammer.net> wrote:

>
>"Dean H." <moto RemoveThis @groove.calm> wrote in message
>news:7NWdnaqHcKduLyzanZ2dnUVZ_smnnZ2d@comcast.com...
>>
>> "XR650L_Dave" >
>>> happened at 40 on the dot.
>>
>> Me too. And that's exactly what the doctor told me too. It happens at 40.
>>
>> Dean
>> 47 now...
>
>Neener, neener...
>
>I'll be 50 in May. Still with single correction glasses. At -8 diopters, I
>can pull my glasses off and reading the numbers on the smallest jets (with a
>focal range between 4 and 4.5"
>
>With my contacts in, I've resorted to reading glasses for the past 2 years.
>One set in the garage, one at work, on in the kitchen.... This is a big
>reason I'm reluctant to look into Lasik.

Turned 50 2 months ago. I probably could use bifocals, but I told
the eye doc that I refused. His reply: "good. The longer you
hold out, the better". I'm keeping this doc.

I'm with Bev on the Lasik; why operate on perfectly healthy
tissue?


----
Go fast and aim for where the trees aren't.
----
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life 

Craig wrote:

> Good news and bad news on the eyes.
>
> The good news is that I still have 20/20 vision both near and far, so
> apparently last night was related to eye strain, poor light, etc. My
> near vision may have gone from really great to just great.
>
> The bad news is that my intraocular pressure is "borderline high" and
> my optic nerves look "suspicious." Those issues are related to
> glaucoma. More testing scheduled for next week. Neither seemed to
> scare the eye doctor, so I guess it's just something I'll have to, uh,
> keep an eye on.

The good news is that damage to the optic nerve is visible to the doctor
long before YOU notice it. The other good news is that the drops fix
it. The bad news is that the drops are expensive. The good news is
that the drops are cheaper than blindness.

--
Cheers,
Bev
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"It doesn't get any easier - you just go faster."
-- Greg Lemond
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life 

scrape wrote:

> On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:33:02 -0700, "HellSickle"
> <jldnospameeney DeleteThis @comcast.spammer.net> wrote:
>>"Dean H." <moto DeleteThis @groove.calm> wrote:
>>> "XR650L_Dave" >
>>>> happened at 40 on the dot.
>>>
>>> Me too. And that's exactly what the doctor told me too. It happens at 40.
>>>
>>> Dean
>>> 47 now...
>>
>>Neener, neener...

I started wearing glasses when I was 38 and got bifocals maybe 5 years
later.

>>I'll be 50 in May. Still with single correction glasses. At -8 diopters, I
>>can pull my glasses off and reading the numbers on the smallest jets (with a
>>focal range between 4 and 4.5"
>>
>>With my contacts in, I've resorted to reading glasses for the past 2 years.
>>One set in the garage, one at work, on in the kitchen.... This is a big
>>reason I'm reluctant to look into Lasik.
>
> Turned 50 2 months ago. I probably could use bifocals, but I told
> the eye doc that I refused. His reply: "good. The longer you
> hold out, the better". I'm keeping this doc.
>
> I'm with Bev on the Lasik; why operate on perfectly healthy
> tissue?

It would be SO cool to be able to see without glasses, though. The bad
part is that there are no guarantees and there is a non-zero chance that
you come away from the surgery with worse vision than you had when you
wore glasses AND it can't be fixed. The slightly less bad part is that
you might get halos that prevent you from driving at night.

Bifocals are just for emergency reading. I have bifocals for distance,
bifocal sunglasses for distance, an older pair of bifocals the distance
part of which seems to work just fine for the computer at roughly 2.5
feet, and a pair of reading glasses. When I wear my contacts I have a
selection of reading glasses for various activities as well as a
collection of sunglasses.

Astigmatism and farsightedness ain't for wimps -- at least myopes can
see SOMETHING clearly when they take their glasses off.

--
Cheers,
Bev
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"It doesn't get any easier - you just go faster."
-- Greg Lemond
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life 

On Feb 12, 5:38 pm, oldfart <alan.westco....DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote:
> I will be 57 this year. I have had so many things go wrong in the last
> year and a half it isn't funny. My beard and moustache are solid grey
> too. I have finally come to terms with all of this. I have come a long
> way. I have come further than some of my good riding partners even
> came close to doing. This is all OK because I must have done a few
> things right to have lasted this long. I now consider getting old an
> honor. Yeah I have learned to live with a few unpleasant things but I
> no longer mind. I don't do some of the stupid things I used to do when
> I was younger and killed some of my friends but I still ride and work
> on dirtbikes. Life is good indeed. OF

