Time to give up: Don’t panic I’m not... - British Heart Fou...

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Time to give up

Jako999 profile image
28 Replies

Don’t panic I’m not about to give up on Life and shoot my self😵‍💫.

After the past year of 2 x HT with a quadruple bypass in the middle and all the other treatments and tests. Plus getting PTSD due to it all.

I have decided………… there is far more to life so at the grand old age of 55 I’ve retired🎉. I know I’m very lucky to be able to do this financially but even if I was short on cash I would have still done it, what goods the money when you have worked your self into an early grave.

We all need to remember money does not bring you happiness and if you think it does step back and look at it it’s very short lived, true happiness comes from inside and can only be gained by enjoying what we have and doing the best for ourselves and everyone else. Even if you only smile or laugh one in a day that’s true happiness.

We have all been given our second chances so we must make the most of life and if you can give up work and enjoy your family and yourself more then we should do it. Life can be way to short so what’s the point of chasing the money if you never get to spend it😀.

I hope this makes a few people think and may be make a decision they have been thinking about.

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Jako999 profile image
Jako999
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28 Replies
Tos92 profile image
Tos92

Happy retirement Jako999 ! 🥳

There’s that saying “health is wealth”. I’m glad you made the right decision for you and hope to see more of you on here if you wish to participate!

All the best.

Tos

Heather1957 profile image
Heather1957

Totally agree, this isn't a dress rehearsal.

Time to enjoy life.

jeanjeannie50 profile image
jeanjeannie50

I agree with every word you've written Jako. I went on to a 4 day week aged around 51ish. then gave up work totally aged 62. You just wonder if you will then feel better. I ended a 13 year relationship with a miserable man, then had a 3rd ablation and have felt so much better since.

Jean

in reply tojeanjeannie50

One thing to get rid of is the miserable partner, male or female and then anything else that dampens our soul.....

Nannysue1 profile image
Nannysue1 in reply tojeanjeannie50

Your response made me smile Jean. Love the way that you lumped the miserable man in amongst your retirement and heart problems! Well done you 😘

Good luck with your retirement and enjoying your new found life, without work as a barrier you will begin to understand { judging by your post your not far off } just what a miracle living really is.

Take care

BeKind28- profile image
BeKind28-

Hello :-)

Wishing you a long and happy retirement :-)

If you are in a position where you can and it is the right choice for you then I say go for it like you have done :-) x

cappachina profile image
cappachina in reply toBeKind28-

Lovely to see your post again Bekind we are all missing you

BeKind28- profile image
BeKind28- in reply tocappachina

Hello :-)

Thank you that is kind of you to say :-)

I hope you are keeping well :-) x

TheBoys profile image
TheBoys

well done for taking the plunge and the best of luck. Enjoy life and living.

Anon2023 profile image
Anon2023

enjoy your retirement, I’ve never looked back since I retired. X

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57

Good for you 😁👍I have not worked since my HA on 27th February, (self employed)

Just not made it official yet I guess 😁

Yumz199725 profile image
Yumz199725

Aw good for you! Jako999 🥳🥰My dad retired early wasn't for health reasons but so glad he did. Bet you feel so much better for it aswell very wise descion ☺️👍.

Heyjude31 profile image
Heyjude31

So glad to hear of your news. May your health continue to improve and you enjoy your retirement, wishing you buckets of good health and happiness. Judi x

MrsSuzuki profile image
MrsSuzuki

Hope you have a long and happy retirement. My husband and I retired early on health grounds and never looked back. We've never had much money and we're pretty skint but we just take each day as it comes and decide on the day what we are going to do, depending on how we feel that day.

Lily

Gail1967 profile image
Gail1967

I too retired at 55 - 4 years after my cabg x 4. Lucky to be able to do this & now making the most of a more relaxed life doing the things that make me happy- which I hope will help lessen the chances of another heart event! Would definitely recommend it although at the time it felt important to me to get back to where I had been before the HA to prove I could.

Mentdent profile image
Mentdent

Good for you. Get things done while you still can.

Cee-Cee1 profile image
Cee-Cee1

Wishing you many, many years of a happy and healthy retirement, Jako 👍😀 I went part-time after the bypass last year, after over forty years of the daily grind, and am loving it - I wonder how I managed to have the time to work full-time!😀

Digger0 profile image
Digger0

Excellent decision!

