Freedom

Other discussions not related to the Permanent Portfolio

Moderator: Global Moderator

User avatar
geaux saints
Full Member
Full Member
Posts: 56
Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2017 9:35 pm

!

Post by geaux saints » Sat May 12, 2018 9:59 pm

Desert wrote:
Sat May 12, 2018 9:54 pm
Just a quick update for anyone that cares ... I decided to exit the workforce and take a lengthy break from employment. It might end up being "retirement" but I'm not sure yet. I told my wife I planned to take somewhere between two weeks and 20 years off before considering next steps.

But in all seriousness, I think this is "early" retirement for me. I'm 52, and I got my first job when I was 12. So I've been working about 40 years, and I have to say I'm just completely drained, regarding paid employment. I'm ready for a lengthy break. My financial situation looks decent, but it's not overly conservative. So I might need to work for money in the future. Also, there are many things I'm interested in that may lead to some income. Some of my friends and family think I'm a bit crazy (not a surprise to y'all, I'm sure), but I'm really OK with it. My 10 year old son was amazed and impressed, especially since I'll be off work with him this Summer. He's looking forward to hanging out.

I wanted to thank all of you for this forum, and the excellent advice and framework built here. You all have definitely contributed to the confidence I feel in this decision. Of course the markets are now destined to fall precipitously, so please short appropriately. :)
Desert,

Congratulations! I, like your son, am also amazed and impressed. A happy retirement Who Dat to you and yours.
User avatar
ochotona
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 3353
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 5:54 am

Re: Freedom

Post by ochotona » Sat May 12, 2018 10:09 pm

Congratulations! I'll be joining you eventually due in part to your ideas.
User avatar
europeanwizard
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 171
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 4:06 am
Location: The Netherlands, Europe

Re: Freedom

Post by europeanwizard » Sun May 13, 2018 1:27 am

Congrats! In certain Reddit subs related to this topic, it's customary to wish you a hearthy GFY https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gfy.

I remember studying asset allocations on Tyler's site, and thinking, "Who is this Desert guy and why has he earned the right to appear here?" ;D ;D
User avatar
Dieter
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 655
Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2012 10:51 am

Re: Freedom

Post by Dieter » Sun May 13, 2018 4:20 am

Congrats!
User avatar
Mountaineer
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4959
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 am

Re: Freedom

Post by Mountaineer » Sun May 13, 2018 4:55 am

Desert wrote:
Sat May 12, 2018 9:54 pm
Just a quick update for anyone that cares ... I decided to exit the workforce and take a lengthy break from employment. It might end up being "retirement" but I'm not sure yet. I told my wife I planned to take somewhere between two weeks and 20 years off before considering next steps.

But in all seriousness, I think this is "early" retirement for me. I'm 52, and I got my first job when I was 12. So I've been working about 40 years, and I have to say I'm just completely drained, regarding paid employment. I'm ready for a lengthy break. My financial situation looks decent, but it's not overly conservative. So I might need to work for money in the future. Also, there are many things I'm interested in that may lead to some income. Some of my friends and family think I'm a bit crazy (not a surprise to y'all, I'm sure), but I'm really OK with it. My 10 year old son was amazed and impressed, especially since I'll be off work with him this Summer. He's looking forward to hanging out.

I wanted to thank all of you for this forum, and the excellent advice and framework built here. You all have definitely contributed to the confidence I feel in this decision. Of course the markets are now destined to fall precipitously, so please short appropriately. :)
Congratulations! I have just one question: Are you going to change your forum name to Green Meadow? ;) Now you will have more time to post your wisdom on the forum.

Seriously, my very best wishes for you and your family.
DNA has its own language (code), and language requires intelligence. There is no known mechanism by which matter can give birth to information, let alone language. It is unreasonable to believe the world could have happened by chance.
User avatar
Kriegsspiel
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4052
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 5:28 pm

Re: Freedom

Post by Kriegsspiel » Sun May 13, 2018 8:09 am

Great news.
WiseOne
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 2692
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2022 11:08 am

Re: Freedom

Post by WiseOne » Sun May 13, 2018 8:45 am

Congratulations Desert, and best of luck! We'll all be interested know how you fare in all respects including economically.

