How has your decade been?
Discussion
Like most it's had it's ups and downs...
So far health has been fine, although could do with upping my exercise as I'm closing in on 50.
Career wise it's gone well, although end of the decade is finishing with change as I'm bored so will likely resign in next couple of weeks. I already have interest in a couple of other roles with increased earnings so fresh start in 2020.
Cars wise it's been decent after selling a company I part owned, Boxster S, E63, M2 which I unfortunately wrote off (my fault) and now in an S5 which I thought would be a stopgap but is alright actually and may keep it a while.
Divorce due to be finalised hopefully before Xmas, ex moved out last Nov, so that's lead to a happier time without her but unhappier spending less time with son, but you adapt to it. Obviously finances have taken a hit but they can be built up again. I stayed in the family home but will probably sell next year as it's too big for me and the dog.
New girlfriend I've been seeing for 4-5 months is going well.
The lowest point of the decade was my mum dying in 2017, that was tough as we were close and still is at times. Positive is that dad and I are much closer now, and are basically mates who go to the pub and rugby and car events together. Every cloud...
So there have been some highs and lows, but my mum dying just makes everything else seem a bit irrelevant.
So far health has been fine, although could do with upping my exercise as I'm closing in on 50.
Career wise it's gone well, although end of the decade is finishing with change as I'm bored so will likely resign in next couple of weeks. I already have interest in a couple of other roles with increased earnings so fresh start in 2020.
Cars wise it's been decent after selling a company I part owned, Boxster S, E63, M2 which I unfortunately wrote off (my fault) and now in an S5 which I thought would be a stopgap but is alright actually and may keep it a while.
Divorce due to be finalised hopefully before Xmas, ex moved out last Nov, so that's lead to a happier time without her but unhappier spending less time with son, but you adapt to it. Obviously finances have taken a hit but they can be built up again. I stayed in the family home but will probably sell next year as it's too big for me and the dog.
New girlfriend I've been seeing for 4-5 months is going well.
The lowest point of the decade was my mum dying in 2017, that was tough as we were close and still is at times. Positive is that dad and I are much closer now, and are basically mates who go to the pub and rugby and car events together. Every cloud...
So there have been some highs and lows, but my mum dying just makes everything else seem a bit irrelevant.
Bloody awful being honest
Lost me Mum in 2013, dealt with that OK, but it left me aimless, searching for a purpose almost.
Been in and out of work ever since, no house, no bird, still drifting.
Very tough at times but there are good points, friends and family and days out.
Just soick of not feeling secure and feel like life is on hold until I can get a decent job, it's very hard to find.
Lost me Mum in 2013, dealt with that OK, but it left me aimless, searching for a purpose almost.
Been in and out of work ever since, no house, no bird, still drifting.
Very tough at times but there are good points, friends and family and days out.
Just soick of not feeling secure and feel like life is on hold until I can get a decent job, it's very hard to find.
Decidedly up and down.
Started up and down. On the down side, long term relationship came to an end. On the up side, landing my first in house role and getting off the treadmill of private practice. Through that job met a fantastic girl. Roll into 2012, and I'm working on London with the fantastic buzz of London 2012 and the girlfriend and I are still going great guns. Was lucky enough to get tickets for 4 Olympic events. Then the wheels started to come off: first she was made redundant, then I was, and we ended up splitting up. I managed to find a new job initially as maternity cover, but it ended up being a permanent role, but I then found a fantastic job closer to home that I absolutely love. However, health problems had developed.
Yesterday I was told I probably have less than a year left to live.
Started up and down. On the down side, long term relationship came to an end. On the up side, landing my first in house role and getting off the treadmill of private practice. Through that job met a fantastic girl. Roll into 2012, and I'm working on London with the fantastic buzz of London 2012 and the girlfriend and I are still going great guns. Was lucky enough to get tickets for 4 Olympic events. Then the wheels started to come off: first she was made redundant, then I was, and we ended up splitting up. I managed to find a new job initially as maternity cover, but it ended up being a permanent role, but I then found a fantastic job closer to home that I absolutely love. However, health problems had developed.
Yesterday I was told I probably have less than a year left to live.
Overall? I’m going with “mixed”... In no particular order:
Good stuff?
Vehicle wise, it’s been pretty light. I got rid of the Volvo V70 2.5 SE turbo (AKA “The Big Gay Hearse”, because of its hideous metallic pink colour) and got a Saab 9-3 Tid estate. I’ve had three bikes - 1997 Honda VFR 750 F-XV, 2007 Triumph Tiger and 2014 Triumph Explorer. I’ve just got the Saab at the moment.
I’m sure there’s some more stuff I’ve missed/forgotten, but the above are the “highlights”.
