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How much gas is left in your tank?

Discussion in 'General' started by jrsamples, May 15, 2019.

  1. NemesisR6

    NemesisR6 Gristle McThornbody

    Echoing statements here, you never know, so live it to the fullest.....

    However, my father turns 80 next March, still bikes 75-100 miles per week, rides his BMW K-bike every weekend, travels a lot, and seems to be enjoying life in general. He had open heart surgery 1.5 years ago that they estimated would give him another 10 years, so he's taking it for all it's worth.

    All said and done, I'd be stoked to have a run like him. I keep good care of myself physically, and once the kids are grown and on their own in about 8-10 years the wife and I would like to stretch our legs a little and see more of this country.
     
    Ian178 and BigBird like this.
  2. worthless

    worthless Well-Known Member

    My FIL is 81. Had a hard life. Did construction all of his life and drinking a case of old milwaukee and smoking 2 packs of Luckys a day was just a normal day in the life.
    He has COPD, emphysema, metastatic prostate cancer, and just got over his 5th bout of pneumonia in 4 years.
    He was in the hospital for 4 weeks. At his worse during the hospital stay, couldn't get himself up out of bed to walk to the bathroom. During his stay, it was recommended to get him to a skilled nursing facility to try to get him strong enough to where he could go home and live out whatever time he had left. They were getting ready to move him last Friday when he decided to also have a stroke. At this point, we started thinking about arrangements, hospice, etc.
    Didn't that stubborn sonofabitch get up and walk out of the hospital yesterday on his own. He's now at home.
    I think this is about the 6th time he's hit the snooze bar on the alarm indicating his time is up.

    Never know how much time we have left. I get the whole concept of living for today, but, also need to make sure you got something in your pocket if you make it to tomorrow.
     
    tony 340 likes this.
  3. kenessex

    kenessex unregistered user

    Have I mentioned recently that I just retired and my last day of work is the 24th?:clap:
    I am 62 and looking forward to lots of fun and productive things for a bunch more years. Both of my parents are 93 and still alive, so I figure with the advances in medical care and treatments I may have another 30+ years left.
    My wife and I have plans. We are going to take some car tours to places we want to go. We are going to go to Great Britain and Norway. We are going to go to more races. Lots of stuff and I am going to play more golf with my middle son while grandma watches the grandkids. I have big plans.
     
    BigBird, noles19, jrsamples and 5 others like this.
  4. R Acree

    R Acree Banned

    I have all of those...more of some, less of others. Now GTFO my lawn.
     
    cav115, 5axis and pickled egg like this.
  5. auminer

    auminer Renaissance Redneck

    Just the other day I was pondering putting a hit man on retainer just in case I end up in a spot like OP was describing.

    Can you still find one in SOF magazine or the like?

    No way I want to just sit around waiting to waste away with a whimper... I've done too much stoopid shit that shouldawouldacoulda killed me to face going out like that.

    I swear, the notion of that level of disability terrifies me more than playing bull poker while bungee jumping a 180 foot tower in Las Vegas while marrying a redhead.
     
    jrsamples likes this.
  6. jrsamples

    jrsamples Banned

    Yeah Egg/RRP, but they grow up. rd is right. He's just like you, only there's nothing left to be your #1 mission. In 2 years the youngest will be on her way. I'll have an empty paid for house, a good business, savings, and life insurance that is going to blow their minds. Survey:D says I have 13 years left to sell out and get working on the final mission. I don't think that I would have ever done any of the good things that I have done so far without a bucket list.
     
    rd400racer likes this.
  7. jrsamples

    jrsamples Banned

    Thanks gents. Much appreciated. :beer:

    My brother and I both have tried to get our parents to move in with us so that we can keep a better eye on them and spend more time together. But they won't do that. I am talking with my contractor buddy about building a home for them here at the business location and they both seem more open to that idea, but it is a longer process. They both need more contact and I can't think of 10 days out of the year that there is not someone here doing something...all people that they know and like to be around.
     
  8. beac83

    beac83 "My safeword is bananna"

    Sorry about your dad. Its hard to watch. Know that it's even harder for him to live it.

    In the 80's and early 90's I lived through the worst years of the AIDS crisis, taking care of the dying and the left behind. Then in 1996, the proper meds came, and the dying of friends/acquaintances slowed to a trickle, down from 3-8 a month to 1 every few months.