The upcoming summer with your son will be priceless.
gizmo_rat
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 302
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 5:25 am

Re: Freedom

Post by gizmo_rat » Sun May 13, 2018 11:05 am

A fine move Desert. Good times ahead with the family.

I set myself a 18 month deadline to my "kind of" sabbatical about 72 months ago now, haven't regretted one moment spent with my family.
hardlawjockey
Full Member
Full Member
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 3:30 pm

Re: Freedom

Post by hardlawjockey » Sun May 13, 2018 1:06 pm

I took a sabbatical of about 2 years at around the same age as you and I would recommend it for everybody if you can do it. In my case it was a combination of both being burned out by my work as a software engineer and the death of my wife after a bout with cancer.

I didn't have enough money to retire, especially since I still had a kid to raise, but it helped to recharge my batteries and give me a second wind for the last phase of my career.

Also gives you some practice for retirement when it does come so you have some idea of what to expect.
User avatar
Tyler
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 2066
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2011 3:23 pm
Contact:

Re: Freedom

Post by Tyler » Sun May 13, 2018 1:43 pm

Congrats, Desert!

Taking that first big step away from the workforce can be both exhilarating and a little terrifying, but I'm telling you right now that you're gonna love it. It will probably take about 6 months to decompress from a lifetime of "productivity" conditioning, but once you get past that you'll never look back. No matter what you choose to do in the future, the freedom of that choice is truly empowering.
User avatar
Xan
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 4392
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:51 pm

Re: Freedom

Post by Xan » Sun May 13, 2018 5:00 pm

Congratulations, Desert! Looking forward to hearing how it's going in the months to come.
User avatar
Mountaineer
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4959
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 am

Re: Freedom

Post by Mountaineer » Mon May 14, 2018 5:38 am

Desert wrote:
Sun May 13, 2018 8:07 pm
WiseOne wrote:
Sun May 13, 2018 8:45 am
Congratulations Desert, and best of luck! We'll all be interested know how you fare in all respects including economically.

The upcoming summer with your son will be priceless.
Thank you, WiseOne!

Hopefully my wife will be OK with me puttering about the house, in her way all day. :)
When I retired my wife told me two very important things:

1. You retired, I didn't.

2. Don't rearrange the kitchen cabinets. (I'm an engineer. Stuff should be arranged logically .... BUT NOT WHEN IT ISN'T YOUR TURF!)

;D
DNA has its own language (code), and language requires intelligence. There is no known mechanism by which matter can give birth to information, let alone language. It is unreasonable to believe the world could have happened by chance.
WiseOne
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 2692
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2022 11:08 am

Re: Freedom

Post by WiseOne » Mon May 14, 2018 7:59 am

Desert, no need to justify your decision and you have the perfect right to retire regardless of burnout status. Nevertheless - it sounds like it's a very good thing that you jumped ship now, rather than after starting to develop physical sequelae from the burnout you're describing.

I'm amazed at how many people I know are hitting the end of their rope, and quitting/retiring/want to retire. Frankly, me included. I've realized my workplace environment is simply not sustainable - and it's weird because I have a pretty good national reputation and people are shocked when I tell them what I've been having to put up with. I've had several people seriously ask me to consider moving to their institution, and I'd be very tempted except that I just really don't want to move. I like where I live, and I'm the last family member left living close to my 82 year old mother (who is now having health problems) and 80 year old aunt with Alzheimer's and a husband in his 90s. Oy.
User avatar
Kriegsspiel
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4052
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 5:28 pm

Re: Freedom

Post by Kriegsspiel » Mon May 14, 2018 7:28 pm

Desert wrote:
Mon May 14, 2018 4:19 pm
WiseOne wrote:
Mon May 14, 2018 7:59 am
I'm amazed at how many people I know are hitting the end of their rope, and quitting/retiring/want to retire. Frankly, me included. I've realized my workplace environment is simply not sustainable
I also have been hearing of more and more folks departing their careers, either for retirement or just to do something less stressful. My theory is that the average white-collar workplace environment has significantly worsened over the past few decades, for a variety of reasons.
Yup, I think there's something going on there too. I've hated both white collar jobs I've had. Blue collar FTMFW. I'm going back to work in another blue collar job (I've alternated between white and blue once I got out of the Army).
Hey, maybe a silly question, but if you had a daughter entering college right now, what career would you recommend? Obviously it would depend on skills and interests, etc., but is there any career path that looks more attractive than some others?
If she leans blue; electrician, HVAC, nurse, police, military. If she leans white; sales, some kind of magical STEM job, construction management, CAD drafting and GIS software.
boglerdude
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 1313
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2016 1:40 am
Contact:

