Tag: retirement

Redefining Retirement: Plan, Prepare, and Thrive

This post introduces a series about retirement, often viewed as ending one’s career, but it encompasses diverse experiences for each individual, such as new jobs, volunteer work, and personal pursuits like travel, hobbies or education. The series explores retirement preparation, identity shifts, and purposeful living.

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “retirement”? The word comes from the verb retire, which means “to go to sleep”. But most of us don’t plan to spend our retirement sleeping all day.

Most people think of retirement in terms of work. The dictionary definition is “to withdraw from one’s position or occupation; to conclude one’s working or professional career.”

But retirement is more complicated than that. I know people who retire from a career and start another which may be vastly different. Some people retire only to take a part-time job from boredom or financial necessity. Some retirees become so involved in volunteer work, they are busier than when they had a paying job.

Retirement can give you time to pursue a hobby or skill seriously, or to acquire advanced education. And who doesn’t look forward to traveling, visiting family, and exploring the world?

We may find ill health, disability, or advanced age makes working full-time or even part-time impossible. Sometimes unexpectedly, people find themselves assuming the role of caregiver in retirement, for a spouse, parent, child, or grandchild.

In other words, everyone’s retirement looks different; each is unique.

My friend Ric Shields invited me to be a guest on his DoorWays Ministry podcast series to talk about the questions that really matter when it comes to retirement.

Whether retirement is still years away, you’re getting ready for it, or you’re already a seasoned retiree, this series has something for you. We’ll explore how to plan, prepare, and thrive in whatever season of life you’re in.

  • How do you know when you’re ready to retire?
  • Can you actually afford to retire?
  • What happens to your sense of purpose and identity when work is no longer at the center of your life?
  • Where should you live, and what do you want to leave behind for the people you love?

The series also covers navigating family responsibilities, finding purpose in your next chapter, and protecting yourself and your family from the people who try to take advantage of older adults.

It’s about more than retirement. It’s about making the most of what comes next. Because getting older doesn’t mean your purpose is behind you.

You can access all the episodes at this link, and I will post them here on the blog and on Facebook. I hope you will share them widely.

In my episode, Ric and I discuss the HEART of purpose in retirement. It airs in two weeks.

Listen here as Ric introduces the series.

Prepare

Before you listen to any of the podcast episodes, take time to think about what retirement means to you now.

If you are already retired, how is it going? What do you like about it? What would you want to change?

If you aren’t retired, what thoughts or plans have you made about the future? What fears do you have? What goals do you have?

Keep these thoughts in mind as we walk through this series together. Remember, on this blog we find information and inspiration to learn, plan, prepare, and thrive through life’s challenges.

Exploring the HEART of Health

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Dr. Aletha

ADMISSIONS-a Brain Surgeon’s Memoir- book review

Henry Marsh’s memoir, “Admissions,” reflects on his 40-year career as a British neurosurgeon, delving into the emotional and ethical dilemmas of life-saving surgeries. He shares experiences from his work in England, Nepal, and Ukraine, while also contemplating retirement and the impact of his decisions on patients’ lives. The narrative offers insights into his past and post-retirement challenges, evoking deep reflections on life and death.

Admissions: Life as a Brain Surgeon

By Henry Marsh

Admissions is the memoir of Henry Thomas Marsh CBE FRCS, a retired British neurosurgeon (I understand that surgeons in Great Britain are usually addressed as Mister rather than Doctor.)   Mr. Marsh shares his thoughts and feelings as he reminisces over his distinguished 40-year career of performing intricate lifesaving brain surgeries.

Don’t let the subtitle, Life as a Brain Surgeon, deter you from reading it. Although he narrates details of surgeries he has performed, he refrains from “gory” descriptions (although as a physician I may not be the best judge). He explains enough of the anatomy and technique to be interesting and informative, but not so complicated to bore the lay reader.

The true gems in his narrative are not the anatomical details of the patients’ conditions but how those conditions affect their lives. In his “Life as a Brain Surgeon”, Mr. Marsh routinely treated life-threatening conditions, like brain hemorrhages, as well as potentially disabling ones- tumors that destroy the optic nerve, causing permanent blindness.

All too frequently he faced a dilemma-is the patient better off with or without surgery? In either case, his decision will have permanent life-changing implications for the patient and family, a task he holds seriously.

Mr. March wrote about some of his many patients and surgeries in another book, Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death, and Brain Surgery.

Besides his long career in England, he regularly traveled to Nepal and Ukraine to teach and assist in surgeries, both simple and complicated. Those national surgeons were grateful to receive this advanced education not available in their own countries. Mr. Marsh hints that he derives his greatest career satisfaction from working with the professionals and the patients in his adopted countries and ending that association is perhaps harder than leaving practice in his own country.

I don’t know for how much longer I will feel able to be of use here, or whether I will return, but it seems I am still wanted.

Anticipating his retirement, Mr. Marsh buys a run-down lakeside cottage where he hopes to “cope with retirement”, pursuing his hobby of woodworking. But before he can do that, he needs to spend considerable time and energy renovating it, a task proving more involved than he anticipated.

His narrative moves back and forth from his hospital in London, his cottage in Oxford, and trips to Nepal and Ukraine as he wraps up his work there and says goodbye to the surgeons who are now friends as well as colleagues.

Mr. Marsh also reminisces about his childhood and parents, his schooling, two marriages, and his children.  And after a lengthy career of helping others cheat death, he ponders how his own will happen.

As we lie dying, many of us will keep a little fragment of hope alive in a corner of our minds, and only near the very end do we finally turn our face to the wall and give up the ghost.

I think Mr. Marsh wrote his memoir more for himself than for others, but I am glad he shares it. Reading his candid reflection on a life far different from ours is entertaining yet deeply thought-provoking. Perhaps reading his book will spur us to look similarly at our “life as a…..” and be pleased with what we see.

Professional Reader 25 Book Reviews

And Finally: Matters of Life and Death

Mr. Marsh continues his narrative with a look at his post-retirement life which unfortunately has been marred by the onset of a serious illness. As mentioned in my review of Admissions, he has pondered the end of life and wondered how he would face it; in And Finally, he answers that question.

Hear from Dr. Marsh himself in this short interview.

Exploring the HEART of health

I appreciate Dr. Marsh’s work and his willingness to share his experiences, wisdom, and insights. Although we practiced on opposite sides of the ocean in vastly different health systems, I can identify with his thoughts and feelings, and like him am learning to “cope with retirement” after a medical career.

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for sending this book for review consideration.

Thank you for reading this post. Please follow this blog and me on social media.

I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha

Do you know that a neurosurgeon once ran for president of the United States? I wrote about him in this post.