- Got divorced from my second wife, mainly because of my struggles around 2012/13 with severe PTSD and my inability to communicate;
- Survived and recovered from PTSD and a linked suicide attempt;
- My Mum died, thankfully after only a very short illness;
- My first two dogs were put to sleep (separately). One was in the middle of all the PTSD, which didn’t help;
- One of my two best mates got cancer, with a tumour on his spine, in the middle of all the PTSD, which didn’t help (I spent my birthday that year at the hospital with his wife, while he underwent eight hours of surgery, the day after the tumour had been found);
- Several other family members and friends have died. Some young, some less so;
- I had a fairly serious motorbike accident two and a half years ago, which I’m still recovering from, after about 13 lots of surgery, various infections and complications. It was apparently touch and go whether or not I’d make it early on;
- My bike was written off as a result of the accident;
- I’ve not been able to travel very much at all for those two and a half years;
- I’ve had to rent for two and a half years, having had to pull out of a house purchase due to complications after the accident;
- I wasn’t able to attend the weddings of two of my nieces, one of whom is my only goddaughter, because of the accident.
Good stuff?
- I met my girlfriend back in 2015, through online dating. She has stuck with me through all the tough times, which is very much a measure of the kind of person she is. I’m extremely lucky to have met her and she is utterly fantastic;
- I’ve done a fair bit of travelling - Canada, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Latvia, Norway, Sweden, Finland;
- My two best mates got the respective five and fifteen year “all clear” (or rather, symptoms free) from cancer;
- I sold the house I had with my wife, finally;
- I’ve met some utterly brilliant superheroes in the NHS and have been completely humbled by the vast majority of them;
- I got another dog;
- The NHS has kept me alive, both through my mental health issues and post accident;
- I found a rental flat which was nearer to my girlfriend and where I could have the dog, meaning I could keep him. I’ve also really landed on my feet with my landlord, he’s a really great guy;
- I’ve not had to have my injured leg chopped off. There was a real possibility could’ve ended up with an above-knee amputation of my right leg, but I do have some fairly cool scars to show off;
- I’m nearly able to weight bear 100% on my injured leg and hopefully, I’ll soon be walking without crutches, for the first time since the accident;
- I discovered a new hobby through a random Facebook group (basically, taking photos of grids/manholes) and have made new friends through it, all of whom are, like me, ever so slightly warped;
- I rediscovered Lego and have rather a lot of it now, being able to afford some of the larger/more complex sets;
- I’m still alive.
Vehicle wise, it’s been pretty light. I got rid of the Volvo V70 2.5 SE turbo (AKA “The Big Gay Hearse”, because of its hideous metallic pink colour) and got a Saab 9-3 Tid estate. I’ve had three bikes - 1997 Honda VFR 750 F-XV, 2007 Triumph Tiger and 2014 Triumph Explorer. I’ve just got the Saab at the moment.
I’m sure there’s some more stuff I’ve missed/forgotten, but the above are the “highlights”.
More downs than ups unfortunately.
Both my parents died, O/H (a type 2 diabetic) had a mini-stroke that triggered epilepsy and continues to f
k with her auto-immune system. She also lost a very well paid job and was out of work for three years while she recovered from the stroke. I've had radiotherapy for prostate cancer (so far, so good) and heart surgery (also so far, so good) but my arthritis is steadily worsening - on good days I can walk miles, on bad days I want to rip my legs out.
However, I can still drive and we had a great week in May driving my '63 Riley from Land's End to John O'Groats by B-roads to celebrate my 70th birthday; it was the drive of our lives.
At present my O/H is struggling with severe weight loss that is taking months of tests and scans to diagnose and also work related stress so much of my time is devoted to supporting her but life could be a lot worse; we muddle along - as you do.
Both my parents died, O/H (a type 2 diabetic) had a mini-stroke that triggered epilepsy and continues to f
k with her auto-immune system. She also lost a very well paid job and was out of work for three years while she recovered from the stroke. I've had radiotherapy for prostate cancer (so far, so good) and heart surgery (also so far, so good) but my arthritis is steadily worsening - on good days I can walk miles, on bad days I want to rip my legs out.However, I can still drive and we had a great week in May driving my '63 Riley from Land's End to John O'Groats by B-roads to celebrate my 70th birthday; it was the drive of our lives.
At present my O/H is struggling with severe weight loss that is taking months of tests and scans to diagnose and also work related stress so much of my time is devoted to supporting her but life could be a lot worse; we muddle along - as you do.
Mothersruin said:
Europa1 said:
Yesterday I was told I probably have less than a year left to live.
You'd best get on with having a fking riot!Can I help in any way?
king riot, but the sod, the crowning turd in the waterpipe (as Blackadder said), is that it's pulmonary fibrosis, so any kind of wild bucket list is out. I am already on oxygen 24/7, and moving about is getting ever more difficult.Doofus said:
fk.
Kind of puts my whinging into perspective.
