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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To Ask What Has Prematurely Aged You Recently?

100 replies

Skinnermarink · 16/10/2022 20:48

I’ve just had one of those weeks.

I was hanging out by the mirror earlier to see if a pair of flared tweed trousers from French Connection in 2012 fit (obviously not) and I caught sight of my face, and two white hairs. I am 36 and will never be able to afford any work anyway so I’m not devastated, and I do have quite a good retinol night cream from TK Max when I can be arsed to put it on, but I think it’s this weekend that’s proper knocked it, maybe for good. Here is why.

On Friday morning as I was getting the buggy out of the cupboard in the hallway outside our flat, a mouse leapt up at my face, landed on my shoulder and jumped down to the floor and then I had to sort of bodily block it from running in the flat. I succeeded but my nerves were shot. It probably hitched a ride from thé disgusting nursery buggy shed that has a carpet of the remnants of Organix oatie bars but anyway it had a lovely evening feasting on a lotus biscuit I got when I went to the hairdressers for Christmas and slung in there.

I wasn’t caffeinated at this point.

Friday get the dreaded call from nursery, 1 year old DS has a temperature, I won’t bore you but the upshot was an ear infection, we got medicine, he found a way to store the antibiotic in his cheek when syringed then eject the luminous yellow liquid onto the carpet, his new sleeping bag that I went without getting new contact lenses to buy so he’s warm, (I wear one to eek them out, it’s fine I don’t drive)

This morning he has a rash, blisters on his feet even though he can’t really be arsed to do walking, and the upshot of that is he has hand foot and mouth.

He’s obviously feeling very sorry for himself and his getting a lot of care and cuddles. I’m however stressed at how we have to tag time more time off work when he’s already had a load of sick days off nursery with a shitty bum. work have not been impressed. The laundry is piling up, the shower screen looks shit, we are shitting it about bills etc, I was going to do a nice chilli from the Mary Berry book but really, I’m going to have potato waffles with cheese on top and open a wine.

i would like to caveat that YES I know times are hard (I really do know) but this is supposed to be lighthearted. I know I’m lucky to have a face, even one that is a bit aged. And DS will obviously recover, it’s just one nursery shit illness after another atm (which I also get. I had ulcers over my mouth all last week, and you’d think that would make me not want to be eat and be thin, but did it buggery)

I don’t even like going to work, I’d rather stay at home and make sure DS isn’t constantly an incubus of viral plague, but obviously I do actually have to.

Anyone else had a time recently and wants to vent?

OP posts:
MuddlingThrough1724 · 16/10/2022 21:10

Kids, and kids during a pandemic - I've aged about a decade in 3 or so years!

Skinnermarink · 16/10/2022 21:58

Ooh yep, kids through a pandemic would have been rough

OP posts:
SwedishDeathCleaner · 16/10/2022 22:22

My teenage son

ashitghost · 16/10/2022 22:23

Cancer

JlL2013 · 16/10/2022 22:36

@ashitghost same, it also gave me the menopause as an extra fuck you.

Babdoc · 16/10/2022 22:47

30 years of grieving widowhood and single parenthood, stressful job as hospital doctor, coping with DD’s autism and depression, topped off by me getting long Covid for the last two and a half years. I look about 20 years older than my chronological age. (Unsurprisingly)

thewaitislong · 16/10/2022 22:49

Adult siblings who (in their 40s) still keep fighting and being jerks also pulling me into it

Fleetheart · 16/10/2022 22:55

my ds has aged me; he has been in some situations - i’m surprised i have not gone grey. icing on the cake was a dawn raid from the police. he is going straighter now but it really has been a challenging time.

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 16/10/2022 22:57

DD was halfway through yr 1 when Covid lockdown started and my work didn't furlough anyone just cut our salary by 20% temporarily to combat the losses and 'retain jobs' and I live in Leicester which was the first 'local lockdown' so school was out for a really long time. Gotta say I aged a good 10 yrs in that year of home schooling a curious, bright and oh so energetic 5-6 yr old while working full time from the corner of my living room 😂 Since then It's mainly the vast amounts of chocolate, cake and crisps and the very very small amount of exercise.

Notjustanymum · 16/10/2022 23:18

Mumsnet😂😂😂

Sugarplumfairy65 · 16/10/2022 23:19

Having one incurable cancer then being diagnosed with another totally unrelated one. I seem to have aged 20 years over the last 5 years.

nonstoprenovation · 16/10/2022 23:23

Covid, long covid, surgery, covid andddd covid 3 times, 4 hospital stays and I'm on first name terms with the paramedic's.

I look about 10 years older than I did in 2020, I want my 40s back please.

december2020 · 16/10/2022 23:24

Pregnancy, early birth (36w), fourth trimester, and maternity leave all during lock downs and the pandemic.

Labour alone in the hospital, midwives getting annoyed and snappy with me telling me it's a UTI (actually back contractions due to DS's position, causing contractions up my spine and was 7cm dilated).

Safe to say, I've got a few grey hairs, aged but trucking on.

DumpedByText · 16/10/2022 23:28

A nasty bout of Covid. I look awful, dry skin, spots and I just look old! 😭

knockyknees · 16/10/2022 23:49

Cancer.

Runnerduck34 · 16/10/2022 23:56

4 DC, One DC had a life threatening illness but now thankfully fully recovered.
Another DC with SEN.
Financial worries at various times.
And now the menopause
I was watching a documentary on the Queen recently and was thinking how good her skin and figure was when she was my age and how active she was.
I am always on the go but I'm now aware flexibility isn't as good and my knees seem shot!
Was thinking I won't make 96!!
I think prolonged stress and caring for others and putting yourself last often ages you quicker.

Phrenologistsfinger · 16/10/2022 23:58

Lost pregnancies in double figures 2020-21. 5 rounds of IVF in 2022. Impending climate catastrophe, the erosion of democracy in the UK and war.

Phrenologistsfinger · 17/10/2022 00:00

Oh and facing a a life without the children I so desperately wanted to have. Hating every pregnant woman and mother with young children that I see.

stitchinguru · 17/10/2022 00:02

Losing my eldest son on Christmas Day 2019.. shortly before lockdown.
The last 3 years have been a shit show and I feel about 100!

StarfishBrain · 17/10/2022 00:03

Stress

StarfishBrain · 17/10/2022 00:04

I'm so sorry @stitchinguru 😔

december2020 · 17/10/2022 00:04

@stitchinguru I'm so sorry for your loss Flowers
That's horrific and shit in ever way.

Merryoldgoat · 17/10/2022 00:06

My children.

Particularly dealing with the relentless sickness since they went back to school. At least 10 days off between them in 7 weeks.

Currently up with one. Just thankful he’s not crouping as I can’t face A&E tonight.

aweebitwabbit · 17/10/2022 00:06

In the last ten months, two major bereavements - one very sudden and traumatic, one parent moving abroad, other parent sectioned and then given a terminal diagnosis, the associated fall out around that situation, clearing their house, moved house myself a distance of 150 miles, lost a hell of a lot of my property as could only take what I could carry, and developed covid twice .

Needless to say I look knackered .

Merryoldgoat · 17/10/2022 00:06

@stitchinguru

That’s so awful. I’m so sorry.