Re: Freedom

Post by boglerdude » Tue May 15, 2018 1:42 am

Everyone should do cancer/aging biotech so we dont all die horribly (the status quo)

Disclosure: I tried it, burned out and retired at 30. (How? I live in a garage)
User avatar
Mountaineer
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4959
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 am

Re: Freedom

Post by Mountaineer » Tue May 15, 2018 6:10 am

boglerdude wrote:
Tue May 15, 2018 1:42 am
Everyone should do cancer/aging biotech so we dont all die horribly (the status quo)

Disclosure: I tried it, burned out and retired at 30. (How? I live in a garage)
I doubt there will ever be a cure for cancer, infectious diseases, or any other of the huge varieties of illness that afflict mankind - the best man can do is merely a postponement of the inevitable - which is a good thing from my perspective. Cancer research, for example, is largely a game of whack-a-mole. I can understand why you burned out at 30 - perhaps underlying the burnout was a sense (recognized or subliminal) of futility in the objective of the effort. There is only one way to die a good death. All my opinion, of course. Back to my morning coffee now ......
DNA has its own language (code), and language requires intelligence. There is no known mechanism by which matter can give birth to information, let alone language. It is unreasonable to believe the world could have happened by chance.
WiseOne
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 2692
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2022 11:08 am

Re: Freedom

Post by WiseOne » Tue May 15, 2018 6:58 am

Desert wrote:
Mon May 14, 2018 4:19 pm
WiseOne wrote:
Mon May 14, 2018 7:59 am
Desert, no need to justify your decision and you have the perfect right to retire regardless of burnout status. Nevertheless - it sounds like it's a very good thing that you jumped ship now, rather than after starting to develop physical sequelae from the burnout you're describing.

I'm amazed at how many people I know are hitting the end of their rope, and quitting/retiring/want to retire. Frankly, me included. I've realized my workplace environment is simply not sustainable
I also have been hearing of more and more folks departing their careers, either for retirement or just to do something less stressful. My theory is that the average white-collar workplace environment has significantly worsened over the past few decades, for a variety of reasons.

Hey, maybe a silly question, but if you had a daughter entering college right now, what career would you recommend?
I have a niece in college who did a pre-med track and is asking the very same question. Going to medical school now is something I just can't recommend to anybody unless you're super smart & infinitely energetic & hell bent on becoming a neurosurgeon. A physician extender like nursing would be better, although you still have to have a high tolerance for regulatory b-s. Medical research is an awesome career, but it's a long, hard, and very uncertain road. Best option is probably to become a veterinarian. They're the happiest people I know in the medical field, which is probably why vet schools are now more competitive than med schools. Chiropractic is similar, but that comes with a weird faith-based philosophy that I can't subscribe to.

I guess the best advice would be: find an area that makes you happy and then think about fashioning a career where you have lots of flexibility/options including the ability to retire early. The worst thing is to lock yourself into a situation where you have no choice but to keep working full time until full retirement age.
stuper1
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 1365
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:18 pm

Re: Freedom

Post by stuper1 » Tue May 15, 2018 9:37 am

WiseOne or anyone else,

Do you have any thoughts on whether physical therapy is a good career field? My son is seriously considering that field.
User avatar
Cortopassi
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 3338
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:28 pm
Location: https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbL ... sWebb.html

Re: Freedom

Post by Cortopassi » Tue May 15, 2018 11:37 am

Look at all the memory care/old folks homes going up. In my area, Arl Hts, IL, it literally seems every open space is being built up with those. I can think of 4 off the top of my head within a 3 mile radius, just built or being built.

