Could have planned better

by Nancy
(South Bend, IN)

Just before my 65th birthday, I decided it was time to retire. My husband had been happily retired for 8 years and I thought I was ready to join him.

My game plan for the first year was to move around just enough that no one would mistake me for dead! I planned to sleep late, stay up late, do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it.

Life was going to be great. After all, I had anticipated this day for 47 years.

While we do enjoy road trips on occasion, most of our time is spent at home or with friends and family. Our hobbies are reading, watching TV, internet and some yard work, depending on the Indiana weather.

The first 4 months of my retirement were exactly what I had hoped for. The stress was gone, I would never again be under a boss's thumb, and I had never been more relaxed.

Then something happened. One of my classmates passed away, another co-worker was in the process of dying, a cousin died and another friend was diagnosed with a very serious illness.

Suddenly, I questioned my own mortality more than ever before. I wondered what I would do with the rest of my life, beyond finding new ways to entertain myself. I became clinically depressed, no longer interested in the trips to the beach, shopping, dinners out. Nothing seemed to matter. I became anxious, waking after a few hours of sleep with trembling and mind racing. And retirement started to suck!

At about the same time, I developed an illness that will require surgery in the next couple of weeks. Having been healthy all my life, this was a major shock and of course disappointment.

Currently, I have started antidepressants which I know take a month to reach full effect, and an antianxiety drug.

After the surgery recovery, I plan to find ways to volunteer in the schools in my area and have signed up for a "forever learning" course where I hope to meet new friends who are also retired.

Until then, wish me luck and take a lot of time to plan what you will do after retirement.

Sincerely,
Nancy

Comments for Could have planned better

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Anxious and alone
by: Anonymous

I am having a rough time currently also. My wife and I planned a trip to Fla this Nov but with my mother in asst living 96 and doesn't drive anymore and a niece currently dying of cancer (she is 59) with hospice and depends on me for transportation, I fear that we will have to reconsider.

I just bought a travel letter which I financed (which worries me)... Got ten years, I'll be 76, although I can afford it I guess. My wife insists that we can go which makes it harder on me she just doesn't seem to understand. My mother and my niece are really the only family I have left.

it's all pretty much closing in on me and I just feel like running away from it all.

Life.....
by: Kay/Raleigh

Life is what happens while we are making plans.


Could have planned better...
by: Michelle/CA

We all have seasons in our lives. I am there with you. 4 family members passed since January.

I retired June 12 this year. We moved to a retirement community, restoring little old home and downsizing, traveled all summer. I, too, wonder what retirement will be like when all the crazy move is complete.
All is still more enjoyable than job stress and traffic!

Be strong, because we know we were once strong in our jobs. We can do it!

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