Originally Posted by carviewsonic
There was a good thread started by CUJET that covered a similar topic,
guess I'm just looking for reassurance that I'm doing the right thing.
I've made my mind up. I'm retiring at the end of this year. No need to restate my health issues, other than things went bad sooner, faster and harder than I ever expected. Although I've had a bit of a reprieve lately.
Clearly, there are many things that roll into the equation. My home (and wife) is in Jupiter, FL and I had a second place in PA for the last 2 years. A nice cabin to stay at while I work up north. Imagine my surprise this week when my wife mentioned things were much better at my FL home when I was up in PA... We get along great, but she clearly likes her space. I'm starting to understand my constant presence after retirement is not going to be to her liking..... hahahahaha, oh well. I guess I now know to expect some stress on this front. That's no reason not to retire. It's incentive to find things to do that don't involve her.
I'm currently in NY, visiting my oldest and closest friend in the nursing home, he is 55 and had a hemorrhagic stroke. Boom, just like that he went from electronics engineer designing world class automation control circuitry to something less than functional. He had plans and never got the chance to do the things he wanted or to purchase the cars he dreamed of. I left his nursing home a couple hours ago, with a deep sadness inside for the loss of my friend.
So, if you are looking for reassurance that a slightly early retirement is the right thing to do, from what you've said, I'd say yes, absolutely. Those that say "ya never know what will happen" are 100% incorrect. You do know (you just don't know exactly when) , and for us older men, the chances are not good.