My health insurance fund (who I have been with since I was a child) asked if they could feature me in their marketing. I said no to making a video but agreed to an interview. After all, I am a marketer myself an I understand the importance of good content.
I know around the world there are different health systems - here we have a mix of public (Medicare) and private. I was in two minds as to whether to share this but figure I’m amongst friends here.
Wow, thankyou for sharing this! I retired from a busy nursing job after struggling with paf over a year. I didnt want to but my body insisted, so glad I listened. Having unlimited me time has been immensley helpful.
Thanks Hoski. I’m now worried part time rather than full time - not as good for the bank account but better for my health. And at the back of my mind I do have that niggling doubt about whether I’ll get to retire one day on my own terms or whether AF will raise its ugly head again. I’m taking it one day at a time.
Right. I was 63 at the time. My badly arthritic knee pushed me over the edge also so wasnt much of a decision, lol. Financial was( and is) a big adjustment.
Thank you for sharing this with your friends here Kaz, it's not often we get to see the person behind a post. A lovely photo too.
I was 62 when I retired from work completely, but had worked just 4 days a week for the 11 years previous. I think leaving did make my AF a little better.
Jean
Lovely of you to share your moment of fame and photo! All the best to you Kaz..as you say now I look back and am glad I had to eventually leave my old job. AF and Aflut bring gifts as well as downers! Xxx
Thanks Jean - I’m hoping (at this stage) to keep working until I’m around 60 (4-5 years). My job is very social and my husband says I don’t really work anyway (if you love what you do it’s not really ‘work’) 
Thank you ! That was really lovely !
Thanks Kaz747 for this inspiring post!
lovely photo! I still work (67) but as a writer so it's mostly on my terms, from home, and very sedentary. I couldn't work if I was having an attack and I'm wiped out the following day. I do have to engage with the real world sometimes and I always worry a bit that I'm going to have an attack. Harder for you young things!!!
Thanks Katie - what sort of writing do you do? I also write and edit as part of my role (which is what I do on the day I work from home). Perhaps when I do retire I’ll finish the half written novel in my study (started 25 years ago).
I would definitely encourage you to do that! I write novels and when you're in the right space you have no health problems at all! Although it's a bit weird when you look in the mirror and see this old 67 year old and not the feisty young woman you thought you were!
😃😃😃
Love your books.
You’re THE katiefforde?!!!! (I’m so used to made-up user names on the forum, I didn’t connect!!)
Your books are just fabulous 😊🌟🎉
that's me. I felt I'd never remember what I called myself if I called myself something different when I joined up. Thank you so much for your kind remarks about my books. I will feel encouraged as I get on with the next one! x
It took me eight years to get published so don't give up! xxx
oh how kind!!! I'll keep on writing them as long as possible! x
I’ll have to check them out 😃
Me too Katie! Keep up the great work please, I read all the time anywhere anytime I can and now I have left work even more! I do run a dog birthday cake business too though.
Thank you for your writing I really enjoy your books x
Oh thank you!! Love the idea of a dog birthday cake business. It sounds like the sort of thing i might write about one day!
Haha! Yes please do I'd love that!
I love the sound of that too. I’ve just written a blog post on “pawternity” leave and an overview for a competition featuring dogs 🐶
No pressure!
I’ll have to buy some for my e-reader for my trip to Europe this year. I love the feel of real books but the e-reader is great for traveling.
I totally agree. I must prefer real books but if I'm travelling my kindle is my life support system!
Lovely picture Kaz! You are doing all the right things, long may your peaceful heart continue.
We subscribe to Which? and Which? Legal Service (consumer service) here in the UK and they asked for feedback, which I gave. They asked if they could use my quote, I agreed, and next renewal date my reminder was addressed to me with my quote printed on the letter; we were quite amused!
never been a fan of private health insurance companies. Firstly, I think if you have the odd cough/cold once a year or perhaps sprain your wrist then your okay you can jump the usual queue. But if you have ongoing health problems like diabetes, heart issues and a whole plethora of other medical problems that need regular visits to hospital, then, that’s when things become tricky from my experience. Hospital/GPs they get twitchy if you’ve gone private then you need the good old NHS to sort things out.
I recently made enquiries to Bupa, and when I told them I was a type 1 diabetic of 43yrs, they said I wouldn’t be able to claim any private health services with them until I’d been a paid member for over five years. I just hung up and concluded that they only really want people who have little or no health problems. Commercial for profit not to benefit those who are with long term health problems.
I’m in Australia so we have a different system. My health fund is a member based not for profit that I’ve been with since I was a child on my parents policy.
Oh, okay. Are the fires still a major problem?
Yes - still very bad - lives lost, lots of homes lost, communities destroyed. Australia is hurting and it will take a long time to heal.
Yes, still lots burning. The main highway between east and West is cut off which is impacting freight in both directions so we can expect that to lead to further problems. We Aussies are tough though and in these tough times the Aussie spirit shines through so there are a lot of good news stories as well as the dreadful ones 🇦🇺
Thank you, Kaz! I’m so glad you shared this with us. It’s a really great interview, and a beautiful photo! Seeing you in real life, you ‘match’ the Kaz we’ve come to know and love from your posts: uplifting, positive, strong, determined - and always making us smile xxx
Thank you for posting this, really enjoyed the read especially as I have followed your journey through this horrific condition. As you know I also started back work for 3 days a week and really enjoy the experience and extra money (which my daughter always seems to have her fair share of). Let’s hope we stay well and our condition is a thing of past unpleasant memories.
Thank you. And I have two daughters- I find they are pretty good at saving their money and spending mine 😃
Hello and my story. 
First post here (36M) - my story and questions
My AF story
