Random Thoughts 15: Crystal Clear 2021 Edition

[BCClone]

At 64, I'm beginning to lose more and more people. It's certainly different. I look closely at the obituary page when I read the paper......what's up with that? But I really identify with your "own mortality" statement.

And then I think of my dad, who as a Lutheran pastor had to bury so many of his friends and parishioners....and his own parents and older brother. Now that would be tough. I gave his eulogy, and it was one of the most difficult things I've ever done.

With my oldest sister and mom passing about a year apart, it hit me in the face. There is just me and my other sister now. I was the one who picked my sister up to come home from the hospital for in home hospice care. Neither of her kids were willing to do it. Talking to her with a diagnosis of 6 weeks was tough. (She made 3).

 

[Entropy]

We just went through a serious scare with one of our closest friends... He's a cancer-free survivor who just 10 days in the hospital, and they were advised to sign a DNR before a hail mary surgery to discover the problem. Removed most of his SI, and he bounced back, thank God. He will need to re-learn what he can eat, but he's home and getting better daily.

This is the couple that we are planning on traveling around New England with (that was stalled for a year by Covid). Scared the crap out of all of us. His comment was that he never thought about dying during all of his cancer treatments, despite the fact that they gave him 18 months at his diagnosis. Then to come so close due to something totally unrelated to his cancer...well, we're very grateful he is still with us.

I'm sorry for your friend and his family; may his memory be a blessing for them and for you.

Pancreatic cancer is what my friend has.
It's really hard since he's early 50s and still in good shape. One of those people who is truly focused on the happiness of others. He developed a leadership and conservation program in the mid-90s that I was a part of starting about 10 years ago. He's got quite a legacy, I just didn't want it to start this early.

 

[BCClone]

Pancreatic cancer is what my friend has.
It's really hard since he's early 50s and still in good shape. One of those people who is truly focused on the happiness of others. He developed a leadership and conservation program in the mid-90s that I was a part of starting about 10 years ago. He's got quite a legacy, I just didn't want it to start this early.

That is one of the worst ones. My first uncle to pass was 49 with it.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

That is one of the worst ones. My first uncle to pass was 49 with it.

My uncle as well.

 

[BCClone]

My uncle as well.

That is the other part that gets me. I’m 49.

 

[wxman1]

My northern Iowa peeps...

Did you have a storm early this morning? I swear I saw some lightning flashes to the north while driving in to work.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Pancreatic cancer is what my friend has.
It's really hard since he's early 50s and still in good shape. One of those people who is truly focused on the happiness of others. He developed a leadership and conservation program in the mid-90s that I was a part of starting about 10 years ago. He's got quite a legacy, I just didn't want it to start this early.

Based on my genetics, I have a good 20 to 30 years ahead of me; all four grandparents lived to their late 80s (one to 95), and Daddy was 96 when he passed last summer. Mama was the exception at 52, but she had a chronic illness her entire life (osteomyelitis). Losing friends is tough when you're relatively young because you don't expect it to happen. It is becoming more commonplace for us (Lew & I) as we age, but you're STILL never ready for it.

 

[SCyclone]

Based on my genetics, I have a good 20 to 30 years ahead of me; all four grandparents lived to their late 80s (one to 95), and Daddy was 96 when he passed last summer. Mama was the exception at 52, but she had a chronic illness her entire life (osteomyelitis). Losing friends is tough when you're relatively young because you don't expect it to happen. It is becoming more commonplace for us (Lew & I) as we age, but you're STILL never ready for it.

Mickey Mantle had osteomyelitis.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Mickey Mantle had osteomyelitis.

The osteo didn't kill her, but it was a contributing factor.

I actually have a funny story about a side effect of her illness. She spent a year flat on her back in bed when she was 13 after they removed a section of bone from her left leg, then a year on crutches after that. When she was 18 it flared again, this time in her spine, and she was in a wheel chair (self propelled) for nearly 2 years.

