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Now that I am in my 70s and fully retired I have time to think about all the friends, neighbors, family and celebrities who have died in the last few years.
The strange thing about their deaths is they were all under 75 years old and statistically should not have died so young. They were white-collar professionals, were in great shape the year before they died and lived healthy lives. I would always see them outside doing long walks and other physical activities. They told me they never felt better. Had lots of plans for the future and wanted to fulfill their bucket lists for travel.
Almost overnight things changed for them. Cancer, Heart Attack, Stroke, Pulmonary Embolism, all things that can kill the most vital engaged person.
Now my retirement is full of fear I am going to follow them to an early grave!
Not to belittle your fear, but the average age for life expectancy in the USA is 77 year. So a few years either side of that would be well within one standard deviation which is around 15 years.
Now that I am in my 70s and fully retired I have time to think about all the friends, neighbors, family and celebrities who have died in the last few years.
The strange thing about their deaths is they were all under 75 years old and statistically should not have died so young. They were white-collar professionals, were in great shape the year before they died and lived healthy lives. I would always see them outside doing long walks and other physical activities. They told me they never felt better. Had lots of plans for the future and wanted to fulfill their bucket lists for travel.
Almost overnight things changed for them. Cancer, Heart Attack, Stroke, Pulmonary Embolism, all things that can kill the most vital engaged person.
Now my retirement is full of fear I am going to follow them to an early grave!
Everyone doesn't live into their 90's. Less then 5% live into their 90's.
Now that I am in my 70s and fully retired I have time to think about all the friends, neighbors, family and celebrities who have died in the last few years.
The strange thing about their deaths is they were all under 75 years old and statistically should not have died so young. They were white-collar professionals, were in great shape the year before they died and lived healthy lives. I would always see them outside doing long walks and other physical activities. They told me they never felt better. Had lots of plans for the future and wanted to fulfill their bucket lists for travel.
Almost overnight things changed for them. Cancer, Heart Attack, Stroke, Pulmonary Embolism, all things that can kill the most vital engaged person.
Now my retirement is full of fear I am going to follow them to an early grave!
Not so sure that 75 is all that "young" but then I'll soon be 77 and don't feel that "old" either. Never know what's around the corner healthwise but so far the worst for me is my COPD and I'm managing that.
On Facebook my high school has a Memorial Page for all the class years. There are a LOT who have died over the years and some of them very young. I guess I just look at it as when it's 'my time' I'll just 'go' no matter how old I am. In my family they either die young and tragic or old and worn out. I think I've done passed that "young" thing so I'll opt for "worn out".
June was not a good month for us. My nephew's wife lost her mom, then his son was killed in an auto accident and two weeks later one of my brothers died. Four of my six siblings are gone now. Another brother is in bad shape as well. They are all 6 to 11 years younger than me. I don't spend much time thinking about 'the end'. Too much to do TODAY!
Now that I am in my 70s and fully retired I have time to think about all the friends, neighbors, family and celebrities who have died in the last few years.
The strange thing about their deaths is they were all under 75 years old and statistically should not have died so young. They were white-collar professionals, were in great shape the year before they died and lived healthy lives. I would always see them outside doing long walks and other physical activities. They told me they never felt better. Had lots of plans for the future and wanted to fulfill their bucket lists for travel.
Almost overnight things changed for them. Cancer, Heart Attack, Stroke, Pulmonary Embolism, all things that can kill the most vital engaged person.
Now my retirement is full of fear I am going to follow them to an early grave!
You are in your 70s - if you die that is not going to an early grave
I am 59. My graduating class was small - 53 or so. At least a third are already dead!
Where do you get the idea that 75 is still so young? That's just a little below the average life expectancy. I think people fantasize that most everyone will be living to their mid 90s. That's not the case at all. A few people will, the vast majority will die in their 70s and 80s.
It's a matter of perspective. It's human nature, I think, to tend to see all things using oneself as a reference point. Hence the idea of "old age" is a moving goalpost as one ages, and the OP mentioned that he/she was in the 70's. While in reality there's no argument that the mid-70's is "old" considering statistical human lifespans, someone near or at this age may not think so.
And heck, someone in his/her 90's may well think of those in their mid-70's as spring chickens.
No one can predict these things. My father-in-law is 90 y.o. and has dementia, several stents after several heart attacks, an aneurysm and prostate cancer but still lives alone in a 5,000 sq ft house. and seems to be going strong.
My theory is that even in seemingly "healthy" people, there is a correlation between happiness, gratefulness and love that contribute to health and maybe outsiders don't see.
Now that I am in my 70s and fully retired I have time to think about all the friends, neighbors, family and celebrities who have died in the last few years.
The strange thing about their deaths is they were all under 75 years old and statistically should not have died so young. They were white-collar professionals, were in great shape the year before they died and lived healthy lives. I would always see them outside doing long walks and other physical activities. They told me they never felt better. Had lots of plans for the future and wanted to fulfill their bucket lists for travel.
Almost overnight things changed for them. Cancer, Heart Attack, Stroke, Pulmonary Embolism, all things that can kill the most vital engaged person.
Now my retirement is full of fear I am going to follow them to an early grave!
Well...you will die. Someday. It's a given. But don't let that rule your future! Make your plans! Enjoy your life! NOW you have the time to do the fun stuff. So go forth old man! ;-)
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