Sljp0000 profile image
Sljp0000

You sound much more positive than recent posts I've seen of yours. Well done! Did you have have the stents you were considering?Congratulations on your retirement, the world's your oyster, enjoy!

Susie

Jako999 profile image
Jako999 in reply toSljp0000

Hi still awaiting what’s happening next but because the last stress MRI showed that my two arterial grafts are working well and I’m not just going to drop down dead the speed and pressure of having to get something done has dropped.

I think having finished work has also helped, I didn’t think it even bothered me but it now feels like a weight has been lifted which is really strange because I loved my job.

Thanks

Razor1967 profile image
Razor1967

Great decision, we have spoken in the past after very similar events happened to us both. Luckily I had worked for a bank for 34 years I had good benefits, after my heart attack and CABG I received 12 months sick pay (6 months full 6 months half). I then resigned after the 12 months in July 2022 and turned 55 in the October and could take my pension. I haven't looked back, the dogs have never been fitter and the garden never as pristine !! Like others have said life is too short, enjoy what we have left. My late Dad's best friend worked crazy hours and retired at 65. He dropped down dead 1 week after his retirement. There is so much to see and do in this country as well as the rest of the world ! Life is for living👍

Bingo88 profile image
Bingo88

Yes you are so right jako999. God knows how many will have to work until they are 70. And never get a retirement. I myself retired at 63 to enjoy life with just chronic kidney disease. But it's been 1 condition after another since retirement to add to the list. But I am still carrying on and trying to enjoy life and spend what I have. Enjoy your retirement and I hope you have a good day. Brian

Maidenhead1 profile image
Maidenhead1

so glad to hear from you Jacko999, You were the first to write to me, after HA& 5 stents in Florida, a yr ago. I’m still struggling with it& have now been told it may be MVA, it just back from Florida again, trying to get on with it

Congratulations, enjoy every minute of your retirement & live your life.

Windmill6 profile image
Windmill6

Hi Jako999, never such a true paragraph on the importance of life.!!I wish I'd had chance to follow your advice and now deeply regret I didnt enjoy more of my life instead of working hard.

I was waiting until retirement to make some drastic changes as I was too busy with work,I rare ly was home. I had high blood pressure which I thought was work related and being managed properly.

However, after 40 years working in the NHS I retired with ill health at 59.

I received my nhs pension (plans for holidays,home improvements,buying my children a small house,joining various clubs)at the same time as a diagnosis of chronic ill health making me almost house bound within 1 year. All my plans and dreams gone.

I'm not telling you this for any sympathy,just to reiterate your message in Block Capitals with bells and whistles!!!!!

I now have the time and pension to fulfil my dreams but with declining health it's worthless! I never thought this would happen to me as I thought (wrongly) I was so healthy.

Live your life don't wait until you retire because you never know what the future holds.

Gribbin profile image
Gribbin

Thanks for this inspiration. I'm early days, just 7 weeks since CABGx4... and feeling low...huge anxiety about going back to work... was getting really stressed, and had HA and collapsed at work in May... so see work as a potential death sentence! (in my mind).

But I have now asked to be considered for a part time role in less stressful area on my return... just by doing this a load has lifted... and now with your post, I might do the same when I hit 55 in 2025!

My wife is really supportive, and agrees with you... we can get by financially if we have to.

Thanks,

Richard

Jako999 profile image
Jako999 in reply toGribbin

I’m glad you read it and part time is a good start. Have you enquired about I’ll health retirement? Mine was NHS there are two tears and one covers you if you can no longer do the job you were employed for, I was a paramedic and work told me from the start I could never go back to the the job I loved. I would have to take a clerical roll eventually, I couldn’t do that I’m hands on so after 22 years I finished and like you said I felt so much better within days.

The mental side of our journey is far greater then the physical so much so that most people need to see a councillor, it really helps to talk, even being on here is a massive help “ask away about anything” I’ve never really understood why people are so proud to get help? We all need it every now and then.

Hope you feel better soon👍🙏

Gribbin profile image
Gribbin in reply toJako999

I have spoken to HR and will get Occupational Health support in place before I return to work, so hope that will be the time to address possible medical retirement... that may still be a few months away?I didn't want to miss the deadline for the part time role, so have jumped the gun a bit by putting in an application while I'm signed off... at least they should appreciate my intentions are to return...

Thanks for your support.

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