When early retirement is not early enough...

[Dr. Mom]

You and your friend will be in our thoughts and prayers today.  For those of you who are part of a team, be sure your financial planning prepares your significant other to take over the reins if/when you need them to.  Wishing you all a Sweet New Year.

[jfoxcpacfp]

Good life lesson, so sorry it is a true story. Will lift him and his family up in prayer. Miracles happen, but your point is well taken. Live purposefully, enjoy the ride, and don't put off living until the train arrives at the station (someday).

[PhysicianOnFIRE]

How sad for him and his family. And for friends of his like you.

I don't know whether circumstances like his should prompt us to spend more or save more. On one hand, retiring at 50 would have given them the better part of a decade to visit Europe, spend time in the mountains, and to check off more bucket list items. Conversely, working less and doing some of those things intermittently throughout life help protect against running out of time to have those experiences.

It's a real conundrum.

[Drknowsbest]

I am a palliative care doctor. I have seen too many people dying in ICU with the picture of their dream boat blown up and taped in the room for inspiration to get better etc...

Dave Matthews Band has a song with this saying in it:

Tomorrow is no place to put your better days.

I live by that rule, having financial independence and freedom to travel more and live your life in a chill state is great, but it is also important to live your life so you don't have to wait for the 6 month diagnosis to start kicking off stuff on your bucket list. We moved from California to Hawaii this past year. Our financial advisor said, as your FA I should tell you that is a big mistake, as your friend I should say, I envy the big decision to live in the moment.

While we are raising young girls, it is important for them to know what the value of money is. It is that it gets you to enjoy things that you like now, without gluttony of buying everything that your heart desires, evaluating what true happiness is will hopefully get us to a point that we live our lives to full capacity of enjoyment now. I will more than likely die with way more money than I ever need, that will be an opportunity to build a legacy by a foundation that gives money to those who need it. Not a plan to buy a sailboat to call my own. Finding out what matters to each one of us, and using money to bring joy and not just things, is what I have learned taking care of dying patients....

 

[The White Coat Investor]

hatton1 wrote:

My mother died unexpectedly at age 64 from a MI.  She was a heavy smoker. My father lived to be 92 despite being a smoker from age 13 -55.  He led a cholesterol laden life as well.  I worry more about living to 100.  POF has an actuarial post today about longevity.  I guess I am more frightened by longevity than an early death.  Some things are just unpredictable.  Anyone no matter how healthy can die in a MVA anytime.  My college roommate and best friend from high school died at age 43 from metastatic breast cancer leaving behind 3 little kids.

Click to expand...

Longevity is a relatively easy problem to take care of.

You might try my tongue in cheek plan of taking up a new adrenaline sport with each decade of life. By my 90s I should be flying those squirrel suits. Doubt I'll make 100.

[Zaphod]

The White Coat Investor wrote:

hatton1 wrote:

My mother died unexpectedly at age 64 from a MI.  She was a heavy smoker. My father lived to be 92 despite being a smoker from age 13 -55.  He led a cholesterol laden life as well.  I worry more about living to 100.  POF has an actuarial post today about longevity.  I guess I am more frightened by longevity than an early death.  Some things are just unpredictable.  Anyone no matter how healthy can die in a MVA anytime.  My college roommate and best friend from high school died at age 43 from metastatic breast cancer leaving behind 3 little kids.

Click to expand…

Longevity is a relatively easy problem to take care of.

You might try my tongue in cheek plan of taking up a new adrenaline sport with each decade of life. By my 90s I should be flying those squirrel suits. Doubt I’ll make 100.

Click to expand...

Thats hilarious, I always joke with friends that I would love to do the flying squirrel suits, as part of my 95th or so birthday gifts.

[kingsnake]

Did a colon in a 52 yo woman with heme+ stool last week.  Found a rectal cancer. Ordered the CT which showed lung and liver mets. Sent her over to Oncology. Ouch.

[VagabondMD]

kingsnake wrote:

Did a colon in a 52 yo woman with heme+ stool last week.  Found a rectal cancer. Ordered the CT which showed lung and liver mets. Sent her over to Oncology. Ouch.

Click to expand...

I think we all have stories like that. It's what we do. What makes the OP hit home is the following:

1) He is one of us.

2) He worked hard and prepared well for early retirement.

3) He was literally weeks away from retirement when he discovered that he is three months away from his last Christmas.

 

 

[Arkad]

Reminds me of when my wife and I debated over a relatively inexpnsive ski house to spend every weekend with our young children. We could easily afford it but we couldn't do it. One day our next door neighbor was diagnosed with metastic cancer to her brain. She was just a few years older than we were. We decided to buy the house and never regretted it.

Now I am a few months away from calling it quits.  These stories are incredibly sad but take all the second guessing away. All I have to do is open the alumni magazine from college of Med school to get the same message.

[hightower]

Thanks for sharing this.  It's an important reminder and a subject I think about often, especially since I started reading up on financial blogs.  I worry about there being too many people on these forums that aren't keeping the present moment in focus, myself included.  The present is all we have in this world.  The past has already happened and won't happen again and the future is not guaranteed (as you pointed out with your story).  So, if we're not enjoying this very moment, we're not living life to it's fullest.  Planning for the future is great and all, but should never come at the expense of being present right now.

[EJ at Dads Dollars and Debts]

Condolences. This makes my heart ache. I think in our profession we often see people go young and unexpectedly. Whether it is true a accident or an illness, but it is harder when it is someone we know. I have 3 people to whom this has happened to. All with young kids and all unexpectedly.

 

This is why I try to balance my life. Take the trips now. Enjoy your children grow. Work part time if you can (that is my plan) and maybe work a little longer. The time we are on this earth today is guaranteed. The time tomorrow is not.

[NJDoc]

Vagabond,

My condolences to your friend and colleague. Our local Docs have had similar unfortunate news in the last year with two Docs diagnosed with advanced stage disease.

Very sad.