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Thanks for sharing this story. I had missed it in the WSJ.
It strikes a close nerve as I just went through it last year and am still going through it. Had a biking accident coming down from the Guardsman’s pass (a high pass near SLC/Park City) and broke my shoulder (clavicle and acromion) and wrist (and I was extremely lucky and could easily have been paralyzed for life). Even after shoulder and wrist surgery and tough physical therapy, I don’t feel 100% (probably never will) and am likely to go through another surgery to remove the hardware. Not retired yet but similar lifestyle and plans as the authors - active life and plans for (more) hiking in Nepal, Hokkaido, Iceland, Killi, and other international travel and domestic travel in our camper during the early retirement years. All this flashed through my eyes too many times. Although I have yet to get back on the bike (which needs its own x-ray before I can get back on it), I still hike a great deal and can’t imagine life without being outdoors. And, despite being careful, falls happen during hiking.
Have a fairly good balance and practice single left lifts to various directions on Bosu ball - something I can recommend.
The point of the article is well taken, and it isn’t about who pays for medical care. To me, it is more about uncertainty of life and lifestyle. As the age rises - there are some givens (decline), some that can be anticipated (rate of decline - based upon the health history), and others that are out of the blue and can rewrite the rules altogether. I don’t think one can prepare for them. One can plan resources to tackle them if needed (and the resources might not be enough to ease the burden). All one can plan for are the changes that are more predictable.
I get you KAVM. I had a life altering accident in 2005 at 43 (hit by a truck and knee crushed). I have had a couple more falls, breaks, more surgeries. This is not what I had planned. At least when you do it to yourself it's not the same psychological trauma (PTSD is a formidable enemy that also inhibits physical healing, etc.).
I agree with your point. I know people that make it all the way to 70 or 75 until something happens physically that stops their world.
Bottom line to everyone …if you are hail and hearty in your 60s, you will not be in your 70s and 80s. One of a hundred will, but the odds are bad. Plan for the worst and be happy for the best.
My daughter and I are 18 years apart. I’ve had cancer twice, and she hasn’t. She is an empty nester and enjoys a great life. She has a few health issues but she and her husband are healthy and active. They hope to retire in 9 years. We were together recently and I told her that she has zero control over her body. What I mean is that even with vigilant medical care, she is at the mercy of fait. This shocked her, I think.
I will certainly read the AARP article, and thanks for posting the link. When I fell sideways on black ice some years ago, it happened so very fast I couldn't give it much thought! I had a purse on my shoulder and reflexively held it there, I guess. Broke a bone in my upper arm/shoulder area. Luckily it healed with no residual problems.
In the meantime I am taking measures to hold on to bone density. Que sera, sera.
I get you KAVM. I had a life altering accident in 2005 at 43 (hit by a truck and knee crushed). I have had a couple more falls, breaks, more surgeries. This is not what I had planned. At least when you do it to yourself it's not the same psychological trauma (PTSD is a formidable enemy that also inhibits physical healing, etc.).
I agree with your point. I know people that make it all the way to 70 or 75 until something happens physically that stops their world.
Thank you! And, really sorry to learn your mishap! I know you aren’t looking for sympathy but I am nonetheless sorry. The life can be a cakewalk until it isn’t. Nothing can prepare you or your loved ones for that. One needs to take bad with good, and some of us get more of one than the others.
Thank you! And, really sorry to learn your mishap! I know you aren’t looking for sympathy but I am nonetheless sorry. The life can be a cakewalk until it isn’t. Nothing can prepare you or your loved ones for that. One needs to take bad with good, and some of us get more of one than the others.
Best wishes for your journey!
kavm. I would not have it any other way. It has made me a much stronger person. I know you know.
I get you KAVM. I had a life altering accident in 2005 at 43 (hit by a truck and knee crushed). I have had a couple more falls, breaks, more surgeries. This is not what I had planned. At least when you do it to yourself it's not the same psychological trauma (PTSD is a formidable enemy that also inhibits physical healing, etc.).
I agree with your point. I know people that make it all the way to 70 or 75 until something happens physically that stops their world.
I wince every time you tell that story. What a horror. But you sound like you just keep going.
My husband had very good health until about age 80. We'd planned another trip back to the UK before covid and had to cancel it--that was the first time we ever bought travel insurance. (Insurance would not cover the cancellation even though they had told us they would cover an epidemic!!!!!!!! Anyway I got my money back through my credit card. Too stressful to fight the travel insurance while struggling to learn about this new monster called covid.)
Near the end of covid, husband had a really bad stroke. It affected the left side of his body, including his left eye. I think it took away his will to live as he was always proud of his athetic abilities and that he never had to take pills for anything. The stroke took away his ability to drive too and he was one of those car men.
After the stroke it was downhill all the way because he refused the dr's orders to get out and exercise. He would barely leave the house and got weaker and weaker. He would lie in bed most of the day.
A few months ago he ended up in a nursing home, which he hated, and now he is dead. I think I'm trying to emphasize the importance of exercise. I had been in PT when I had to stop due to the time it took to deal with nursing home issues and driving out there to visit him. I plan to start the PT again and I want to learn some strength building exercises.
I want to learn balance and to gain strength so that, hopefully, I can possibly put off getting osteoarthritis. It's already started in my left wrist. I don't want a knee replacement or any other scary stuff. I hardly know any exercises and can only hope to learn some and to achieve the self discipline to DO the exercises on my own at home. I want to go to the Y and swim too.
I think exercise and getting enough protein in our diets could be key. Yet there will still come a time when nothing we do will be enough.
Yeah, if it happens when you are 40 you can go through the depression and still ostensibly recover. I have experienced a couple of very serious recoveries where I was highly immobilized. You have to recover more than the obvious muscles. You can get very weak. You have to have the fortitude to hang on to the other side of things. I can see how that is easier at 40, 50 and 60 than 80.
I wince every time you tell that story. What a horror. But you sound like you just keep going.
A number of big obstacles since the time I was 10. I do just keep going. I learned long ago that if you hang on long enough things get good again (sometimes really good) for at least a while. I have quit trying to convince myself that after event a, b, c, x, y, and z that surely it should be smooth sailing from here on out. I'm getting old and starting to learn to live more in the moment all of the time.
A number of big obstacles since the time I was 10. I do just keep going. I learned long ago that if you hang on long enough things get good again (sometimes really good) for at least a while. I have quit trying to convince myself that after event a, b, c, x, y, and z that surely it should be smooth sailing from here on out. I'm getting old and starting to learn to live more in the moment all of the time.
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