We have a friend whose son is starting at Marquette in the fall on a 6 year PT track. It is and will continue to be huge I would think as the population ages especially.
User avatar
Cortopassi
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 3338
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:28 pm
Location: https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbL ... sWebb.html

Re: Freedom

Post by Cortopassi » Tue May 15, 2018 11:44 am

MangoMan wrote:
Tue May 15, 2018 11:37 am
Mountaineer wrote:
Tue May 15, 2018 6:10 am
I doubt there will ever be a cure for cancer, infectious diseases, or any other of the huge varieties of illness that afflict mankind
Cancer wasn't an issue 100 years ago, because very few people lived long enough for that to be a major cause of death. The elimination [or control] of more minor diseases have allowed cancer to become a public health dilemma. I assure you at some point, humankind will find a cure [or control] but then some other disease will be the new scourge.
I'm hopeful, probably not in our lifetime, for nanotechnology. Shoot me up with those little buggers that will go around and do whatever wonders will be available at the time. Or we'll just flat out find the key to aging.

Assuming we don't extinct ourselves, I am sure the next big problem will be overpopulation and boredom?? because people are living full lives well into their 100s, or theoretically as long as they want.
Libertarian666
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 5994
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm

Re: Freedom

Post by Libertarian666 » Wed May 16, 2018 9:48 am

Desert wrote:
Wed May 16, 2018 8:10 am
WiseOne wrote:
Tue May 15, 2018 6:58 am
Desert wrote:
Mon May 14, 2018 4:19 pm
Hey, maybe a silly question, but if you had a daughter entering college right now, what career would you recommend?
I have a niece in college who did a pre-med track and is asking the very same question. Going to medical school now is something I just can't recommend to anybody unless you're super smart & infinitely energetic & hell bent on becoming a neurosurgeon. A physician extender like nursing would be better, although you still have to have a high tolerance for regulatory b-s. Medical research is an awesome career, but it's a long, hard, and very uncertain road. Best option is probably to become a veterinarian. They're the happiest people I know in the medical field, which is probably why vet schools are now more competitive than med schools. Chiropractic is similar, but that comes with a weird faith-based philosophy that I can't subscribe to.

I guess the best advice would be: find an area that makes you happy and then think about fashioning a career where you have lots of flexibility/options including the ability to retire early. The worst thing is to lock yourself into a situation where you have no choice but to keep working full time until full retirement age.
I like that summary in your last paragraph. My (now 11 year old) son's comments when I told him I quit my job were pretty humorous. He said something like "wow, you can DO that? That's pretty crazy, I've never heard of anyone's Dad just quitting and staying home." I hope it ends up being a positive for him as well, to see that there are possibilities other than lifelong wage earning, given some preparation. I'd love to see him go to Vet school, but his strengths are not in rote memorization that is required in many science classes, nor in hand-eye fine coordination required for animal surgery. He does absolutely love animals though, so we'll see if that leads somewhere. Right now, I'm guessing he'll end up in some crazy tech area that I don't understand.

It's interesting you mention Chiropractic. I saw a Chiropractor over the past year, a few times. I had never gone to one before, but I was trying everything to avoid shoulder surgery to correct an impingement problem. The orth surgeon recommended going in and removing about a half inch of bone, followed by a year of PT. After hearing that recommendation, my first thought was "well, I guess I'll learn to live with impingement." So I went to this young chiropractor, and now 9 months or so later, the shoulder pain is all gone. I can't say it all happened in his office ... he did have a lot of recommendations regarding my posture, seated position at my desk, in my car, etc. He also did some tissue manipulation to lengthen some muscles and work some knots out. The end result has been very positive, somehow. I'm not saying I'm a Chiro-believer, but in this sample of one, something good happened. Maybe he was operating more as a skilled PT than a chiropractor, however.
My wife and I have the best chiropractor in the world. As soon as you walk in the door, he says "I see that shoulder (or whatever is bothering us) needs some attention." He knows the human body, at least as far as the muscles, nerves, and bones, better than any MD I have ever gone to. If he can't fix the problem completely and immediately, at least he knows how to mitigate it. He has a lot of professional sports players as patients, and he and his former partner used to have Ross Perot as their patient, if that tells you anything.
WiseOne
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 2692
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2022 11:08 am

