Dinner Table Talk

OK, recently I was at an event where there were women of all ages - from about 22 to about 72. We were at a restaurant and it was a pretty large group, so there were many different conversations going on. I happened to be in the section of the table where the following occurred:

The women at my end of the long table were all different ages/generations and we were talking about fun things to do around the Dallas/Fort Worth area and where we were all from. Seems neutral and interesting, huh? Yep, it was. We were all contributing to and participating in the conversation and it was very enjoyable.

Then the food that we ordered arrived. At the time of the food arriving, one of the older ladies (maybe late-60's) was talking about her elderly mother and how it was getting harder for her to get around and do things. Then we all start eating......

(insert: record scratching halt!)

The minute we all start eating our food, she takes the conversation about her mother in a VERY GROSS direction. She begins the inevitable transition into 'all of the medical problems her 90-something mother has.' UGGGHHH. As someone who is grossed out by a lot of medical things, I was probably the most horrified by the change in conversation.

The things she discussed WHILE WE WERE EATING were so disgusting! A sampling of some of the topics would be: vein stripping in her legs (in great detail), the fear that she might have shingles, retina issues behind her eyeballs, etc. I was sooooo creeped out and I was sitting next to her so I couldn't just ignore it or pretend it wasn't happening!

WHY OH WHY do older people think that 1. people want to know this crap and 2. it's appropriate for you to discuss while people are eating??!! I just don't get it! These are usually very proper women who have old-fashioned values and manners in all other ways, but for some reason, they lose all of their appropriateness when this subject comes up.

Am I the only one who thinks this is crazy?!