I am retired and never had an overnight stay in hospital – any one else here the same .

[MrScratch]

50 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Well Mr Scratch consider yourself very lucky, now at 71 in the last 6 years i have clocked up almost 300 nights in hospital here.

So if the were awards for it, i would be a serious contender for first place.

Wow 71 and over the last 6 years 300 nights in hospital , you certainly deserve some sort of award .

 

Can I ask what sort of medical problems , were they varied or just one or two types of issues , and not to be to nosy I would like to ask were all those hospital nights covered by some sort of private health insurance.

[MrScratch]

44 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Not in the last 50 yrs- nope.

Not in the last 50 years , are you saying that for the last 50 years of your life you have not had to stay in a hospital over night .

 

[luckyluke]

70+,

no hospital since 1974 (  one kidney ablation). 

[MrScratch]

12 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

I'm coming up on 65 and have never had an overnight stay in hospital as an adult. I apparently spent a week or so in hospital when I was around 3 years old with scarlet fever (severe streptococcal infection causing a bright red rash all over the body) but I don't fully remember it, so I don't know exactly how long I spent in there. I do remember that I was in some kind of isolation ward (my family could only look at me through a glass pane) and that I was really upset when they had to burn the marvellous wooden train set I'd been given while I was in there. That was apparently standard practice back then, as they weren't fully sure how such infections were spread.

 

I'm fairly sure there is a genetic component to health - my parents are both in their 90's now and only my mother has spent time in hospital and that was only while giving birth to myself and one of my brothers - we were both premature babies. So far (touch wood) neither of my parents has had to spend any time in hospital due to illness.

That's an amazing story and the genetic part is some thing I'm getting more convinced about , if my parents were still both living in their 90's I would certainly be looking forward ( keeping out the way of speeding buses ???? ) to reaching their age .

[Booboo101]

I’m 60 and had just one 2 night stay in Hospital here, excellent care but boy just it cost !

[MrScratch]

Just now, luckyluke said:

70+,

no hospital since 1974 (  one kidney ablation). 

70+ , I'm becoming some what amazed at the numbers of older forum members that seem to have been lucky ( if I can call it that ) and their overnight hospital stays were either none or very low . Its heartening to hear this as apposed to what seems to be a reoccurring topic of older forum members having to spend large amounts of time in hospital .

[MrScratch]

4 minutes ago, Booboo101 said:

I’m 60 and had just one 2 night stay in Hospital here, excellent care but boy just it cost !

At 60 and just one 2 night hospital stay . We must start a club , what could we call it

[MrScratch]

21 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I think it was The Shawshank Redemption where Red said " Get busy living, or get busy dying".

I'm fairly careful with mild exercise, food and alcohol intake. Haven't smoked since 1983. I enjoy riding my scooter here, and learning Thai. Both those help ward off Ahlzheimers. I still play competitive golf.

IMHO my Thai GF ( 23 years younger than me ) keeps me young. If I peg out with her on top of me, I'll have no regrets whatsoever.

It's pointless to fret about when you are going to die. When your number's up, it's up. Enjoy life until then, that's my philosophy.

I wish , really wish I could some how find a distraction that stops me constantly thinking about my age and how long I may have left before the grim reaper points his bony finger at me . I know the time is coming when my number will be called . There must be other forum members here that have the same nagging thoughts about their time left on this planet . But how do they cope ????

[Lacessit]

8 minutes ago, MrScratch said:

70+ , I'm becoming some what amazed at the numbers of older forum members that seem to have been lucky ( if I can call it that ) and their overnight hospital stays were either none or very low . Its heartening to hear this as apposed to what seems to be a reoccurring topic of older forum members having to spend large amounts of time in hospital .

You can thank medical science. The average lifespan in some populations has increased to over 80 for males, and even more for females.

If I had been born in 1800, the controllable conditions I currently have would have killed me before I reached 65.

[villagefarang]

19 minutes ago, MrScratch said:

23 sound young to start living in Thailand , without prying to much I would love to know a bit more on how you came here at that age .

This is probably not the time nor the place for such a long and meandering story.

[MrScratch]

Just now, villagefarang said:

This is probably not the time nor the place for such a long and meandering story.

