Last day at work

[lightman]

Well, after nearly 35 years of hooking poles I'm pulling the plug. Last week I was diagnosed with MS and the Dr wanted me to quit working. So I'll clean off my truck and turn it in along with my keys, credit cards, PPE, ect today. I'll draw short term disability insurance until my birthday and retire. I really wanted to work 2 1/2 more years, so its not exactly what I wanted, but it is what it is. My Wife is walking around humming "Charlie's got a Gold Watch". Life will be good!

The Dr was optimistic and positive about me responding to treatments. I left Her office feeling good. They were looking at two diseases and the other one was more serious and aggressive, so this was about the best "bad" news that I was going to get.

I'm going to miss the work, as I get a lot of personal satisfaction from what I do. I'm not going to miss the night time calls or the weather though. My last trouble call was a broken pole late Saturday afternoon, and I worked most of the night in the rain. Might as well go out with a bang! Not going to miss those.

Wish me Luck and feel free to offer any advice, stories, or experiences that you would care to share. My pension is pretty good, I've been in our 401K since the beginning and we have very little debt. I'll be on here more and get to cast and shoot more!

[DCP]

Good luck and keep busy

[blackthorn]

Sorry to hear that you HAVE TO retire! On the other hand---best wishes from Gail and I for a positive outcome to treatment and best wishes x2 for a long and happy retirement. In a couple of years you will look back and wonder where the time went/goes and how you ever found time to work!

[dilly]

What a positive outlook! Congratulations on getting to retire, having prepared well for it, and having a wife who actually wants you to retire. I'm sorry about your health troubles, and hope maybe you can get some trigger time now.

[Dave18]

have always had a lot of respect for the linemen/bucket truck guys who are sitting in a bucket in the rain or snow fixin lines, while everyone else is sittin inside out of the weather, having been in a JLG sitting up in the air 40 foot, on a windy day, trying to work on a building light is enough for me,

well, take care [smilie=s: have a happy retirement, , not too far behind you a few more yrs and Im out too

[Iron Whittler]

First, sit back and relax. Retirement has it's ups and downs. I've been thru the same thing(different illness). Adjusting to new routine can overpower you if you let it. You and your MRS. keep squared away, the rest will fall in line. Have fun and enjoy your hard earned retirement years with your wife. Note, you will begin to wonder how you got anything done and work a fulltime job. HE HE HE. Best wishes From my wife and I. Iron Whittler[smilie=l:

[jmort]

God Bless and God Speed. Sounds like a well deserved retirement. May it be everything you hope for.

[w5pv]

Good Luck and God bless

[scarry scarney]

Sorry to hear about the MS, good to hear you had planned for retirement, and you are now able to take advantage of it. Enjoy your well deserved retirement, you earned it.

[cliff55]

Good luck and your in our prayers

[kfarm]

If I'd known retirement was so good I'd never worked. I'm busier now than when I was working but now I can schedule work around my mandatory afternoon nap.

[country gent]

I was diagnosed with MS in 2002 and had a some issues back in 1997 they wouldnt diagnose then. I have dealt with it since and can tell you this its vot as bad as some think. They can control it with medication, diet, and maintaining schedule / routine. I have some balancce issues and others brought on but still do everyting I did before just not always the same way as before. Mine is reoccuring MS. If you need someone to talk to PM me. Attitude outlook is veryimportant also

[lightman]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I just got back from turning my truck in. The Guys had a cookout for me and invited some of the employees that I have worked with over the years. It was kind of a surprise. Now, what to do? Maybe go headhunting, go to the range, or maybe just drink a beer!

Country Gent, I would love to talk with you. I'll shoot you a PM a little later on. And Thanks!

[Duckiller]

Enjoy your retirement. I initially retired 15 years ago. Watched the morning news and read the newspaper a lot when I first retired. No time for such foolishness now. I gradually got too busy to work. I have developed assorted diseases that could kill me if ignored. Sometime treating these diseases takes time, but the rest of the time is mine to do as I see fit and the alternative of doing nothing is not good.

[fshfindr]

Start with a beer. Then take a nap. That's what I do. Retired now for 12 yrs, got too much arthritus, some cancer and other ****. But the docs today know how to handle most of it. If you don't reload, start. It is just like a second hobby. Since I got a little sick the Mrs. has turned into an angel. I reload, and shoot when ever the weather allows, I don't like the indoor ranges. If I had to get a job, like the other CO said, I wouldn't have time for it. So we get a little sick, what the hell, just head out to the range and put holes in paper and shoot the sheet. Good luck my friend.

