I’ve had one of the craziest years of my life:
Almost lost my mom to cancer (she’s had her surgery and doing awesome by the way!).
Entered a program where the government pays you to go to university to become a registered care aide which used to be called a nurse assistant.
Graduated at the top of the class.
Offered a permanent position at a local long-term care facility.
Start the new job next week.
Oh I also bought myself my very first brand new vehicle!
How about you?
Pretty roller-coaster year overall, mostly bad but some good.
Lost my job, got into a bad relationship, completed most of my MBA at accelerated pace, sold car, now sitting at a table in my parents’ house, at age 35, trying to figure out just where to go in life now that it’s nearly half-over (IMHO, “midlife crisis” should refer to your 30s, not 50s.)
Sounds like you had a good year, congrats. Are you in Australia?
Got off horrible job at Unemployment.
Got security clearance.
Got demoted.
Lost security clearance as result of above.
Currently working with some friends on a dream project.
Canada. And at 52 years old I can say don’t despair just yet. You’re still young at 35 and have many years to build yourself a life that you can be happy in. Whatever that is for you. Congrats on your MBA! That’s a huge accomplishment!
That’s great Floaty. Things are looking good for you
Myself, I want a do over.
So far this fall -
First flood in house, a second floor shower drain failed. Took out a bunch of drywall and the entire wood floor downstairs.
Then my mom died, old age really, she had a good run of 93 years. I’m dealing with her estate. I put up security cameras since it sits empty.
Second flood in house, septic system backed up. I think I’m going to have to replace the leech field. Will probably require a variance because I think codes have changed.
Could not shower or use the bathroom at home for 10 days. That was fun. Luckily (if you can call any of this luck) I had yet to replace the floor.
My Cousin and best friend has serious back issues that will probably require surgery. She will protest, but I plan on staying at my mom’s house (it’s now vacant) to help her for a few weeks. PT/Doc visits and whatnot. My mom’s house is close to her.
I can at least work from there, but I will miss my house, even though it seems to be out to get me.
That will mean leaving my Wife on her own for a few weeks in the dead of winter, but she is tough and can handle things. We will miss each other, and I will miss the dogs. My Wife can snow shovel, but any real storm, and I will have to return to plow.
I may set up online chess and cribbage for the two of us. We play a lot. It will give us a good connection.
Many many head traumas and health issues. (I still have some brains that work, maybe)
I seem(cross fingers) to be on the far side of some of that.
I feel better, I have hope for good things to come.
This gave me a chuckle by imagining you (generically, not actually picturing it) shitting and pissing all over the floor “well, fuck it - it’s going to be torn up next week anyway”. Not to laugh at your misfortune; sharing this in the hope it gives you a laugh, too.
My year - not much to comment on, really. It was way better than 2020 and a little easier than 2021, of course. Had lots of fun with the family and enjoying my hobbies. Looking forward to more of the same. I am a very lucky person.
I retired in May at age 65. Celebrated with a 17 day trip to England. Did not enjoy the trip because of heart problems, SVT. Once I came home, I went to the ED 3 times in 2 weeks, and 2 of those visits were within 24 hours. Had chemical cardio version all 3 times. Had a cardiac ablation at the beginning of August and spent 2 months recovering. My brother in law (sister’s husband) has spent the year getting deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s and I’ve been her emotional support animal. All health problems seem to be under control so finger crossed 2023 brings us happiness and no worries.
I had my hip replaced.
I’ve lost weight ~15-20 pounds
I got a new puppy. She was just spayed last week. She is smart and sweet.
I got a girlfriend. She is kind and sweet.
After years of trying, we finally persuaded my husband’s parents and disabled brother to leave Florida and move near us. Then FIL’s dementia got out of control and BIL developed an infection that almost killed him (because he wouldn’t tell anyone, then was found unconscious in bed.) MIL is totally frazzled dealing with both of them, but she refuses go consider any outside help, so my husband is reaching levels of stress he’s never seen before.
