Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Lockwood
Danny, I have friends up in MI that worked at GM and I other places, that have been retired for 20 years now. Boy did I ever make some not so good decisions... 
When my brother retired at 62 I suggested he keep working to make some extra fun money etc. He was in great health at the time and did retire at 62. Now almost 18 years later he's pretty much wheelchair bound and not going to be around much longer. He'll be 78 in March. He has MSA, Multiple System Atrophy. It's like Parkinson's but without medication and there is no remission as in Parkinson's from time to time. He'll probably just have a cardiac arrest and cease to exist. I'm not looking forward to that though at all... So I'm very happy that he didn't take my advice and keep working another three years. He had many productive years before he's been reduced to a walker and now the wheelchair. His wife has Stage 4 lung cancer and Stage 2 COPD. She has had 1/3 of one lung removed about 12 years ago and it finally is catching up to her again. Her younger sister died of the same thing probably 15 years ago and her mother just passed with the same thing two years ago. Not that it's the cause, but all three were heavy smokers. Yes, I know many people lots older that smoke and are just fine, but I do believe it's giving a person lesser odds of a long life.
Sorry to be Danny Downer the day before Thanksgiving, but I do have thanks for what I have, my wife and son and his family and our extended family back up in mid-MI area.
So Happy Thanksgiving and be thankful for all you have! |
Dan, Happy Thanksgiving as well. Your scenario is exactly why I chose to retire when I did. I watched far too many work that extra few years to get an extra few bucks then die before they even got to do anything. Some lost their spouse first. Not for us. We were lucky and we could do it and were financially set but my wife dodged cancer a mere 5 years after we retired. If it had been worse, that would have been the only 5 years we got to be "free" out of the work place. Again, congrats on the retirement, make those plans and hit the road to make new memories. You'll have a blast.