One more week ...

[PDaddy]

And I am retired, or actually, on a (permanent) Leave of Absence for 120 days. No more paychecks, no more income. A few weeks ago my wife and I met with the (wonderful) VP of HR to discuss when my last day may be (the meeting was our idea). It is getting harder and harder to get ready for work and driving is harder too. My voice is harder to understand and it's hard (actually impossible) to hold the phone to my ear with one hand.

So, I will have benefits for 3 more months, then, 2 months later Social Security should kick in, Medicare too. I have Long Term Disability as part of my benefits!! When its all said and done I should receive 60% of my current salary until I am 65 but I doubt if I make it that long.

[hopingforthebest]

I hear ya! Stinks doesn't it??? But as my husband says when someone asks him questions like:

how did you?????

why you?????

what are you going to do?????

How do you cope?????

He says, "it is what is"!!!

Good luck and God bless you with adjusting to staying home.

Patty

[BethU]

You've got your ducks in a row ... sounds like you are really well-organized. Retirement is a jolt, whether you're sick or not, but it doesn't take long to appreciate not having to drive, not having to get dressed for work, not having to get up when an alarm goes off.

Retirement takes so much stress off ...

Good luck on your last week!
BethU

[caroliney]

PDaddy,

You and the wife plan things you enjoy doing or would like to do now and do it together, as a family. Treasure every moment and just enjoy yourselves.

God Bless you and the family.

Hugs and Prayers,
Caregiver
Caroliney

[sharonca]

PDaddy - you can do this retirement thing. It does take some getting used to but once you find a different focus it takes so much pressure off. And stress is something we all need to avoid. Anytime I have a high stress week - I feel much weaker. Take the motto "What me worry" and use it as a montra.

Sharonca

[CindyM]

I am sorry, PDaddy. I know you'll be OK, especially with your attitude, but that probably does not help much right now! :sad: Cindy

[sdsyd]

Hey Pdaddy-

Things like that make the whole thing seem more like reality,huh? The financial crunch adds so much stress and guilt. I don't know about you, but trying to find outrageously silly things about it helps me. Like the most ridiculous thing I can think of. When my kids are being crazy I try to determine which one of them I could get the most money from if I sold them to the zoo. When my tremor started in my thumb, I was just beginning to think about changing careers and going into massage therapy- my hubby and I came up with ideas like I could charge extra for the vibration, or explain that I have SUPER healing powers and the energy coming from my funky hand was actually beneficial for them. I am also facing quitting my job (have worked 2 days out of 10) and I understand what you are going through. Hang in there and don't forget to buy your powerball ticket?LOL

Tie a knot and hang on Pdaddy. You are not alone.
Cindy

[brendapals]

hey pdaddy,

Good luck in your retirement. I'm sure it will be a challenge, but hopefully you'll get some rest. My hubby retired Aug. 1, he is NOT the one with ALS, and he hasn't slowed down yet!

Unfortunately for me, I don't have long or short term disability at work, so when I decide to give up nursing, I will have to wait the entire 5 months before getting a check. Not so sure I'm ready to do that with 3 boys at home.

But you know, things always have a way of working out, and I'm sure you will be able to handle it. I will certainly keep you in my prayers,

Never give up,
Never let up,
Never lose faith,
brenda

[tmasters]

PDaddy,

Good luck in your retirement. I hope you can make the most of it. Stay busy or active as much as you can.

I was diagnosed last month. I always looked forward to a long retirement with my wife, maybe travel the US in an RV or enjoy traveling abroad or just time with the grandkids. Now that won't happen. I'm only 52. But I still want to enjoy what remains with friends and family.

I work a sit-down computer job and I wonder what I will need to qualify as "disabled". Of course I qualify already for SSDI but my company has excellent (70%-80%) disabilty benefits but I wonder what the qualifications for that are. Total disability at a computer job would imply pretty severe limitations and not much chance I will "enjoy" anything with my wife once I reach that stage.

I plan to set up a meeting with our HR director also. But I don't want to seem overeager to retire.

-Tom

[PDaddy]

Thank you all. I think I'll be OK. We are trying to do everything right, cross your fingers. My job is having a big going-away luncheon for me next Wednesday and my wife will make my "speech" for me and her's too before mine. Mine will end with "I'm the luckiest guy in the world"...

[happy]

PDaddy,

Have a wonderful time with all your friends at the luncheon...then, drive home and blast 80's music and think of all the time you and your wife will have to do all the things you want to do....my prayers are with you.

[PDaddy]

Thanks all, I'll be fine, the paperwork scares me, but my wife is great about these things!!

Happy - I will blast the music (I always do!) and, perhaps, some 80's music along with Kings of Leon and NIN.

pd = Goofy

[happy]

Nothing like alittle Sh#@ kicken music with the Kings of Leon...get mean and nasty! In a nice way of course!

[happy]

I had to think about it for a minute, Nin? I haven't heard of them in awhile...man I must be getting old. :wink:

[sdsyd]

A party? Sounds like fun to me. Be sure and do something outrageous, and if I know you as well I think I do from your posts, I'm not thinking a lampshade on your head will suffice. Could you make a sign to hang on your back, so when you turn around at the end of the speech it says "F-U-ALS?" or be wearing a cape?

Have a great time and best of luck with the sea of paperwork...and I don't mean toilet paper.

Love,
Cindy

[PDaddy]

SPeaking of toilet paper, er, let's not go there... The 'party' was really just a luncheon catered by "Baja Fresh" which was yummy; I'd say about 50 people showed up. My wife came and helped me pack up my office, she is great! She even gave my speech for me:


Thank you all for coming to my luncheon today. It’s been a great 3 and a half years here and I've made some good friends. I hope the new facility will be as great as it appears to be. I’ve seen the insides and I know a secret! You will be pleasantly surprised.

Vision Solutions is a great company, I am so lucky to be working for such a caring company that also makes industry-leading kick-ass software.

I am also very lucky that Vision has such a caring, effective, over-the-top, HR department. They have gone out of their way to help me.
(I trust all of you will be at the ALS walk in Irvine next month.)

I am very lucky that Doug hired me 3 1/2 years ago, I don't know where I'd be if I wasn't here - the last company I worked for went Chapter 11 last year.

I am lucky the engineering management team is so "on the ball", always respective and resourceful.

I am lucky to have designed the Engineers Week patches the last two years.
(Give me a call next February; I'll make you a deal.)

I am lucky I haven't received a speeding ticket commuting 100 miles per day on the wide-open toll roads.

I am lucky to have a great wife and family that supports and helps me.

I'm the luckiest guy in the world.


I AM LUCKY!!

[happy]

Uh what about the new user name Lucky...? You are blessed. Congrats on a victorious luncheon. Cheers!:mrgreen:

[rose]

Pat, good luck with this next stage of your life! That's what everyone works to do is to retire, :smile: so, even though this isn't the path you would have chosen, you still got there!

[PDaddy]

Golf and tennis was on my retirement to-do list before ...

[lovelily]

Enjoy your retirement, Pdaddy! :smile: What's first on the list...outside of golf and tennis? There is always more tattooing.

[PDaddy]

Good idea Lovelily, any ideas?