The woes of age

[petefj]

I'm 74 and wife is 70, and we both love our allotment.  We've got it planted out nicely and we are now ready to put in the tomatoes and the plants that can't tolerate frost.  Consequently the conservatory is full of plants, the toms especially looking really good.

And then, my wife has a recurrence of a slipped disk, and she can hardly move, and suddenly my left hip which has been giving me slight pain for months has suddenly flared up and needs replacement according to my GP.  And then what happens to the allotment.

I am really pissed off by this sequence of events.  My only hope is to keep hobbling on until the quiet time in the winter, and hopefully the NHS will still be going then, courtesy of the Tories, and get it fixed then.

Sorry for the rant.  I'm just a little fed up.

Peter

[petefj]

[pumkinlover]

not a rant at all Pete. I'm sure we all sympathise and wish you both well.
Practically can you do things like hoeing to keep the weeds down and less digging. Maybe use a mulch over some areas and leave them fallow so that you can concentrate on a smaller area until you are both back to full health.

[shirlton]

We were both plagued by health problems a couple of years ago. Tony had a hip replacement one year and a hernia op the next. I wasn't enjoying very good health but we just did what we could.We too were worried about getting things done but what doesn't get done this year will get done next.
You must put your health first. The allotment will be there when you are fit and well.
Lets hope you get your HIP (H) OP. soon. Before you know it you will be back in the saddle.
Tony is 83 and has had both hips done and he said that he felt better straight after the op because he didn't have that awful pain.

[bridgehouse]

Chin up Peter, I to have had a lot of health problems, broken femur,infection on my spine .I am telling you this because their is light at the end of the tunnel, I now ,use a walking stick, but I still get to my plot, I had a family friend dig it for me this year, can you not get someone to do the heavy work for you, and you can still enjoy your allotment I wish you all the best
   June.

[antipodes]

Maybe some fellow plotters could give a hand, just at least to plant out your summer crops? Mulch the lot really heavily and the weeds shouldn't be too bad.  There are many "old fellas" on our site who hang around all day, as they are retired and bored. If there are some of those on your site., I am sure that they would give you a little of their time, to tide you over till better times!

[galina]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.  And I hope all will be much better in time.  I had very good relief for awful referred back pain (which showed as severe pain in my hip) from our NHS physio department.  We can make direct appointments without going to the GP first, and my first appointment was quick.  Worth a try for your wife perhaps.

Can you sit and plant?  Upturned builders bucket?  Or kneel?  This could be an option to get these tomatoes planted out.  Do you have help lifting them and transporting them to the allotment?  This is probably the worst part of the job.

You'll manage one way or the other.  Even if this isn't your year for 'best kept plot'  ;D  As others have said, do ask for help,.  There maybe quite a few people who are happy to help and it makes it easier for them to ask a favour of you when they are stuck with something.

[Digeroo]

Sorry to hear your not so grand. Lets hope you can get things fixed. 

Have you thought of a few pumpkins which can ramble about the place and keep the weeds under control.

[cornykev]

As said are there any family or friends that can muck in for a share of the tucka.   ::)

[Dopey]

Its a shame our bodys cant keep up with our brains

[lorna]

Hope you both return to better health soon. As other have said your health is the most important thing.

[petefj]

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement.  We shall keep going with the allotment, as long as we are above ground hopefully.

As someone said, do what you can and leave the rest until another time.  And that's what we'll do.

Peter

[grannyjanny]

Pete. Keep your pecker up. We would help someone in your situation. My OH is having a major op next week so will be laid up for at least a couple of weeks & taking things easy for a few more weeks but people are already offering help as I don't drive. I just need a contraption for on the back of my bike for carrying & I'll be reasonably mobile ;D, hopefully.

[woodypecks]

Hugs. If I was a bit nearer I,d come along and help.Hope you are both feeling better soon .

[pumkinlover]

Its a shame our bodys cant keep up with our brains

If my body was in the same state as my brain I'd be  even more b*****y useless than I am now! ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

I have problems as well; you just have to do what you can. Let someone on the committee know what's happening, and get back to it once you're fit to do so.

[strawberry1]

Hubby has two artificial hips, had a hernia op and has asthma in rapeseed time. He`s 65 and is otherwise fit and cycles a lot ie 180 miles in 3 days but no good for bending, lifting, digging, so the plot is mine to do. Only 100 x 10 feet, including the utility end and fruit but it keeps us in  veg almost all year. I try and pace myself but sometimes I can be up there for three hours and don`t think about aches, until afterwards. I am planning ahead because I won`t be giving up as long as I can cycle there

Getting water to new plants is the hardest thing, so I use tools when I can, like a wheelbarrow to hold two cans. Bindweed is a booger so now I spray with a touch of round up, as digging it out was an endless job. Next year I`ll be changing from low down strawberries to aurumn raspberries. I have planted 3 apple maidens on M26 stocks, with a view to standing up for  picking. My young gooseberries have been given legs, so I can reach down ok. My blackcurrants are ben sarek, so I can sit and pick

I am using raised beds on some of the plot, plastic ones that I can layer up higher and higher, if need be. I am getting hoops permanently into position, even if not needed for certain rotations and I make sandbags so that weighting down is easier. I am making compost all the time and cutting matter up so that my clay soil eventually becomes friable, in the beds at least. I don`t dig anyway but it will make forking up easier in the future.

I would help you op, if I were there. I am sure there must be people up there with time on their hands, who will gladly help

[Jeannine]

Pete, sorry to hear about your meddy problems. Sometimes they can get you right down. This getting older is something many of us can do without. Can you find a handy lad who may be able to do a bit of the heavy stuff till you can get back on track.

Take care and just do the best you can. Somebody will tip in and help surely.

XX Jeannine