I'm as old and gray. Last year I raced a full season in the top age
group available at that track. It was my first year in that group and
so I was the young guy. There are guys who have ten or more years on
me who show up almost every weekend. It's an hour long race on a MX
track and open woods combo stuff. It's very unlikely I'll be doing
the same in ten years given my current path. The group get seriously
thin as age increases. I may have found out what I wanna be when I
grow up.
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life 

On Feb 13, 12:22 am, The Real Bev <bashley101+use...@gmail.com> wrote:
> scrape wrote:
> > On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:33:02 -0700, "HellSickle"
> > <jldnospamee... DeleteThis @comcast.spammer.net> wrote:
> >>"Dean H." <m... DeleteThis @groove.calm> wrote:
> >>> "XR650L_Dave" >
> >>>> happened at 40 on the dot.
>
> >>> Me too. And that's exactly what the doctor told me too. It happens at 40.
>
> >>> Dean
> >>> 47 now...
>
> >>Neener, neener...
>
> I started wearing glasses when I was 38 and got bifocals maybe 5 years
> later.
>
> >>I'll be 50 in May. Still with single correction glasses. At -8 diopters, I
> >>can pull my glasses off and reading the numbers on the smallest jets (with a
> >>focal range between 4 and 4.5"
>
> >>With my contacts in, I've resorted to reading glasses for the past 2 years.
> >>One set in the garage, one at work, on in the kitchen.... This is a big
> >>reason I'm reluctant to look into Lasik.
>
> > Turned 50 2 months ago. I probably could use bifocals, but I told
> > the eye doc that I refused. His reply: "good. The longer you
> > hold out, the better". I'm keeping this doc.
>
> > I'm with Bev on the Lasik; why operate on perfectly healthy
> > tissue?
>
> It would be SO cool to be able to see without glasses, though. The bad
> part is that there are no guarantees and there is a non-zero chance that
> you come away from the surgery with worse vision than you had when you
> wore glasses AND it can't be fixed. The slightly less bad part is that
> you might get halos that prevent you from driving at night.
>
> Bifocals are just for emergency reading. I have bifocals for distance,
> bifocal sunglasses for distance, an older pair of bifocals the distance
> part of which seems to work just fine for the computer at roughly 2.5
> feet, and a pair of reading glasses. When I wear my contacts I have a
> selection of reading glasses for various activities as well as a
> collection of sunglasses.
>
> Astigmatism and farsightedness ain't for wimps -- at least myopes can
> see SOMETHING clearly when they take their glasses off.
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Bev
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> "It doesn't get any easier - you just go faster."
> -- Greg Lemond


I've been wearing glasses for pretty much just astigmatism since 17 or
so. Always been better than 20/20 with 'em on.

Raised hell with my depth perception, though.

DDave
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life 

On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:22:12 -0800, The Real Bev
<bashley101+usenet@gmail.com> wrote:


>> I'm with Bev on the Lasik; why operate on perfectly healthy
>> tissue?
>
>It would be SO cool to be able to see without glasses, though. The bad
>part is that there are no guarantees and there is a non-zero chance that
>you come away from the surgery with worse vision than you had when you
>wore glasses AND it can't be fixed. The slightly less bad part is that
>you might get halos that prevent you from driving at night.

It would also be SO cool to win the Powerball jackpot. And I know
people personally that have experienced exactly what you describe
above. I've worn glasses for 40 years or so and have pretty much
gotten used to them.


----
Go fast and aim for where the trees aren't.
----
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life 

On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 05:00:26 -0800 (PST), FiftyPlus
<aldavis DeleteThis @mich.com> wrote:

>On Feb 12, 5:38 pm, oldfart <alan.westco... DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote:
>> I will be 57 this year. I have had so many things go wrong in the last
>> year and a half it isn't funny. My beard and moustache are solid grey
>> too. I have finally come to terms with all of this. I have come a long
>> way. I have come further than some of my good riding partners even
>> came close to doing. This is all OK because I must have done a few
>> things right to have lasted this long. I now consider getting old an
>> honor. Yeah I have learned to live with a few unpleasant things but I
>> no longer mind. I don't do some of the stupid things I used to do when
>> I was younger and killed some of my friends but I still ride and work
>> on dirtbikes. Life is good indeed. OF
>
>I'm as old and gray. Last year I raced a full season in the top age
>group available at that track. It was my first year in that group and
>so I was the young guy. There are guys who have ten or more years on
>me who show up almost every weekend. It's an hour long race on a MX
>track and open woods combo stuff. It's very unlikely I'll be doing
>the same in ten years given my current path. The group get seriously
>thin as age increases. I may have found out what I wanna be when I
>grow up.

