Our retirement plans

I have a question about retirement in light of PCa dx.

1. Have you retired earlier than you planned because of the PCa?

2. If you are currently working, but planning for retirement, are you using a different "ending age" for your retirement calculator?


I'm retired from a megacorp job after 32 years, then accepted a consulting position with a company that I used to do business with when working with megacorp. They pay me handsomely to work 3 days a week. It's an ideal semi-retirement. They provide a new vehicle, with the privilege of using it how I want. I do travel some, but 95% of travel is within a few hours driving. I spend 1 to 2 nights a week in a hotel, which I'm not crazy about, but it's certainly manageable. My wife can travel with me when she wants to.

What I'm wrestling with is when to just hang it up, and concentrate on spending more time doing the things that I've always wanted to do, plus spend more quality time with family while I have the health to enjoy it.

I am in the process of building a deck onto the patio of our new home. The deck is 16' by 32' and is on the side of a hill. It's a challenging project, but I am enjoying the heck out of it. (Spent over a grand on material yesterday, so it darn well better be fun....lol)

While mixing concrete to set a 6x6 support post, I was thinking just how great I felt, and how great it felt to feel great...I hope that made sense.

On one hand, I hate to give up a relatively easy job that pays super well, and on the other hand, I hate to dedicate years to a job, when I may not have as many years left to enjoy the other stuff as I had planned on just a few months ago.

I sure hope I'm making some sense here, and can any of you identify with what I'm feeling?

Thanks for your thoughts, input, and guidance.

k

Thanks Jeff. I am soooo tempted to do just as you have done, then buy a little boat, and take the grandson fishing more. Sometimes, I think I'm only working so that my kids/grandkids will have a larger inheritance. I have set up the financial situation so that my wife will be okay no matter what. She can find her a sugar daddy if she wants to, but not because she needs to...lol

Anyway, it's a tough decision for sure. Most weeks I have a great time at work. Last week, I met with a half dozen customers/clients, and brought in over $2mill in opportunities, and almost $1mill in solid money. Even if we only get 50% of the opportunities, that will still be almost $2 mill gross for one weeks work. My employer is overjoyed at the success I'm having, and all I'm doing is showing our customers that we are a responsive company. I spend a lot of time on the phone...lol....which, by the way is why I didn't return your call last week. I owe you one buddy, and I'll still take you up on breakfast one day.

I'm taking vacation next week to work on this deck while the weather is so nice, and then headed to New Orleans on Oct 24 to help host a golf tournament near Harahan. I'll be meeting with Dr Sartor on Tuesday morning the 26th before heading back. I have a customer to meet with in Sorrento, then probably spending the night in BR again. If things work out that way, I'll give you a call and if your aren't busy, we can meet up for lunch or breakfast or whatever fits the schedules.

Hope you have a great weekend/week Jeff.

k

That's the classic question, should I stay or should I go. Me, I left a company I helped start at 45 years old and looking back at my present age of 66, I really don't see how I ever had time to work. But reading your op it seems you already answered your own question, you are enjoying what you do. What has PC have to do with that? So don't feel guilty about working if you are getting positive reforcement. Boat? if that is what you wanted, you would have already had a boat?
Now you can kindly send me a dollar, or less, for this "advice".
Anyway, I hope you stay doing what you like to do and as time goes by have the PC fade into the past.

K
I was already retired for over 4 years when diagnosed, all I can say with an uncertain future (hopefully long and happy) do what you enjoy.

If I were in your position I'd buy a low mileage used Class A or C motor home and do lots of mini-trips with the wife while hanging onto a job you seem to enjoy. For me I spend my time working on the property, helping my wife with the horses, playing with 6 dogs/8 cats and going Jeeping. Having the ability to do what one enjoys helps with dealing with PCa.

You've worked long and hard, do what you enjoy!
Dave in Durango CO

Great question. A question for everyone who is retiring or consider retiring early--what about health coverage?

I'm 59, treated at 57. No retirement plans at all. In about 5 or 6 years, I'd like to figure out a way to work part time so I can be more active physically, live in different places, visit our as yet unborn grandchildren. I think as you get old, regular exercise is one key part of maintaining health, and challenging your brain a key part of keeping sharp.

Since PCa is slow growing for most of us, treating it is a bet on having a long, healthy future. It's important to take care of yourself in order to win that bet. Besides keeping active, that means not smoking, treating high blood pressure, getting your colonoscopy, etc etc.

I'll just add some wisdom I learned from another organization with which I'm involved: You've just gone through a life altering event (i.e. prostate cancer). Don't make any major decisions for at least one year.

See where your thinking lies at your one year anniversary of your surgery. Then, do what feels right at that time.

This is a fantastic topic!! I think it depends on how you view work. I personally love what I am doing. I wake up energized, looking forward to going to work. Fortunately, I could easily retire from a financial perspective. I will when this stops being fun. Unfortunately, it might turn out that I have to retire due to PC. Hopefully not.

Mel

Nothing like a cancer diagnosis to start someone asking the BIG QUESTIONS, that's for sure. In our case, my husband's job had become a grind thanks to corporate changes. The same day he rec'd the news of the right retirement package for him, he also rec'd news of the Dx. Welcome to retirement, here's some cancer. To say there's been some anger and depression would not be a lie. However, as he physically feels better, so does his outlook on our lives.

I think that's the core of the issue. If you feel well, take pleasure in your day, don't resent the trips away from home and spouse, enjoy what your body and mind is doing, then you've answered your question. Reminds me a bit of the old question on the lottery - would you keep your job if you hit it big? How many people would keep doing what they're doing because it is an avocation?

But isn't it great that you can ask the question in the first place? For that reason, kbota, I'm very happy for you.

I retired four and a half years ago from federal service at age 60.  The staff at our HR office told me that in all their years of counseling employees about retirement, only ONE had ever come back to say he had retired too early.  The general accumulated wisdom was to retire as soon as one could do so comfortably.  My wife and I certainly aren't wealthy, but we have enough money to live comfortably, travel, and enjoy our retirement.

 

In my case, a cluster of significant events all occurred at once:  turning 60; 30 years of service to the government; major restructuring in the organization that I didn't really care to deal with; and the fact that I could carry my health insurance into retirement.  Additionally, several good friends had retired from their professions at an even younger age, and they were are all quite happy with their decisions.  Our son and his wife had just had twins, and they would need a lot of help with child care in the coming months and years, plus our daughter and her military husband were stationed far away and we wanted time for more frequent visits to see them and their kids as well.  All told, retiring was not a hard decision for me, and I've never regretted it at all.

 

The PCa diagnosis came four years after retirement.  I knew I had the classic symptoms of an enlarged prostate, but never had considered that I might actually have cancer.  I think it was probably easier to accept the bad news as a retired person than it would have been had I still been working.

 

People always told me I was very good at my particular profession, but home and family were always where my heart was.  When at work, I gave it may all, but when I was home I hardly ever gave the office a thought.  Nothing in life gives me more joy at present than being a PawPaw loved by 7 grandchildren.  Whether or not there's an afterlife, I find it comforting to consider that I'll live on in their memories as a loving and fun PawPaw.

 

So many variables.  Everyone's situation is different.  What a great series of comments!

I like that Terry. Hope that you get that White Christmas, and enjoy your travels my friend.

Michael