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Spring Renewal

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

   There are several times throughout the year that I think you get to start over.  One, of course, is on New Year’s Day when a new year begins.  I also think your birthday marks a new beginning.  And of all the seasons, I think Spring begins a time of renewal.

 Yet with all these opportunities to start over,  I have been observing something different this year from recent years’s past.  I don’t know if it is because we have started a new decade, or because we just went through an awful financial calamity,  but I get the strong sense many people want to start over and they want things to be different this time around. 

 My observation began when a customer, at the jewelry store I work in part-time, called and complained about what she perceived as our lack of service.  While I am happy to report that is not a common occurrence, what happened next is: she called back to apologize.  She said she just didn’t want to start the year being rude to people.  I like that sentiment.

While nothing about my observations could be classified as scientific, I have also observed this new civility at the grocery store too.  People seem to be more forgiving when someone is taking up too much room in the aisle and people say excuse me when they pass in front of someone deep in thought as they search the shelves for a specific product.  And yes, I have witnessed people letting people with less items actually go first.

Is this just wishful  thinking or could it be that the economic crisis of the last few years has brought us closer together?  Could it be that these hard times  have shown that we are all in this together and for our planet to survive we must all come together as one and help one another. While the previous decade might be more about greed and a dog eat dog mentality for getting ahead, maybe this time around we will see that the best way to proceed is by courtesy and helping each other achieve our goals.  Success at another’s expense is not happiness.

 I recently read of a man, Bob Totruba, who is traveling to college campuses throughout the country, on a ten year mission to encourage and remind people to be kind every day.  This includes simple acts from smiling to picking up trash.

I don’t know if he has been to our town, but maybe his movement is spreading.

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What’s Your Calling?

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

There is something special about the start of a new year, but starting a new decade is extra special.  And even though we have gotten off to a rocky start with the earthquake in Haiti, I sense that not only is this going to be a great year, but a pivotal decade.

 While the earthquake has been heartbreaking on many levels, it has also been a reminder of how amazing people can be. The desire to help people  and the feeling of being productive doesn’t have an age limit.  And that is true with retirement.  Just because someone has retired from their job, doesn’t mean they have retired from life.  And if they have it is time to reevaluate.

  An inspirational story recently appeared on NBC Nightly News.  Dr. Basil Jackson, a retired physician from Milwaukee, saw the devastation on T.V. and thought he could still be of use.  He flew to Haiti with a group of other physicians and he was shown comforting patients and offering his years of experience.  He is 78 years old.

What makes a person respond to a calling?  What makes a person want to help people?  While no one may know the answer, the good news seems is it seems to be a quality that lasts a lifetime.

 So, as we begin this new year, this new decade, perhaps, the tragedy in Haiti is a time to ask ourselves what we can do.  What is our calling?  What can we do to help people?  We don’t have to fly to another country.  There are people that need help and you don’t have to look very far.  Maybe this can be the year which started with tragedy, but inspired us to do more.

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What Price Healthcare and Friendship?

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Lately it’s hard to watch the news, or read the paper without being bombarded with the controversy of healthcare reform; how to pay for it and who should get it.  This is a major concern for retirees, who may be fortunate enough to have health benefits from their former employers, or retirees that are now eligible for Medicare benefits.

While I try to live a healthy lifestyle and do what I can to preserve my health, I recently had an experience that really made me think about health and friendship.  A friend donated his kidney to another friend. Wow! Since that happened, it  made me think about how lucky I am to be healthy!   What if you have a disease and you realize that your life may end if you do not receive an organ and perhaps, more importantly, where will this organ come from?

In this case, a letter was sent to family and friends explaining the renal disease and the grim expectations if a transplant was not performed.  I think of how scary it would be to send that letter, but also to receive it.  You are then faced with a moment that can define your character.

Interestingly, my friend who made the donation chose not to tell anyone until the process was complete.  And quite a process it is. Donors are carefully evaluated on medical and psychological grounds. Last year in the United States, 16,517 kidney transplants were performed, 10,551 from cadavers and 5,966 from living donors.  The typical transplant patient lives 10-15 years longer after the donation and no longer has to bear the rigor of dialysis.

When my friend finally did confide that he had donated his kidney, I was not surprised as I always knew the strength of his character. However, when I told another  friend about it, she quickly said she didn’t think she could do that.  And then added she would definitely not do it for someone that was not a family member.  That also did not surprise me.  It made me think the world is divided into people who will sacrifice their comfort and time for another, and those who would not.

