Ah… the old end of year life-review, a very natural thing, for me it’s all about perspective: There’s a line in Hamlet where he says "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so", which has been a bit of a personal motto for many years.
I think a lot of people don’t appreciate just how good their lives are. Certainly I could wish for more money, bigger house, newer car and all the rest of that stuff we’re supposed to be chasing our tails for - the media has a lot to answer for in that respect - but I (personally) can be content with less, so life seems generally pretty sweet most of the time - even taking into account my natural tendency towards healthy cynicism.
I would never use the expression “amazing” (“absolutely” and “amazing” are the two most overused adjectives in modern life ) but things are I feel better than just good, so my verdict on 2023 is more like pretty darned good
Myself and all my loved ones are all very healthy; my kids are still affectionate and happy to give hugs, even in public; work is varied enough to be engaging, and it’s something I can be satisfied doing for many more years, so I’m not focused on ideas of “retirement” (never have been); I still feel fairly young - nobody I meet thinks I’m the age I am (62); I have a roof over my head in a nice low-crime area, my car is paid for, I have food in the cupboards and I can switch the heating on without unduly worrying about paying the bill.
Looking at the wider world just adds to my own feeling that life is good: no missiles are going to fall on my neighbourhood, nobody is rioting, I’m not at risk of being flooded out of my home by Storm A-to-Z, or being devastated by an earthquake nor bracing for a potential Tsunami (as Japan is today).
And, I’ve a bunch of things lined up for 2024 that should keep this current situation ticking over nicely.
I retired 2013 aged 66 and I’ve enjoyed my retirement immensely, things changed a bit in the last couple of years health wise. I had a waterworks prob!am that dragged on mainly due to the covid crisis. Finally in April I got an appointment for a operation on my prostate. All the tests and “digital” inspections showed no sign of any cancer. A week after the
op I was called in by my surgeon who told me I had a malignant tumour. but the good news was it was a slow growing tumour. For the last ten years I’ve run a cycling group for older men, and due to my experience most of them decided to have a PSA test, one of them tested high
and hadn’t any symptoms. To cut it short he is now on fast track for treatment as his cancer has spread. But his prognosis is good as he’s now in the system. As he says without my diagnosis he wouldn’t have thought about testing, probably until it was too late. So, my message is, get yourself tested!!
It could save your life. By the way I’m being closely monitored with regular PSA testing so I don’t think I’ve much to worry about. As the doc says, at my age (76) natural causes will probably get me first! SO, MY MESSAGE IS GET YOURSELF TESTED!! Regards Kev.
kevmac47:
I retired 2013 aged 66 and I’ve enjoyed my retirement immensely, things changed a bit in the last couple of years health wise. I had a waterworks prob!am that dragged on mainly due to the covid crisis. Finally in April I got an appointment for a operation on my prostate. All the tests and “digital” inspections showed no sign of any cancer. A week after the
op I was called in by my surgeon who told me I had a malignant tumour. but the good news was it was a slow growing tumour. For the last ten years I’ve run a cycling group for older men, and due to my experience most of them decided to have a PSA test, one of them tested high
and hadn’t any symptoms. To cut it short he is now on fast track for treatment as his cancer has spread. But his prognosis is good as he’s now in the system. As he says without my diagnosis he wouldn’t have thought about testing, probably until it was too late. So, my message is, get yourself tested!!
It could save your life. By the way I’m being closely monitored with regular PSA testing so I don’t think I’ve much to worry about. As the doc says, at my age (76) natural causes will probably get me first! SO, MY MESSAGE IS GET YOURSELF TESTED!! Regards Kev.