Re: Freedom

Post by WiseOne » Thu May 17, 2018 7:31 am

Chiropractors certainly have a lot to offer. At their best, they're sort of supercharged physical therapists. Sounds like so far you haven't gotten the lunatic end of the philosophy though, like the back manipulation cures cancer stuff. They also don't necessarily understand what their manipulations might do in a case with serious back abnormalities - and be aware that neck manipulations can and do result in posterior circulation strokes (yes, I've seen several of these). Don't go to one for a significant problem unless it's been evaluated medically first. Desert's shoulder story is a good example: the ortho didn't have much to offer but thanks to that evaluation you knew what the problem was.
hardlawjockey
Full Member
Full Member
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 3:30 pm

Re: Freedom

Post by hardlawjockey » Sun May 20, 2018 6:25 pm

WiseOne wrote:
Thu May 17, 2018 7:31 am
Chiropractors certainly have a lot to offer. At their best, they're sort of supercharged physical therapists. Sounds like so far you haven't gotten the lunatic end of the philosophy though, like the back manipulation cures cancer stuff. They also don't necessarily understand what their manipulations might do in a case with serious back abnormalities - and be aware that neck manipulations can and do result in posterior circulation strokes (yes, I've seen several of these). Don't go to one for a significant problem unless it's been evaluated medically first. Desert's shoulder story is a good example: the ortho didn't have much to offer but thanks to that evaluation you knew what the problem was.
I've been to a chiropractor and also two different physical therapists. As far as the chiropractor I think he was on the lunatic fringe because I remember sitting in his office while he explained that spine "sublixation" was to blame for nearly all the ills in the human body. After quite a few sessions that reached their climax in violent neck cracking to fix my problem of neck pain I finally saw the light. One day after the cracking he asked me if my headaches were getting any better. Since I had never once complained about headaches I finally realized he was completely FOS (Full of you know what).

As for the physical therapists for the same problem, the first one I went to gave me a set of exercises and the second one told me to stop all of those exercises because they were the wrong exercises. She was more into "pressure point therapy" for my neck pain, explaining that the real reason for the pain isn't really the neck but "pressure points" in the shoulders.

Well, my goddamn neck still hurts despite both therapies. My stepson is studying to be a physical therapist so I have to keep my opinion to myself that this probably isn't any kind of exact science at all but just a way of getting people in pain to transfer their money into your pocket.
hardlawjockey
Full Member
Full Member
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 3:30 pm

Re: Freedom

Post by hardlawjockey » Mon May 21, 2018 5:19 pm

MangoMan wrote:
Sun May 20, 2018 8:32 pm
hardlawjockey wrote:
Sun May 20, 2018 6:25 pm
WiseOne wrote:
Thu May 17, 2018 7:31 am
Chiropractors certainly have a lot to offer. At their best, they're sort of supercharged physical therapists. Sounds like so far you haven't gotten the lunatic end of the philosophy though, like the back manipulation cures cancer stuff. They also don't necessarily understand what their manipulations might do in a case with serious back abnormalities - and be aware that neck manipulations can and do result in posterior circulation strokes (yes, I've seen several of these). Don't go to one for a significant problem unless it's been evaluated medically first. Desert's shoulder story is a good example: the ortho didn't have much to offer but thanks to that evaluation you knew what the problem was.
I've been to a chiropractor and also two different physical therapists. As far as the chiropractor I think he was on the lunatic fringe because I remember sitting in his office while he explained that spine "sublixation" was to blame for nearly all the ills in the human body. After quite a few sessions that reached their climax in violent neck cracking to fix my problem of neck pain I finally saw the light. One day after the cracking he asked me if my headaches were getting any better. Since I had never once complained about headaches I finally realized he was completely FOS (Full of you know what).

As for the physical therapists for the same problem, the first one I went to gave me a set of exercises and the second one told me to stop all of those exercises because they were the wrong exercises. She was more into "pressure point therapy" for my neck pain, explaining that the real reason for the pain isn't really the neck but "pressure points" in the shoulders.

Well, my goddamn neck still hurts despite both therapies. My stepson is studying to be a physical therapist so I have to keep my opinion to myself that this probably isn't any kind of exact science at all but just a way of getting people in pain to transfer their money into your pocket.
As someone with chronic work related back and neck issues, I have had excellent success with chiropractors. Stay away from the ones who think they can fix everything or that every ailment is caused by subluxations. In their defense, that's probably what they are taught in school, but I think most of them come to realize that philosophy is over the top.