[bayjoe]

Walk slow and drink lots of water. Sleep when you want and scratch where it itches.
Good luck fighting MS and enjoy your retirement

[RogerDat]

wife has had advancing / remitting MS for at least a couple of decades. Currently retired and in three different dance groups. Two tap and one jazz. One just never knows how this stuff will play out, had some bad times when it advanced, then it would withdraw leaving a little damage behind and life goes on. Best of luck to you in finding enjoyment in your retirement.

+1 on you will find just like "stuff" expands to fill the available storage space the activities will expand to fill the available time. Heck now that wife is retired I end up eating leftovers about twice as often as I did when she was working because she is too busy to cook dinner! It's ok those are generally some pretty tasty leftovers but I think you get the point.

[shdwlkr]

Lightman
Good luck and hope you enjoy retirement

I retired with 35 years in plus 3 bonus years when I retired 12 years ago. Couldn't stand so when back to college got my degree and now looking forward to my licensing exam and a new career for a few years. I then hope to retire for good.

[fivegunner]

First, Your in my Prayers , I am 1 1/2 years from ( my planned last day of work). I too am a lineman , for the city of Grand Rapids Mi. Traffic Signal`s I don`t hook poles anymore like I did in the street lighting side. I can`t wait to retire, I hurt so bad some-days I feel like quitting. I hate drunks ,and people who can`t drive . we get 2 to 3 knock downs a week . I have been hit 2 times by cars, and had a whole bunch of scary close calls. so I know what you have been through anyway congrats`s on you retirement. take care and have lot`s of fun. best regards Frank:bigsmyl2::Fire::Fire::Fire:[smilie=2:

[tonyjones]

Pete,

All the best...always!

Tony

[shoot-n-lead]

Good luck with your new life and keep your head up as a lot of us will be praying for you and that is the best that a person can have done for them.

I was eligible for retirement (35yrs...had to make the 55yr birthday) yesterday...and I got up and went to work today, so I know what you mean about not wanting to retire just yet...I really need the structure that work requires, so I hope to do it a while longer.

GOD bless you.

[Pb Burner]

Lightman, best of luck with the ms and retirement. Enjoy the family and yourself!

[white eagle]

Best of luck to you
everyone has offered up good advice and I can't add any
just say have fun and enjoy yourself

[Polecat]

From one lineman to another good luck with retirement I will pray for you to be healed.

[Bzcraig]

God bless, Godspeed and find something to keep your mind and body in the game!

[MaryB]

Good luck in your retirement! Prayers for the MS to go into remission! Torn rotator cuffs both shoulders and wrecked lower back ended my work career at 46. Took me awhile to get used to not working because of my work ethic. Sitting doing nothing was doing me in so I started a small business that keeps me challenged now and then. Plus all the extra house projects I needed to get done, plus I got back into reloading after being out of it for 20+ years. The key is stay busy to distract yourself from the medical garbage that seems to ruin to much of my life.

[lightman]

Thanks for the kind words and thoughts, everyone. Its slowly sinking in that the late night callouts and long hours are over. I plan to hunt more, learn to fish, shoot and cast more, and to travel some with the Wife. Then there are the Grandchildren. I've been wanting to do some kind of project like restoring an old Jeep or Scout. Wow, how did I have time to work?

As far as the MS goes, I'm going to meet it head on. Thanks again, everyone.

[TXGunNut]

I'm hoping 6 months from now you're wondering how you ever found time to work. Don't know much about MS but I'm hoping for the best; take good care of yourself and enjoy your retirement.

[Muskyhunter1]

Good luck and enjoy your time.

Cheers,

[oldarkie]

Good luck Lightman your in my prayers.Climbed my last pole in 07 had to retire with copd.youll soon be so busy you will have to take a vacation from retirementOldarkie.

[Lance Boyle]

Congrats!

Going out with bang is not the best terms for electric guys! Electricity gives me great caution! My brother does it for Nat'l Grid.

Sounds like you have a good positive outlook re the MS. That's probably the best approach. Hope that path is smooth as possible.

[woodbutcher]

Hi Lightman.Wishing you the best on the treatment for the MS.Prayers out for you.Enjoy your retirement.Do what you can,when you can.My oldest stepson will retire in appx 3 years with 35 years as a LEO.He`s looking forward to that.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[smokeywolf]

In a year you'll be wondering how you ever found time to go to work.

[edler7]

Retirement is highly under-rated ! Best wishes that yours is more than you ever hoped it could be.

After being retired for 10 years, one of my favorite things is to crack an eye open on a cold snowy morning, chuckle a little and turn over for another half hour of sleep. It's delicious.