Discussion Taking a Sabbatical

[skyking]

I had planned on retiring on May 1 2023, but life has tossed out a curve ball in the form of a stage 4 glioblastoma in my sister.
Her post surgical prognosis is 12~16 months. That sounds a whole lot like May 2023 to me, and that is not at all acceptable.
My work has had me down for a while now, and my health is taking the hit. I will hang out till late April to get to 500 hours for the year, and then go to work on my health, home projects, and being available for her.
If after I get my shit together I decide to go back to work, a phone call to my union hall and I would be back on a job in a week. Or we might decide to leave that plug pulled and start up the pension, or any combination of the above.

 

[herm0016]

good on you for taking a break, to many people, myself included, find it very hard to do so.

 

[MrSquished]

Sounds like you are doing the right thing. Enjoy quality time for yourself and with your family and hope your sister does well and proves the doctors wrong.

 

[nakedfrog]

That's a pretty hefty curveball, best wishes.

 

[lxskllr]

Good luck on everything skyking. Wishing you and your family the best.

 

[Captante]

Wow that really sucks about your sister!

You are however doing the best thing you can by staying positive and being there for her.



Also .... FVCK CANCER.

 

[BoomerD]

Sorry to hear that, K. Best wishes to your sister...and to you and the family.

 

[skyking]

Thank you boomer, thank you all for the well wishes.

 

[Torn Mind]

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You might want to have her try out the keto diet as a last ditch effort. This Logan Sneed dude was also diagnosed with it and he’s still alive.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Good for you and all the best to your sister! Modern medicine in regards to cancer therapy is pretty amazing these days.

 

[Exterous]

Sorry to hear that but it's great that you'll get to spend time with family and work on your health

 

[Spacehead]

Good luck in getting your health better & best wishes for your sister.

 

[kage69]

Sorry about your sister's news. I have one at the Mayo right now, we're all kind of holding our breath.

 

[PowerEngineer]

I am very sorry about your sister's troubles. I hope that everything works out in the best possible way. Events like this have a way of waking us up to what is most important in our lives.

 

[skyking]

We are rallied around them as a family. This is the sister who had the house fire last summer and we have been working on that too.
Thursday I took the day off to bring them their dog, who is staying with us. Yesterday we did that again and visited my oldest sister. My sister gets tired with people there quickly, so we just dropped the dog for them and they can get the good dog lovin without the stress of trying to communicate. She fights so hard to remember the words she has lost, it eventually wears her down.
Her husband is very loyal to the dog and walked her in the park across the street, and generally got that benefit that only pets can give us.
She and her husband are staying at middle sister's house, and middle sister is staying with her daughter nearby. There are two cats there that can tolerate a dog visit but not constant, so the dog stays with my pack. The dog is so pleased to have a pack!

That is Hazel on the right, a 12~15 year old cattle dog/shepherd mix they rescued from the neighbor many years ago.
My white dog and her play.
In that picture she and my little blind girl are doing some singing. They are both a bit mouthy and like to have a bark together.
Here is Hazel and roommates silken wind hound, sharing the loveseat. That is dog #4 in this pack and they all love each other.

Next Sunday I have a rigging/signalling class to attend way up north and I will drop her off again
They will never live in the new house. She has decided to move to Seattle to be near the good health care and her son and sisters. They are on the hunt for a house to rent that can work for their two cats and Hazel. My brother in Yakima is caring for those cats.
My oldest sister's dog would play and play with Katie. Now that she is blind, she is much less likely to grabass with him. She did get some good pokes, neck bites, and growls in nonetheless.

 

[skyking]

I am staying with her all day Monday so her husband and son can do some needed things out of town. I both dread and look forward to being with her. At least I will have a better sense of what she has left.

 

[Captante]

I am staying with her all day Monday so her husband and son can do some needed things out of town. I both dread and look forward to being with her. At least I will have a better sense of what she has left.

Stay strong.

 

[skyking]

Thanks Cap. I know this drill.
The problem is, they have been more independent and private in general over the years. We would not talk often and that was the norm.
Now it is agonizing.

 

[skyking]

I spent the last couple of days with them, touring some properties and getting a better idea of her needs. It was great to spend time with them. I have some work to get done tomorrow and if I can I will go back Thursday and Friday and get 'er done. They need to get settled in soon.

 

[skyking]

Done looking! They showed a really sweet corner apartment at the same building as their son and love it!
All she really wanted to do was be able to take her dog for a walk with her son and his dog. It really doesn't get any better than this.

 

[lxskllr]

That's great! It's rare that things work out so well.

 

[skyking]

I will certainly take the win!

 

[Geekbabe]

Done looking! They showed a really sweet corner apartment at the same building as their son and love it!
All she really wanted to do was be able to take her dog for a walk with her son and his dog. It really doesn't get any better than this.

I am so sorry about your sister’s condition 😢 but glad you are helping her ❤️

 

[skyking]

Thank you Jean.
I brought their dog home to their new apartment and had a great visit, and planned on getting some family furniture to them next weekend. She is well now and all we can hope for. She starts 3 weeks of radiation and chemo next week.
She will only do this if it does not take too much of her time, or does not make the rest of the time miserable.
Palliative is the word.

 

[skyking]

My wife, the pups and I took a big road trip today. I had picked up an enclosed Uhaul trailer yesterday so we could blast off directly for central Washington. We picked up several pieces of furniture from my brother, and took them to my sister's new apartment in Seattle. Out the door at 630 and back in the house at 530, 400 miles and some happy visiting at both places.