Muh Muh Muh My Corona (virus)

As people age, the calcium leaches out of their bones. Generally it's because they don't take enough in through milk and other food. The heart requires a certain amount of Ca in order to work right, and if it is not in your diet then the body pulls it out of your bones. It's why Calcium and Vitamin D supplements are a thing for elders. This is also why Dr's have bone density studies done, to see if people have osteoporosis. That's basically bones that have lost so much calcium that they're no longer solid. On x-ray, you can look at a bone that should be solid, like one of your vertebrae, and instead of solid it looks like a picture frame. Calcium around the edges but hollowed out. Sometimes those vertebrae collapse from a box into a wedge shape, just collapse. That's called a compression fracture. Those are a big reason you see little old ladies with a "dowager's hump", all bent over forward and looking down at the floor. Two or three of those and it is very difficult to stand completely erect. Osteoporosis occurs to some degree in all older people, but it is particularly common in small, fine boned women.

Falls are very dangerous for old people because they aren't the active falls of youth. They fall because they trip and can't catch themselves, or lose their balance. You can take very serious damage simply by falling from a standing position. Add that even if they get a hand out in front as they fall, they are far more likely to break an arm or wrist than a young person.

And yes, hips have a place that is so likely to break that it is named the "surgical neck" of the femur, the thigh bone. It's just below the ball at the top of the femur. Same on the shoulder, actually, just below the ball at the top of the upper arm. Poor design, I wanna speak to the manager. I've had little old ladies walk into the clinic on a broken hip, limping. Shoot the XR and the femur is broken at the surgical neck and the shaft of the femur has slid up inside the ball. One leg's an inch, inch and a half shorter, so they limp, and yeah it hurts, "but hell, they aren't gonna call an ambulance, just get me to the doctor's office, that shit costs $1,500, you crazy?" Then we'd call the boys and they'd get an ambulance ride anyhow - but it would have a diagnosis code attached and their insurance would pay for it. SMH at our medical system.

 

As others mention, I think hip fractures are particularly hazardous for seniors for all those reasons: age related bone loss, osteoporosis, declining flexibility and balance which leads to more forceful impact and less ability to absorb them. I was thinking the other day about playing touch football (and real football) in my youth; I slammed into the ground all the time and thought nothing of it. Now the doctors want me to be conscious of balance.

I think bone loss or osteoporosis would have to be a really severe case to have fractures from normal daily walking. But I believe it is not unheard of.

My aunt hadn't been in a pattern of falling. I think she was using a cane but it was mainly ornamental. But one fall can do it.

 

Sorry to hear it Starman.

 

I skateboarded a lot when I was a kid. I had a real manufactured skateboard (as in not made from someone's sisters skates and a piece of wood) by 1964. I poke around in the Longboard forum on Reddit and get a jones to skate - but I look at the risk and have not sprung for a board. Sad. There's the "live your life, go for it" argument, and then there's the "I don't wanna break my wrist" counterargument.

 

My condolences.

 

Happy Early 2nd Birthday to COVID in America.

A March 11 COVID Oral History: Tom Hanks, NBA, And The WHO

 

I remember asking my family, on Christmas Eve, if anyone had heard about the new pneumonia in china. For some reason, once I saw the info in a tweet, I followed the daily death count in china, then ours started.

 

Condolences, Starman!

 

My birthday will forever be associated with damn world pandemic day. Oh well.

Took a home test last night upon return and it came back negative as well, so I seemed to have dodged it. It's almost like vaccines and common sense measures like wearing a mask in heavily crowded common spaces work or something.

 

I still haven't gotten my free tests. I have to say - even though Biden's administration took COVID seriously from the jump, I don't know if I would give their efforts more than a C-plus. A lot of mixed messaging, a lot of fights that didn't have to be fought, about the only thing they did do was flood the country with government spending (some of it clearly dubious).

 

Got mine and just ordered more.

 

Yep, another batch of 4 is available. And you can order i
t twice.