I think you might want to ask your doctor whether he/she thinks an MRI of your neck might be diagnostic.
As for the MRI, been there and done that, along with other tests and procedures racking up big $ for the doctors but to no avail for me. In fact I'm still fighting with the doctor about my requirement to pay for a part of the bill the insurance company said I didn't have to. No matter how many times I explain the situation to them they keep sending me the same bill over and over. Presumably they will eventually refer me to a collection agency which doesn't mean a whole lot to me at this point since I know how to dispute charges, not to mention I don't really have any need for a good credit score at this point in my life (it's currently 820, BTW).

Fortunately my kids provided me with some help in the form of something that you can legally get with a prescription now at the cost of $250 per visit every six months. I have what looks like a year supply for only $100 though I could be wrong about that.
User avatar
Mountaineer
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4959
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 am

Re: Freedom

Post by Mountaineer » Mon May 21, 2018 7:10 pm

hardlawjockey wrote:
Mon May 21, 2018 5:19 pm
MangoMan wrote:
Sun May 20, 2018 8:32 pm
hardlawjockey wrote:
Sun May 20, 2018 6:25 pm


I've been to a chiropractor and also two different physical therapists. As far as the chiropractor I think he was on the lunatic fringe because I remember sitting in his office while he explained that spine "sublixation" was to blame for nearly all the ills in the human body. After quite a few sessions that reached their climax in violent neck cracking to fix my problem of neck pain I finally saw the light. One day after the cracking he asked me if my headaches were getting any better. Since I had never once complained about headaches I finally realized he was completely FOS (Full of you know what).

As for the physical therapists for the same problem, the first one I went to gave me a set of exercises and the second one told me to stop all of those exercises because they were the wrong exercises. She was more into "pressure point therapy" for my neck pain, explaining that the real reason for the pain isn't really the neck but "pressure points" in the shoulders.

Well, my goddamn neck still hurts despite both therapies. My stepson is studying to be a physical therapist so I have to keep my opinion to myself that this probably isn't any kind of exact science at all but just a way of getting people in pain to transfer their money into your pocket.
As someone with chronic work related back and neck issues, I have had excellent success with chiropractors. Stay away from the ones who think they can fix everything or that every ailment is caused by subluxations. In their defense, that's probably what they are taught in school, but I think most of them come to realize that philosophy is over the top.

I think you might want to ask your doctor whether he/she thinks an MRI of your neck might be diagnostic.
As for the MRI, been there and done that, along with other tests and procedures racking up big $ for the doctors but to no avail for me. In fact I'm still fighting with the doctor about my requirement to pay for a part of the bill the insurance company said I didn't have to. No matter how many times I explain the situation to them they keep sending me the same bill over and over. Presumably they will eventually refer me to a collection agency which doesn't mean a whole lot to me at this point since I know how to dispute charges, not to mention I don't really have any need for a good credit score at this point in my life (it's currently 820, BTW).

Fortunately my kids provided me with some help in the form of something that you can legally get with a prescription now at the cost of $250 per visit every six months. I have what looks like a year supply for only $100 though I could be wrong about that.
Re. neck issues. Been there, done that twice. First time about 5 years ago went to doctor, then for MRI and subsequent nerve tests to check for where the problem was (C7). Went to PT for a few weeks. Pain subsided somewhat with the help of heavy duty pain meds for a couple weeks. Was the OK for about 2 years. Second time about 2 1/2 years ago pain came on almost instantly (literally from zero to about a 10 on pain scale) and was so bad I could not drive or lift right arm. Did the doctor, PT, MRI, pain meds thing again. MRI showed a compressed disk pressing on spinal cord and arthritis just as it did before. Not much relief after the PT this time. Finally after about 6 weeks I decided to have a cortisone injection at C7 - I was somewhat concerned about having a needle stuck extremely close to my spinal cord. After a couple days pain diminished, after a couple weeks, no pain - all consistent with what the injection doctor said would happen. I'm not certain if it was the PT, time, or the cortisone injection. Only lingering symptom was and is a somewhat numb right index finger that the doctor said may never go away. I'm hoping the pain does not flare up again but who knows as the disk is still compressed and the arthritis is still present.
DNA has its own language (code), and language requires intelligence. There is no known mechanism by which matter can give birth to information, let alone language. It is unreasonable to believe the world could have happened by chance.
Post Reply