Because of those two episodes she developed amazing biceps, and could produce an amazing gun show.

However, she was southern born & bred, and was a gentle soul. It used to embarrass the living heck out of her when we would tell our friends "oh yeah? Well, my MAMA can beat up your dad!!!".

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Pancreatic cancer is what my friend has.
It's really hard since he's early 50s and still in good shape. One of those people who is truly focused on the happiness of others. He developed a leadership and conservation program in the mid-90s that I was a part of starting about 10 years ago. He's got quite a legacy, I just didn't want it to start this early.

That is one of the worst ones. My first uncle to pass was 49 with it.

My paternal grandma died of that when she was in her early 70s. I'd never heard of it before and did some reading to find out it's awful because the symptoms mimic so many other things. My grandma had back pain and went through so many things because no one knew what was wrong. She even spent a short time in what I remember (long time ago) as the mental health area in Mary Greeley. When they finally did exploratory surgery, it had progressed to so much more in her abdominal region that all the doctors could do was close up the incision. Plans were being made for home hospice but that never happened.

 

[BCClone]

My paternal grandma died of that when she was in her early 70s. I'd never heard of it before and did some reading to find out it's awful because the symptoms mimic so many other things. My grandma had back pain and went through so many things because no one knew what was wrong. She even spent a short time in what I remember (long time ago) as the mental health area in Mary Greeley. When they finally did exploratory surgery, it had progressed to so much more in her abdominal region that all the doctors could do was close up the incision. Plans were being made for home hospice but that never happened.

My uncle went in for exploratory surgery, they closed up and called in the family. He barely made it out of surgery before he passed

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

105 days, 1 hour, and 57 minutes.

I've got longer to go than that. I'll be 63 in a few months. According to T Rowe Price you should have 11x your salary in savings. This morning I was about 15k short of that when I add up my 401k, IRA, Roth IRA, HSA and investment account. Of course it all depends on the market but with about 2 more years of saving I should be ok.
If I can last 2 more years, some days I'm not sure I can last 2 more hours.

 

[SaraV]

So finally got the plates in the mail for the new vehicle...

We're going to have to get vanities. The first three letters are KKU.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

So finally got the plates in the mail for the new vehicle...

We're going to have to get vanities. The first three letters are KKU.

Oh, my. That’s not good.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Stupid dog. All frightened of the thunder and lightning so of course I'm all in with...



And she doesn't know the lyrics.

PS: Have not deceased the little thingie.
.......yet

 

[SaraV]

Oh, my. That’s not good.

It wasn't until after I posted that that I realized that it was bad in two different ways.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

My middle sister has substance problems. She also has two children under 20 months. She has been in and out of rehab, good for a while, bad here and there for years now. The father has two children from a different mother and no family structure to support him. It's without saying a dysfunctional situation even though all three parents are in all 4 children's lives.

My sister relapsed on Easter Sunday. DHS was called on her, by both the father and my parents. My poor parents, in their retirement years are having to care for their grandchildren out of necessity. As they are getting older and their health is visually declining, it's really starting to hit me in the nuts the kind of responsibility that will fall to me in their passing or unfortunate health.

I have never wanted children of my own and am single in my mid 30s. I'm certainly not ready for it, and wouldn't have to take them on immediately but it's really starting to bring my own place in mortality closer to view.

I'm not sure my sister will ever 'grow out' of her selfish mindset. People always say, 'well she's an addict, she's ill,' and it just makes me angrier every time I hear it.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

It wasn't until after I posted that that I realized that it was bad in two different ways.

Although I do know someone who’s a dean I think at Khon Kaen University, so that’s good.

 

[stormchaser2014]

Ordered an ipass, but had to create a separate account. Dumb.

 

[VeloClone]

Ordered an ipass, but had to create a separate account. Dumb.

I'm pretty sure Red Reddington does not concern himself with mundane little things like paying tolls...