On the plus side, my grandkids continue to amaze me with their smarts and curiosity. For example, 4-y/o granddaughter lectured me on the difference between a backhoe and a bulldozer, and explained the difference between lava and magma. (I love her Montessori school!) And my grandson, who was walking before age 1, lusts after a tablet of his own, stealing his sister’s tablet cover and trying to plug a charger cord into it. They are endless entertaining!
Didn’t get as much exercise in the spring as I usually do, getting a little winded more often.
Developed insomnia where I couldn’t sleep more than an hour and then I would have to sit up. Attributed it to the weird graveyard shift I was working, age, hot weather, etc. Primary care doctor shutting down his practice so I put off going in.
Went to doctor in October and was sent for EKG. Atrial fibrilation and heart failure. Three days in hospital. Too late to shock the heart back to normal. Been having one long heart attack alll summer. New meds and sorta normal but heart does not work well. The doctor described it as shitty output.
I have enough medical leave at work to take the rest of the year off with pay, reach full retirement age in Feb. So I am done working and unexpectedly retired.
Did not plan to retire yet but hear we are.
Highlights are:
Doing extra work on a major motion picture and doing a scene where I literally push past the stars on a staircase. Can’t wait to see how it looks when it’s released.
Moved to North Carolina, because the kids moved there and we follow them. Love being near the kids, but otherwise, not where I want to be.
Lost a butt-load of money in the market in my retirement account. Considering looking for a job, which does not make me happy AT ALL! 
Otherwise, it feels like my health and cognition are declining, so at least I have that going for me!
Yeah. We pissed outside. For #2, I procured the key to a neighbors house down the road. Have to drive there. Had to make sure you planned your day properly. Don’t want to have an ‘uh oh’ moment at 2 am when it’s 5 degrees outside.
I ended up heating water on the stove and taking ‘bird baths’. It was sort of like camping. At home.
Losing just water I could deal with, I have a stream on my property that I could get water from to flush. Just have to break through some ice. Losing electricity? We have kerosene lamps just in case. And I could easily set up a couple of generators. Our propane stove does not need power. And you can heat stuff on it in a pan. We could deal with cold food easy enough in the winter.
Losing drains/sewer was a bit of a drag, but we dealt with it. It was a good test.
Retired July 1. Younger (adult) child had a stroke 2 weeks later (recovering nicely). I got diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer, suspicious for metastasis. Undergoing evaluation for appropriate treatment now. Both sons in law lost their jobs. Wife tested positive for covid this AM.
I’ve had better years.
Completed the sale of my apartment in Norway that had been rented for 4 years and a few months. Got back to the US and picked up the puppy my wife had fallen in love with in her “we need a new dog eventually” scouting online. To me “eventually” was “I hope she’s not ready for ages yet” and I definitely didn’t want a puppy.
It was way more stressful than I could possibly imagine. We had some rather tense discussions. It did not play well with my anxiety and (subclinical?) depression.
I started a new job in June. It’s going relatively well. My boss is trying to get the university to give me a raise.
In July my wife’s ankle randomly stopped functioning.
It was misdiagnosed as no-fracture-just sprain.
This led to weeks of first “not getting better”, then “see doctor, get referred”, “see specialist, do new xray”, “xray shows avulsion fracture, need MRI to determine need for surgery”, “wait for MRI”, “wait for surgery”, “have surgery”, “elevate foot 24/7” …
She’s only recently stopped wearing a boot and still need crutches and to elevate the foot whenever possible, so I’ve done all the dog walking, despite not being the person who wanted a dog, for 5 months. And at 11 months this chocolate lab is a massive 100 pounds of will and muscle …
Fortunately I’ve been able to work from home the whole time, and am able to do enough work to satisfying my boss despite a lot of interruptions for patient care, dog care and banging my head against the wall.
My last 12 months have been a mostly recovery from the prior 12. Measured from today, the last 12 months include:
In all, it’s been a good year.
Not a good year, money-wise and job hunting-wise. Things are really scary that way. Also, I keep running up against my physical limitations due to back damage, arthritis, and now a heart murmur. Still job hunting though.
