7.16.2009

Getting Old

I love British sitcoms. I love the humor. They are not for everyone, but they are definitely for me! There is one in particular that I love called "As Time Goes By." Here is the basic plot according to IMDB:

Lionel and Jean were lovers many years ago at the time of the Korean War. They are separated by a misunderstanding but meet again by chance when Lionel needs a secretary from Jean's firm. He takes her daughter, Judy, out on a date and discovers she is Jean's daughter. The two reunite and fall back in love.

Well, as they reconnect when both of them are considerably older some of the humor revolves around getting old. In one particular episode that I saw recently on my local PBS station the character played by Palmer suffers throughout the episode with painful leg cramps.

This was all well and good while I watched it. I thought it was funny. Well, leg cramps as a humor device became infinitely less funny to me when I was painful awakened by a leg cramp in the middle of the night--I mean really painful. Painful like I jumped up out of bed from a deep sleep to try to save myself painful.

And so I am getting old and am starting to have painful leg cramps and I have a gray hair and I don't at all care for the Jonas Brothers--although that last one may have more to do with good taste than with the fact that I am getting old or at least older.

6 comments:

Science Teacher Mommy said...

Try calcium supplements (I pound them during pregnancy to avoid waking up with leg cramps) and hair dye. My grandmother is 80 years young and still a red head. Fight it, honey.

And I love "My Family."

Jillian said...

A gray hair? As in ONE? I'm apparently older than you in that aspect.

Eating bananas has seemed to help me avoid leg cramps. I think it's the potassium in them. It's worth a try!

chosha said...

Magnesium. I've always been troubled with leg cramps and I used to stretch the calf muscles a lot and be crazy diligent about hydrating in order to stop it from happening. Then my doctor told me to take magnesium. Not only does it specifically prevent cramps, but it also aids muscle recovery and development if you exercise regularly. I've gone off it a few times (when I run out usually) and then remembered to buy some when I can feel the leg muscles starting to threaten to cramp after I go to the gym. EVERY time, the magnesium has stopped it. Excellent stuff. (Still need good hydration, of course.)

Feeling for you, though. Waking up with leg cramps is horrible - scary and painful. Just trying to get out of bed so I can stretch the muscles out properly is excruciating. And then I'm too scared to go back to sleep.

Denise said...

I have been there with the leg cramps!!! Ouch. I was told to eat bananas, up my calcium and magnesium, in the meantime you have to get out of bed and stand completely on that leg. It is scary because it hurts so badly, but the weight makes the pain disappear immediately.

Natasha and Jesse said...

Calcium or eating bananas or stretching your leg out (even though it's painful), works for me when I have cramps. I just found your blog through Segullah and I hope you don't mind me commenting. As Time Goes By is one of my favorite shows on TV- it's so good!

Courtney said...

Natasha you are always welcome!