Met a guy this past weekend whose regular riding crew includes a
78 year old on a CR500 that regularly waxes guys in their 20s. He
rides it in the woods.

For the most part, getting old happens because you let it.



----
Go fast and aim for where the trees aren't.
----
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life 

On Feb 13, 3:45 pm, "HellSickle" <jldnospamee... RemoveThis @comcast.spammer.net>
wrote:
> You guys are starting to depress me.
>
> Just as depressing, my 18YO told me last week that she doesn't see any point
> in living beyond 50YO.
>
> T-minus 3 months, 4 days...
>
> I'll be 50 on the same day we are having her graduation party. I'm thinking
> that black balloons & black cake are in order for her.


Normal looking choc cake with lotsa cloves...


DDave
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life 

***********************************
>On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:40:16 -0800 (PST), Craig <googlegroupmail RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote:

>On Feb 12, 12:46 pm, Brokein2 <nada... RemoveThis @gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Just wait till you find out it wasn't the eye department that you made
>> an appointment in...
>> When they have you put your feet in the Stirupps...you can start to
>> worry.
>
>Speaking from experience?
>
>Good news and bad news on the eyes.
>
>The good news is that I still have 20/20 vision both near and far, so
>apparently last night was related to eye strain, poor light, etc. My
>near vision may have gone from really great to just great.
>
>The bad news is that my intraocular pressure is "borderline high" and
>my optic nerves look "suspicious." Those issues are related to
>glaucoma. More testing scheduled for next week. Neither seemed to
>scare the eye doctor, so I guess it's just something I'll have to, uh,
>keep an eye on.
>
>Craig
***********************************

Due to an (incorrect) diagnosis of too high eye pressure, I use
glaucoma drops for two years recently. (I was properly diagnosed about
two years ago, and discontinued the drops. Some of those drops have
weird side effects, from extremely long "rogue" eyelashes to extreme
irritation, so be careful and pay attention to the side effects.)
It seems that corneal scar tissue resulting from the RK surgery I had
15 years ago was causing the conventional "puff test" at my eye doctor
and at another "computer test" I had done (at a supposedly "top in the
state" eye specialty clinic in Little Rock) to read "high pressure".

I went to a specialist in El Dorado (locally) to get another
opinion, and he told me I had no problem with intraocular pressure.
When I asked him about the other doctors findings, he explained to me
about the scarring (resulting from the RK surgery) causing incorrect
readings in some of the older methods of testing, and stated that the
other doctors should have known.
I no longer see those eye doctors, and the discontinuation of the
glaucoma drops has not caused any increase of intraocular pressure. I
think my last reading was 13 & 15, in my left and right eye,
respectively.
I see 20/20 out of my left eye, and 40/20 out of my right eye, with
a bit of astigmatism. Since I was already used to wearing glasses, I
just kept wearing them, so that I could have the best vision possible.
But, around the age of 48, I had to have bifocals to read. There was
no putting it off. Without bifocals, most writing looks like
hieroglyphics to me.

I can see to ride without glasses, but my depth perception is better
with them; so I use them when I ride.

Good Riding and Seeing to You!

Jim
Wudsracer/Jim Cook
Smackover Racing
'06 Gas Gas DE300
'82 Husqvarna XC250
Team LAGNAF
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life 

You guys are starting to depress me.

Just as depressing, my 18YO told me last week that she doesn't see any point
in living beyond 50YO.

T-minus 3 months, 4 days...

I'll be 50 on the same day we are having her graduation party. I'm thinking
that black balloons & black cake are in order for her.
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life 

HellSickle wrote:

> You guys are starting to depress me.
>
> Just as depressing, my 18YO told me last week that she doesn't see any point
> in living beyond 50YO.

I didn't take up skiing until I was 45. If I'd checked out at 50 I
would have had only 5 years of skiing. What a waste it would have been.

Smack the kid. Sometimes they just need it.

> T-minus 3 months, 4 days...
>
> I'll be 50 on the same day we are having her graduation party. I'm thinking
> that black balloons & black cake are in order for her.

Excellent! If you can't get a mold for making coffin-shaped cakes, make
one.

--
Cheers, Bev
=====================================================================
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is it such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on usenet?
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life 

On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:45:59 -0700, "HellSickle"
<jldnospameeney.DeleteThis@comcast.spammer.net> wrote:

>Just as depressing, my 18YO told me last week that she doesn't see any point
>in living beyond 50YO.

She will when she's 48 or so.


----
Go fast and aim for where the trees aren't.
----
 >> Stay informed about: A milestone in my life