Thanks for that , may be another pace and another time , but I'm sure it would be an interesting story .

[marcusarelus]

27 minutes ago, MrScratch said:

I love your ‘’ It's nice to wake up in the morning. My wife and dog are happy to see me. ‘’

2 heart and one stomach sounds like a very stressful time , do you like me ever become

worked up thinking about how much time you may have left ????.   How old are you now ?

Close to 80.  Nope, don't worry.  As I went into the OR I said to, no one in particular, "wish me luck." I don't expect some white haired lady on the top of a mountain to greet me when I pass over.  I've lost consciousness a few times.  The world just goes away.  
 

[Jonah Tenner]

4 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

 

I am crazy. But that seems to be a plus. 

 

I would say most of us are crazy, but it is not a competition, and it is an advantage.

[CharlieH]

42 minutes ago, MrScratch said:

Not in the last 50 years , are you saying that for the last 50 years of your life you have not had to stay in a hospital over night .

 

Yes, not since a child for tonsils to be removed.

[DogNo1]

I have had many hospital ???? stays for pneumonia, cancer,  heart ❤ surgery,  a very bad motorcycle accident and a second stay to correct bad surgery initially done after the accident but am now in good shape at 76.  my emphasis has been on recovery and I've done well. I embrace Karl Popper's philosophy that all of life is problem solving. I find that I am less fearful ???? of life if I expect that problems will Pop Up and I am ready to put my efforts into solving them. It's not a panacea though. It just helps a little bit. 

[adammike]

Broke my ankle in 1967 aged 16 I didn't heal so they screwed it together that's the only time I have spent in hospital.Had keyhole surgery on a meniscus in and out same day.will be 68 in June.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Close to 80.  Nope, don't worry.  As I went into the OR I said to, no one in particular, "wish me luck." I don't expect some white haired lady on the top of a mountain to greet me when I pass over.  I've lost consciousness a few times.  The world just goes away.  
 

Anaesthesia is a wonderful thing. I experience it every six months. I do believe it is similar to death, except I simply don't wake up.

[MrScratch]

4 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Yes, not since a child for tonsils to be removed.

That has to be some sort of record

[MrScratch]

4 hours ago, DogNo1 said:

I have had many hospital ???? stays for pneumonia, cancer,  heart ❤ surgery,  a very bad motorcycle accident and a second stay to correct bad surgery initially done after the accident but am now in good shape at 76.  my emphasis has been on recovery and I've done well. I embrace Karl Popper's philosophy that all of life is problem solving. I find that I am less fearful ???? of life if I expect that problems will Pop Up and I am ready to put my efforts into solving them. It's not a panacea though. It just helps a little bit. 

After reading what you have been through its very encouraging to hear that now at 76 your in good shape I'm going to google Karl Popper .

[MrScratch]

4 hours ago, adammike said:

Broke my ankle in 1967 aged 16 I didn't heal so they screwed it together that's the only time I have spent in hospital.Had keyhole surgery on a meniscus in and out same day.will be 68 in June.

Yet another great account for some one soon to be 68

[MrScratch]

5 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Close to 80.  Nope, don't worry.  As I went into the OR I said to, no one in particular, "wish me luck." I don't expect some white haired lady on the top of a mountain to greet me when I pass over.  I've lost consciousness a few times.  The world just goes away.  
 

Close to 80 and Nope don't worry . I wish I could say the same at 70 because I do worry ????

[MrScratch]

 

I’m sad to learn that there’s no such thing as dying from old age and that term is never written on a persons death certificate

 

[CharlieH]

13 minutes ago, MrScratch said:

 

I’m sad to learn that there’s no such thing as dying from old age and that term is never written on a persons death certificate

 

Well, my father passed recently, he was 94, he just went to bed, and didnt wake up. No illness nothing. It was just his time and passing in his sleep like that I think is many peoples wish as a way to go.

No suffering, just, Goodnight.

[Inn Between]

I can't complain in that regard. I had to have some fairly minor operations when I was young and spent a few nights in hospital, but since then I've only ever spent one night due to a broken ankle that needed surgery and couldn't be performed until the next day.