My Dad got tested to late aged 60/61 by 2 months after his 62 birthday he was dead as the cancer had already spread to far
I’ve been to DR’s today and had finger up bum and got a PSA check and other bloods in 2 weeks I’m 48
Brother who’s 54 had a scare but it was just an enlarged prostrate
kevmac47:
I retired 2013 aged 66 and I’ve enjoyed my retirement immensely, things changed a bit in the last couple of years health wise. I had a waterworks prob!am that dragged on mainly due to the covid crisis. Finally in April I got an appointment for a operation on my prostate. All the tests and “digital” inspections showed no sign of any cancer. A week after the
op I was called in by my surgeon who told me I had a malignant tumour. but the good news was it was a slow growing tumour. For the last ten years I’ve run a cycling group for older men, and due to my experience most of them decided to have a PSA test, one of them tested high
and hadn’t any symptoms. To cut it short he is now on fast track for treatment as his cancer has spread. But his prognosis is good as he’s now in the system. As he says without my diagnosis he wouldn’t have thought about testing, probably until it was too late. So, my message is, get yourself tested!!
It could save your life. By the way I’m being closely monitored with regular PSA testing so I don’t think I’ve much to worry about. As the doc says, at my age (76) natural causes will probably get me first! SO, MY MESSAGE IS GET YOURSELF TESTED!! Regards Kev.
My Dad got tested to late aged 60/61 by 2 months after his 62 birthday he was dead as the cancer had already spread to far
I’ve been to DR’s today and had finger up bum and got a PSA check and other bloods in 2 weeks I’m 48
Brother who’s 54 had a scare but it was just an enlarged prostrate
I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer 4 years, just after I retired but following treatment I’m now all clear. The important thing is to get tested, treatment and prognosis is improving all the time, but doctors can’t do anything until they know you’ve got it!
Back to the original subject, life is good. I can do what I want when I want. Financially we’re OK, I think I’m probably one of the few with a final salary pension after 40 yrs with a largely own account company Couple of times a week I cycle to keep fit and often end up on a bridge over the M4, spend a few minutes watching the traffic thinking do I miss it? I miss getting around the country and some of the people I used to meet, but I’m not tempted to go back!!
It was one of my less eventful years, but I made some notable progress in some of my personal ambitions/interests/endeavours.
Finally began the search for my first house. First and only offer so far was declined
Made a couple changes to my contract to work a bit less. So am already starting my very slow wind down to retirement (aged 44)
I used to suffer terribly with depression in my younger years, and this year it began creeping back in again. But I am now better equipped to manage it than I was.
kevmac47:
I retired 2013 aged 66 and I’ve enjoyed my retirement immensely, things changed a bit in the last couple of years health wise. I had a waterworks prob!am that dragged on mainly due to the covid crisis. Finally in April I got an appointment for a operation on my prostate. All the tests and “digital” inspections showed no sign of any cancer. A week after the
op I was called in by my surgeon who told me I had a malignant tumour. but the good news was it was a slow growing tumour. For the last ten years I’ve run a cycling group for older men, and due to my experience most of them decided to have a PSA test, one of them tested high
and hadn’t any symptoms. To cut it short he is now on fast track for treatment as his cancer has spread. But his prognosis is good as he’s now in the system. As he says without my diagnosis he wouldn’t have thought about testing, probably until it was too late. So, my message is, get yourself tested!!
It could save your life. By the way I’m being closely monitored with regular PSA testing so I don’t think I’ve much to worry about. As the doc says, at my age (76) natural causes will probably get me first! SO, MY MESSAGE IS GET YOURSELF TESTED!! Regards Kev.
My father died from prostate cancer 15 years ago, his brother has it, as far as I’m aware he is still alive, I’ve had two tests fingers up the arse and the blood test, so far all ok, its well worth getting it done!!!
Glad to see the back of it health wise, Prostate cancer & DVT (deep vein thrombosis) in my left calf, Two blood clots one in my groin & one in my thigh. I’ve now got a left calf that belongs to Schwarzenegger & the other looks like I missed every leg day at the gym but still batting.
) but things are I feel better than just good, so my verdict on 2023 is more like pretty darned good 