This personal experience made me also think about those who have a disease and do not have health insurance and how this pre-existing condition might affect their longevity and future quality of life.  The major consideration about whether an individual is accepted by a kidney transplant program in the U.S. is whether that person has employer based insurance.  Transplant recipients must take immunosuppressive anti-rejection drugs for as long as the transplanted kidney functions and this is beyond the financial means of most people without the assistance of insurance.

In March, 2009, a bill was introduced in the Senate and in the House (HR 1458) that will extend Medicare coverage of the drugs for as long as the patient has a functioning transplant.  This means patients who have lost their jobs and insurance will so not lose their kidney and be forced back on dialysis.  Dialysis is currently using $17 billion yearly of Medicare funds and total care of these patients amounts to 10% of the entire Medicare Budget.

The healthcare debate is complicated and  difficult .  However, the one thing that we can put no price tag on is friendship.  I am happy to have a friend who made such a magnanimous sacrifice for another friend.

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Retirement Planning Blues

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

My grandmother lived to be 101. I used to reflect on all the things she had seen in her lifetime and how she was able to adapt to change. I am not yet close to that milestone year, but in retirement I am learning that adaptability may be the key to successful living.

As you near retirement, you are told to plan. Plan for your expenses, plan where you want to live, plan for your health and plan on living life and having fun. Plan for the future.

Unfortunately, planning for the future based on today’s circumstances is a risky proposition at best. As older Americans we have learned that no matter how much we plan, the future is likely to be different. The adage “the future is now” has never been more true.

If someone had told me that I would see some of the auto companies go out of business, that my local newspaper might be a thing of the past, and that a major recession would change life for nearly everyone, I wouldn’t have believed it, and certainly would not have planned for these things!

A recent survey by AARP Magazine targets 45-64 year olds as “a high anxiety age group”. They are preparing for their retirement, but they are worried about other generations as well.

The AARP Survey called “A Closer Look” was last done about eight months ago, before the full effect of the recession was felt. New findings show:

  • 30 percent of those surveyed have stopped contributing to their 401 (k) or IRA
  • 18 percent have prematurely withdrawn funds from their retirement accounts
  • 12 percent say they have, or a family member, have lost a job in the last year
  • Nearly half, 49 percent say they are not confident that they will have enough money in retirement.

    • So, with those sobering statistics, it is more important than ever to plan. Chances are things will not go like you thought, but it is the successful plan that allows for change and our ability to adapt to it. Once you realize that you can react and adapt to your life’s many challenges, life becomes a very exciting journey.

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    Retirement-In Praise of Pets or Not

    Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

    pets retirementWhen our neighbors were discussing their upcoming cruise and how much it would cost to board their dog, my husband and I decided we would offer to watch “Muffy,” an eleven year old Shitzu.

    The irony is when we were working and gone most of the day, we always had a pet. However, once we retired and had more time to have a pet, we have remained petless.  So, this was our opportunity to see if a dog would prove enjoyable with our new lifestyle..

    Dogs are still the pets of choice in the United States with 74.8 million households  having dogs.  However, for sheer numbers, cats outnumber dogs with 88.3 million, since many households have several cats.  For those looking for pets with a little less upkeep, (although I am sure that is debatable when it is time to clean the tank)12 million households have freshwater fish and 9.6 have saltwater fish.  16 million households have birds, while another  24.3 million have  small animals.  13.8 million households have horses, followed closely by 13.4 million with reptiles.  So, what does this say about Americans?  I am not sure, but apparently many people derive great pleasure taking care of something other than themselves.

    There is no doubt that pets require a commitment.  Just like our traveling friends, if you have a pet that is not traveling with you, someone must take care of them in your absence and it is not an inexpensive proposition.  They also require time and planning.  No longer do we just walk out the door.  We now have Muffy to consider.  Has she been outside lately?  Has she been fed?  Not that we have to worry.  It soon became apparent that Muffy would  train us in no time.  The first few days she was up at the crack of dawn  and ignoring her was not an option.  No matter how often we begged her to go back to sleep, she would have none of it.  She was then ready for her morning walk.

    Ironically, when people saw me walking my new pet while they were taking care of theirs, they confided that as soon as theirs went to the Great Beyond, they probably would not rush out to get another one.  However, I have other friends who have lost pets and rush to get another to fill that  void they are feeling.

    Unquestionably,  research shows that petting an animal can lower blood pressure and add another dimension of pleasure to life.  But it’s not for everyone.  I have enjoyed having Muffy, partly because I know I am helping our friends and she will be going home.  And it was an opportunity to see if we would enjoy having a pet.  I no longer feel guilty to say I don’t .

    My advice: never be pressured to get a pet.  Try caring for a friend’s pet for a couple of weeks and you too may come to the conclusion we did, pets are not for everyone.

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