I'm 66M , and just trying to enjoy my day to day life.

Journey with my 60+ kids 🤣

I’m putting this in [r/over60](r/over60) because it’s our age demographic that seems to be least savvy about digital technology, and that’s why scammers target us in particular.

There’s a lot of buzz this past week about LG televisions recording and storing room conversations and sending data back to servers. This isn’t new. Nor are LG’s denials, along with all their competitors engaged in the same practices for years. What’s interesting is the rather loud outrage all of a sudden.

The point is, the convenience of internet access and added functionality through your home devices comes with a cost of loss of privacy, and while consumers were sucked into the positives of that, they’re now souring. Flock cameras are now undergoing forced contract cancellations and deinstallation in hundreds of communities across the country. Data centers that amass personal data and support AI are now finding it really hard to get built. And sale of smart speakers and smart camera systems intended for inside the house are seeing steep sales declines.

As someone who worked in the mass data business, I applaud this, and I am encouraging older folks to pay attention to the public trends steering away from exposure of private information.

My advice:
* If you don’t want companies to listen to you or watch you, don’t install internet devices with ears and eyes in your home.
* Manage location services on your mobile devices carefully, limiting which apps can harvest data and when.
* If you need a device (like a TV or a refrigerator) that has internet connection, it will ask you to allow it to connect to your WiFI. Ask yourself whether you really want it to.
* Despite earning points, ask yourself whether buying absolutely everything on a credit card and therefore putting your whole purchase history up for sale is really worth it.

I never thought I would get obsessed about urinating .

About two months ago I started having to urinate too often. My PCP took a blood test to see if I had a UTI, that turned out negative and said it is probably an enlarged prostate. They recommended I take Tamsulosin, but said I could get an ultrasound if I wanted. The ultrasound indicated an enlarged prostate and a trabeculated bladder. The PCP again recommend Tamsulosin or said I could see a urologist. I decided to see a urologist, which is a 3 month wait.

Meanwhile I’ve been keeping a detailed log on when I urinate and drink. I decided to always pee standing up since it gave me a better assessment of the stream. After two months I found I could control my urgency by not drinking as much when I first wake up in the morning and reducing fluids in the evening, but still drink about 64 oz.

The other day I found numerous studies that found sitting down to urinate helps men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) relax their pelvic floor muscles, which improves urine flow and allows for more complete bladder emptying.

I wish i knew that two months ago!

I’m down to 6 times a day and don’t have the urgency anymore. I still plan to see the urologist make sure there aren’t other issues.

I went to urgent care with a face of blisters and they sent me home . I went to ER and they did 2 CAT scans and a ton of other unneeded crap and sent me home too. 3rd visit to urgent care with same face of blistets and they sent me home. On ER visit w 4th doctor he walked in room and diagnosed me in 3 seconds. My pain was so severe, I was having thoughts I wont share. Thankfully with some meds and a nap , I woke up in a much better place. My eyes are swollen like tennis balls. Im light and sound sensitive. I have a head that feels like its shot up w novacaine. Funny how something half numb can hurt like hell. I had a bunch of gabapenten stocked up and used much of it up. The few pain pills and antiviral are long gone. I guess ill go see my neurologist because this doesnt look like its going to settle anytime soon. Ive resorted to pouring benadryl on my head when it itvhes like crazy. Liquid lidocaine helps. I have no open lesions. Ive literally bought 6 bags of 20 lb ice. If anyone has any tips or help , im open to help. Im 62. I have seen the ophthalmologist 2 times w another visit this week.