It's hard to get your hear around. I've had the condition for a while, but (due to a pre-existing health issue) the docs recently decided not to put me on the transplant list, which is the only treatment, So I've know for a bit that I'll be cashing my chips in sooner rather than later, but yesterday they put the timescale on it, which has, to say the least, taken the wind out of my sails. I was watching the Grand Prix qualifying earlier and suddenly thought I might not see another complete season.k.Kind of puts my whinging into perspective.
To quote Captain Darling, "Made a note in my diary on the way here. Simply said 'bugger'."
Between 61and 71;
Did a bunch of tech consulting around the globe
Joined four commercial boards, (still on two)
Chaired IT awards in my country each year
Sold M5,M6,997.2RS
Bought 991RS, Panamera ST Turbo,Jeep Wrangler
Kept 997.1RS, SL500,Cayenne, Smart Fortwo
Lots of travel both business and personal.
Tracked at Ring, Spa, Watkins Glen,Mosport
Lost two dogs, Great Dane and Standard Poodle
New dog, another Great Dane.
No health crisis
Overall more good than bad.
Did a bunch of tech consulting around the globe
Joined four commercial boards, (still on two)
Chaired IT awards in my country each year
Sold M5,M6,997.2RS
Bought 991RS, Panamera ST Turbo,Jeep Wrangler
Kept 997.1RS, SL500,Cayenne, Smart Fortwo
Lots of travel both business and personal.
Tracked at Ring, Spa, Watkins Glen,Mosport
Lost two dogs, Great Dane and Standard Poodle
New dog, another Great Dane.
No health crisis
Overall more good than bad.
Europa1 said:
It's hard to get your hear around. ... I was watching the Grand Prix qualifying earlier and suddenly thought I might not see another complete season.
That is a weird thought. Do you find it emotionally tough or have you accepted the situation?What age are you?
Edited by The Moose on Sunday 1st December 01:28
2010 - working full on, and doing a mix of office based and travelling abroad on a very regular basis.
Health deteriorating quite quickly - Kidneys failing. Very tired, and getting worse. Unable to eat much food as it is poisoning me.
2013. ( December) - Stop work on Dec 18th.
2014. ( January 14th) - Undertake a Kidney transplant Operation - Lifesaving Op.
2014. mid year - presented with the company 'Ambassador Award' for my efforts and dedication. A 'works' highlight for me, indeed.
2015. ( March ) return to work - Office based - No travelling abroad !
2015. Sold my Motorcycle
2016. Retire from work. ( early retirement ! Whoo Hoo). My pension planning has paid off.
2017. Losing weight and gaining fitness.
2018. Up and down health year. Had to cancel a long haul holiday due to kidney problems.
2019. Health wise, a decent year. Fit. Target weight. Enjoying my retirement.
Footnote - my new lifesaving kidney was donated by my wife.
Overall, my decade has been............'evenful'.
Health deteriorating quite quickly - Kidneys failing. Very tired, and getting worse. Unable to eat much food as it is poisoning me.
2013. ( December) - Stop work on Dec 18th.
2014. ( January 14th) - Undertake a Kidney transplant Operation - Lifesaving Op.
2014. mid year - presented with the company 'Ambassador Award' for my efforts and dedication. A 'works' highlight for me, indeed.
2015. ( March ) return to work - Office based - No travelling abroad !
2015. Sold my Motorcycle
2016. Retire from work. ( early retirement ! Whoo Hoo). My pension planning has paid off.
2017. Losing weight and gaining fitness.
2018. Up and down health year. Had to cancel a long haul holiday due to kidney problems.
2019. Health wise, a decent year. Fit. Target weight. Enjoying my retirement.
Footnote - my new lifesaving kidney was donated by my wife.
Overall, my decade has been............'evenful'.
Edited by bomb on Saturday 30th November 22:40
Just read through the thread and it has been a fascinating read (except one pedantic tt, but it wouldn't be PH without one!)
It just shows how even in tough situations, most are positive about the last 10 years whether down to hard work, luck or the lack of it.
It definitely reminds you to make the most of each day and enjoy your life.
It's also made me excited for the next decade and adventures going from my 30s to 40s (makes me feel old typing that!)
t, but it wouldn't be PH without one!)It just shows how even in tough situations, most are positive about the last 10 years whether down to hard work, luck or the lack of it.
It definitely reminds you to make the most of each day and enjoy your life.
It's also made me excited for the next decade and adventures going from my 30s to 40s (makes me feel old typing that!)
The Moose said:
Europa1 said:
It's hard to get your hear around. ... I was watching the Grand Prix qualifying earlier and suddenly thought I might not see another complete season.
That is a weird thought. Do you find it emotionally tough or have you accepted the situation?What age are you?
Edited by The Moose on Sunday 1st December 01:28
I'm 47.
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