    Lately, its picked up again. I lost a very close friend 5 years ago, and his partner joined him 3 years later. I lost a good friend last fall to cancer. Another called 2 weeks ago asking me to help him get things in order as he has cancer that appears to be fast spreading. He believes he has a few months left. As I said, its hard to watch, hard to respect their choices, but I realize its even harder for them to live through it. I have to keep reminding myself to respect his choices, and not try to jump in and take over before he asks me to.

    Everyone makes their own choices. Some just shut down and wait to die. Some hurry it along. Some fight tooth and nail. All are valid choices. Its their life, they get to choose. My parents both fought death tooth and nail to the very bitter end. It wasn't pretty and was very hard to watch, and they both suffered more than I would have chosen to. It was their choice.

    No one I'm biologically related to has lived to 90. In the late 80's I was told I had a 12-18 month life expectancy. I didn't believe them, but in so many ways, I'm surprised I'm still here. I'm 64 this year and retiring next year (had to keep working to afford health insurance). With any luck, I'll have a few years of good health after retirement to do the things I always wanted to, but couldn't marshal the time & money to do.

    Nothing is guaranteed. You've got to live life with meaning and direction. An intentional life as it were.
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2019
  9. jrsamples

    jrsamples Banned

    Good point. He can't go anywhere and is in a lot of pain. He just has to sit there and look at his feet (poor circulation). You can't believe how bad they look, skin popping open, dead black toes. I have tried to get him some mental health assistance but so far he says that he doesn't have a problem.

    I think the statement about working more is exactly what has made me question what I need to do to change.

    I have also seen another man that I know well who had a stroke about a year ago. As bad as my dad is, this man is 10 times worse off.
     
  10. jrsamples

    jrsamples Banned

    You sure he's even human? Daaaaaam. :beer:
     
  11. jrsamples

    jrsamples Banned

    Bro, that's a lot of pain for one man. I really wish the best for you.
     
  12. beac83

    beac83 "My safeword is bananna"

    Thanks. It turns out that its a huge lesson in compassion and empathy more than about pain.

    I wish you, and your dad the best.
     
    jrsamples likes this.
  13. Steeltoe

    Steeltoe What's my move?

    Around the time of the great recession I was working as an adjuster and we had a retiree program where former employees could come back and work. I cannot tell you the number of people in their 60's and 70's who were desperate for work because they had lost everything, millions in some cases. So my only advice is plan all you want but don't go putting off living a life in the hopes of a dreamy retirement. It was a fortunate experience for me because I learned a lot from those folks. Mainly that the one and only important thing is family. Not one of them was concerned with boats and homes and planes. Just family.
     
    BigBird, j cal, 5axis and 2 others like this.
  14. Motofun352

    Motofun352 Well-Known Member

    Just lost a good friend this past Sunday. Totally unexpected, just happened, I didn't even know he was sick. KABOOM. Life (and death) can be like that. Take reasonable care of yourself and live for the day because tomorrow isn't guaranteed.
     
    jrsamples likes this.
  15. ryoung57

    ryoung57 Off his meds

    Surely there’s a volcano somewhere that needs jumping in to!

    [​IMG]
     
    pickled egg likes this.
  16. R Acree

    R Acree Banned

    I think you have a brain cloud.
     
    pickled egg and ryoung57 like this.
  17. barnacle bill

    barnacle bill Darethea and B Bill

    I'll be 68 in july. 30 yrs ago this month I was just a few heartbeats away from being an organ donor when I was rear ended on my rz350 when I slowed down for 3 kids trying to pull a dog out of the road . about bled out from a ruptured spleen and other injuries but I survived. I've sort of felt I've been living on borrowed time since then. I still work everyday , still ride the bikes and sail the boats and enjoy quality time with the wife. I try to eat right and exercise daily and I've about raised a grandson. I guess I'm saying don't worry too much about what the future holds or how long you're going to live it won't make it last any longer . Live your life to the fullest today and try to do the things that make you the happiest. the future will take care of itself . It always has . Anyway that's my 2 cents. b bill
     
    badmoon692008, JJJerry, j cal and 7 others like this.
  18. pickled egg

    pickled egg Tell me more

    I thought I was the only one who knew who the Waponi Woo are :crackup:
     
  19. R Acree

    R Acree Banned

    There you go again, thinking you are special.
     
    motoracer1100 likes this.
  20. dsapsis

    dsapsis El Jefe de los Monos

    William T. Vollmann wrote an insightful piece on this back in 2010.
    A Good Death -- exit strategies
    If interested, PM an email and I'll forward the whole doc.
     
    jrsamples likes this.

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