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My 62 year old mother was diagnosed with bullous pemphigold a few weeks back. She had some blisters come up periodically over the past six months or so. She has been seeing a specialist in Knoxville, driving back and forth sometimes twice a week. She's had other issues recently - lump in her breast, has myelodysplastic syndrome, and other health issues.
They have gone on and on over the years about how things here are "fine," and that they had planned to stay in the area through retirement. With all these medical issues, mom seems to be reconsidering. She's going to Knoxville to get any of "tough stuff" treated at better specialists at UT Medical Center. At a hundred miles each way, this is getting old. If you're familiar with my area, there are also other "issues" impacting healthcare in the region. They're starting to look at property around Knoxville.
One of my coworkers is in his early 60s and getting ready to retire. He's from here, but has been out of the office and working remotely while having to make frequent visits to Vanderbilt on those days. He's planning o retiring in middle TN.
Did you have to make major adjustments to accommodate new medical needs that arose shortly before retirement?
changes as in what? putting off retirement? having those issues and holding a job is a lot harder than retiring and focusing solely on treatment
the rest of it, moving to a better location near doctors, has nothing to do with retirement. everyone with medical conditions has to decide those
move south would be a change, winter weather is hard on older people, and harder for people with medical issues
if they lose power, they might not have their medical devices powered, they lose heat, they slip on ice, the roads are closed so they can't get to doctors office, etc
My wife has macular degeration, a sight-destroying eye condition that all but, cost the eyesight of her mother and others in her family. Upon retirement (10-years ago), we had no idea how rapidly or far this condition would progress.
So, instead of waiting and worrying, we started traveling and have since taken at least a dozen cruises, including two 30-day jaunts to the Mediterranean. She also got busy quilting and sewing, uncertain of how long she would be able to do so. We also found a couple of clinical trials that seemed to have slowed the progress of MD in her eyes.
Over the years, the condition has worsened and she no longer does much reading, plus has difficulty seeing to drive and perform other daily routines. We still don't know how long her eyesight will last, but, now have a lot more travel and sewing under our 'belts' than if we had simply stopped living our planned retirement lives.
My wife has macular degeration, a sight-destroying eye condition that all but, cost the eyesight of her mother and others in her family. Upon retirement (10-years ago), we had no idea how rapidly or far this condition would progress.
So, instead of waiting and worrying, we started traveling and have since taken at least a dozen cruises, including two 30-day jaunts to the Mediterranean. She also got busy quilting and sewing, uncertain of how long she would be able to do so. We also found a couple of clinical trials that seemed to have slowed the progress of MD in her eyes.
Over the years, the condition has worsened and she no longer does much reading, plus has difficulty seeing to drive and perform other daily routines. We still don't know how long her eyesight will last, but, now have a lot more travel and sewing under our 'belts' than if we had simply stopped living our planned retirement lives.
Is she getting the regular injections into the eyeballs? My husband and I have diabetes and have developed MD and now have the get the injections about once a month per eye.
My wife has macular degeration, a sight-destroying eye condition that all but, cost the eyesight of her mother and others in her family. Upon retirement (10-years ago), we had no idea how rapidly or far this condition would progress.
So, instead of waiting and worrying, we started traveling and have since taken at least a dozen cruises, including two 30-day jaunts to the Mediterranean. She also got busy quilting and sewing, uncertain of how long she would be able to do so. We also found a couple of clinical trials that seemed to have slowed the progress of MD in her eyes.
Over the years, the condition has worsened and she no longer does much reading, plus has difficulty seeing to drive and perform other daily routines. We still don't know how long her eyesight will last, but, now have a lot more travel and sewing under our 'belts' than if we had simply stopped living our planned retirement lives.
Your wife can get free audio books from the library of congress. My mother used to enjoy them a lot. Some year in the future, I expect I will be using them too (I have "mild" MD) See here:
Yes. We had to move from one state to another to seek help for my DH. He was forced into retirement at age 62....with Alz. So we paid for private insurance; we took early Social Security. We moved to be closer to children. We downsized our housing, etc. Sold the trailer. You adjust. Is it fun? No. The decisions (difficult or easy) have to be made whether you are 38, 48, 58, or 62. I did it at 62 and again at 70 and again at 75. Older adults DO have the ability to adjust. Older adults cannot expect for everything to stay the same. Not all retirements are about the beach, having money, playing with grandkids, and maintaining two houses. I hope your parents face their future with realistic expectations. I am now 76. I live in the moment and am very content.
Serious,
I think you have read this forum enough to know that your parents are getting to (reached) the age where things start to go wrong. If they are willing to move closer to a place that has medical care, why don't you talk about it together... be sure they move to a place where you can get a good job that satisfies you. You can all move to the same area. You can find your dream job and still be close enough to help your parents.
I looked up bullous pemphigold because I had never heard of it. It seems to be an autoimmune disease. Has your mom been taking any of these meds lately?
Quote:
Medications. Prescription drugs that may cause bullous pemphigoid include etanercept (Enbrel), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), furosemide (Lasix) and penicillin.
Yes. I had to quit work much earlier than planned due to a medical condition. I also had to relocate to a state with a lower COL than the one in which I had been living for one with better living conditions for senior citizens and more affordable medical care.
My father was hit by a taxi while walking across the street, when he was 65. Almost killed. Survived, but with a dozen new, serious medical problems and paralyzed. My Mom was also 65, and had just retired, while my father was still working before his "accident". Their lives, and retirement, were instantly destroyed. My Dad never worked again. After 6 months in the hospital, their lives revolved around my father's therapy, doctor's appointments, and endless assortment of treatments/medications/therapies/pain and suffering. And just after they were able to move back into their house, which had to be made wheelchair accessible, my mother was diagnosed with advanced incurable cancer.
Your health is your most precious possession. And it could be stolen at any moment. Most people don't really understand that.
Don't wait too long to enjoy your life.
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