This year has been terrible

[ridgerunnr11]

This year has been terrible... my wife moved out back in May, I turned 61 and we 'observed' our 40th anniversary, and our eldest son died in October.

[Kimba22]

I'm so sorry, especially about the death of your oldest son. I hope 2024 is a much better year for you!

[REG53]

I'm so sorry also. I will say a prayer for you and I pray your days get brighter

[Seasha]

Sending sympathy for the passing of your son, ridgerunnr11. I too hope that 2024 is more peaceful and less stressful for you

[pennstater]

Very sorry to hear. My deepest condolences on the loss of your son.

Marriage can be hard, then MS comes in uninvited, always lurking around.

I truly hope 2024 is a much kinder and gentler one for you.

[Mamabug]

Expressing best wishes for a better new year.

Your wife moved out and you "observed" your 40th anniversary. Maybe the split is somewhat amicable?

I'm so sorry for the loss of your son. A parent should outlive their children. It's sad when that timeline is reversed.

[lukeduke]

I will say first thing I am sorry for the loss of your son. My wife is still in my life. MS was here before the marriage, or the dating for that matter. The 2023 year wasn't all bad for me. I had a second hearing for SSDI and the administrative law judge found in my favor. I wound up losing my balance and falling breaking my hip. I was in the hospital from June 17 to July 3.
Finally in August my Social Security started coming. The main bad thing has been though was how my Dad got my "new" PCP's nurse practitioner to write a letter to Social Security saying that I need someone to handle my money for me. I can handle my own money. That nurse practitioner didn't know me from Adam's housecat.
I guess I should tell you the reason for the "new" PCP is that my neurologist is not in with the hospital where I do my Tysabri infusions so once I had insurance again they wanted me to see a "preferred" provider. I saw the nurse practitioner and was telling how I had to see a "preferred" provider. Then when I was checking on stuff with my Humana Medicare Advantage plan and the "new" PCP did a prior authorization for Tysabri and Ocrevus.

[ridgerunnr11]

Update on my terrible, no good, very bad year... nearly 2 weeks ago, on April 24, I received a call via my work Teams/Zoom connection, and was told that my position was being eliminated, effective immediately at the call... so, 3 months before I was set to retire my job was eliminated. (I felt somewhat better a few days later when I learned that my employer cut over 1,000 positions across the enterprise.)

[pennstater]

I am very sorry that you weren't able to leave and retire on your terms. Hoping it doesn't affect your overall retirement plan too much. Also hope that your year turns for the better and all the unfortunate days are behind you.

[ridgerunnr11]

I'm making plans for short day trips or 1 or 2 multi-day trips... going to the Chicago area on Wednesday to visit my son who lives out there, and spend time with him. Spending more time working in my garden. Thinking of going to the Central PA Festival of the Arts in July (I haven't been there since the summer I graduated from PSU)

[Mamabug]

It sounds like you're turning lemons into lemonade, Ridge runner. Good plan!

- Faith

[pennstater]

Sounds like a good plan. I will tell you Arts Fest is fun. The town and campus have changed alot - you may be surprised. If you do go and really want to look at all the artists, best to go Wed -Fri - the weekend gets really crowded. We try to go on Wednesday, but I don't think we will make it this year. If we do, I will make sure to check in with you and see if you will be there!

[ridgerunnr11]

I do come to campus once or twice a year, in January to March for the college of sciences public lecture series "Frontiers of Science", so yes, have seen some of the new buildings where the Pollock fields were, and the relocation of the Creamery, and stopped in a couple times on my way back from Pittsburgh and meandered around the Arboretum (which wasn't there in the early 80s when I was a studen)