 

The closest I've come to spending a night in a hospital from actually being sick was in Thailand when I finally went in to get some help while suffering from bad diarrhea and bronchitis at the same time. After some treatment, the doctor told me they were going to keep me overnight, which surprised me. When I asked why, I was told it was so they could re-hydrate me using an intravenous drip. I almost laughed at her, but just smiled and assured her that since I was having no trouble at all with keeping things down or swallowing, I was capable of just going home and sipping on the drinks made with the electrolyte powder already provided to take with me. She smiled and quickly agreed, but I guess she was obliged by management directive to make those type of attempts anyway, knowing that most (Thai) people would never question a doctor's recommendations.  

[MrScratch]

31 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Well, my father passed recently, he was 94, he just went to bed, and didnt wake up. No illness nothing. It was just his time and passing in his sleep like that I think is many peoples wish as a way to go.

No suffering, just, Goodnight.

I’m sorry for you loss . 94 years old went to bed and didn't wake up . I can only hope that when my time finally comes , my friends will say , he was 94 and passed away peacefully in his sleep.

 

 

[MrScratch]

25 minutes ago, Inn Between said:

I can't complain in that regard. I had to have some fairly minor operations when I was young and spent a few nights in hospital, but since then I've only ever spent one night due to a broken ankle that needed surgery and couldn't be performed until the next day.

 

The closest I've come to spending a night in a hospital from actually being sick was in Thailand when I finally went in to get some help while suffering from bad diarrhea and bronchitis at the same time. After some treatment, the doctor told me they were going to keep me overnight, which surprised me. When I asked why, I was told it was so they could re-hydrate me using an intravenous drip. I almost laughed at her, but just smiled and assured her that since I was having no trouble at all with keeping things down or swallowing, I was capable of just going home and sipping on the drinks made with the electrolyte powder already provided to take with me. She smiled and quickly agreed, but I guess she was obliged by management directive to make those type of attempts anyway, knowing that most (Thai) people would never question a doctor's recommendations.  

how old are you now ?

[Inn Between]

1 hour ago, MrScratch said:

how old are you now ?

I have to admit to being in only my 64th year of life, so not quite retirement age by NA standards, but not a bad run so far, thankfully. I was blessed with pretty good genetics, I guess, and I've never been drawn to a lot of unhealthy food like sweets and fatty/deep fried stuff. I have also used cannabis regularly for decades, and feel that has made a contribution to avoiding health issues or even having to take any prescription drugs. (I know I'll get slammed for that speculation by the "Reefer Madness" believers, but I don't care). For an older guy who was even stupid enough to have a light (10 per day) cigarette habit for over 40 years, I've been quite fortunate.

 

Life isn't always fair, of course. When I think about my health and then look back on the death of our neighbour's daughter at the age of 21, one has to wonder. The girl was a top collegiate athlete and never touched a drink or a cigarette in her life but died of cancer. The real tragedy was that the loss of her life also virtually killed her parent who both took to the bottle with the intention of drinking themselves into oblivion every night. 

Edited April 15, 2019 by Inn Between

[bikerlou47]

I am 71

Never been in the hospital

I do the obvious things, diet exercise limit my alcohol.

But I believe the main reason is GENETICS.

My paternal grandfather was 100 when he died.

My father is currently 100 and in very good health walks without assistance and still drives short distances.

[CMoldie]

Other than an operation for a squint when I was 10 (squint was treated much later then) I never had a hospital admission in my life.

Then I retired early and moved to Thailand permanently when I was 59. Within 3 months, following extreme weight loss accompanied by severe abdominal pain I got a first diagnosis of Crohn's disease (very rare for the first diagnosis that late in life.)

Then, about 10 months in, I got a very severe flare up which had me in hospital for the first time as an adult, 10 days being fed through a drip in my arm. That was over 2 years ago. I survived and am very well stabilised now.

In it's way it was quite reassuring. You go to a new country, you're bound to ask if you will really be able to cope if things go bad on you. At least I know the answer to that one.

[Spaniel]

I will  be 75 in July and have never had to spend a night in a hospital.     Came here in 1967 and did a lot of drinking/whoring around but I stopped both when I married my Thai wife 30 years ago.    We live in Bangkok.   Staying healthy, a lot has to do with your lifestyle and a bit of luck.    I think exercise really  helps and I get out for two hours a day of brisk walking.