That said, I have been careful with my back and increased the length of time I can stand up without pain, and created workarounds. I’ve hardly put any wear and tear on my car (and now can’t because no insurance). I managed to put up my best spaghetti sauce ever, made some stellar other nutritious meals, and planned pretty well for becoming dirt poor. I quit drinking diet soda and can’t afford any soda at this point so I’m eating better too. No junk food, more legumes but lots of gluten because free at the food shelf. I used to donate to the food shelf because that’s just what I do. But I didn’t realize I was paying it forward for myself. LOL.
I survived Covid this summer with the help of friends and neighbors and common sense. And thanks to the Covid/healthier eating/no diet pop, I’ve lost about 40 lbs. total since the end of 2021. It would be more but the back injury really made movement difficult for quite a while. I’m probably going to lose my internet and phone service soon but, as I said, I still am job hunting so keep your fingers crossed for me.
May 2023 allow me to keep my home, keep my wonderful friends, including all my SDMB friends, and improve my outlook on life. Soon, sunlight will increase soon, I say to myself. Mind you, we haven’t seen sunlight here since Sunday and today is Friday…
May 2023 also allow you all to stay my friends, staying healthy, happy, and out of the hospital.
It’s been a pretty ordinary year for me. Went on a holiday to Hanoi, Vietnam in March, and managed to prolapse a disc so was essentially immobile the whole time. It got better when I got back to Aus.
In June I suffered a major glaucomic episode which ended in surgery for a lens removal in July. Recovery was smooth, so…
…in August, as planned, I left to travel OS as a ‘digital nomad’, working for my company remotely. Was intending to spend 6-12 months in SE Asia, starting in Da Nang, Vietnam. But about 2 weeks after I arrived, my vision deteriorated markedly in my (operated on) eye, leaving me unable to see to work. Ended up in an eye hospital who diagnosed cystoid macular edema (which i already have in my other eye!).
Unable to earn a living, of course I had to return back to Aus asap, only to find that the apartment we were living in had been sold and the new owner wanted to move in. Thus we had to find new digs.
Up here in Far North Qld, rental availability is at an all time low and rents are sky high in cost. The one saving grace was finding a property quickly and being accepted, and only having to pay an extra $80 per week: we were expecting to have to pay much more.
Then we had to move. FUCK, I hate moving. And my daughter is a bit of a hoarder of stuff, so there was shitloads to move. And moving costs so much (over $1000 to move our stuff just 3km away FFS). But anyway…
The end of the year is nigh, I’m pretty blind, can’t drive the car, stuck in the apartment, can’t work, used all my spare money to help pay for the moving, cleaning, and all the misc other stuff, so I’m broke. And depressed. And dreading what shit 2023 will bring.
I have chronic depression and any year I don’t start looking longingly at the handguns in the local Fred Meyer is a good year. This year that did not happen so I consider it a good year.
I did quit going to my shrink because all she wanted to do was push pills on me. Finding the genesis of my depression and anxiety and/or finding ways to deal with it sans chemicals was not part of her treatment repertoire.
Up until September the school I teach for still was not allowing new admits due to Covid restrictions. We finally got a new cohort on the last Monday in September – the first time I have had fresh students in class since the last week of February, 2020.
September was the first full year in our new house. I still like it a lot and have some pretty grand schemes for the garden this spring. Next week we’ll be hosting the family Christmas dinner for the first time, which I’m both excited and nervous about doing.
My kids are generally doing well. My oldest son is supposed to graduate high school in June and it will be a miracle if he actually does so. He’s smart but profoundly lazy.
I haven’t gotten divorced yet, which I suppose is a plus.
I inherited my grandfather’s classic 300E Mercedes, which I have mixed feelings about.
My mother’s health has deteriorated but she has, at least temporarily, stopped drinking which hopefully might buy her some additional time among the living.
Financially things are getting tight. My wife hasn’t worked since Covid hit and for most of the last 3 years we’ve been doing ok – even bought our first house, as noted – but between having two teenage drivers and inflation, the purse strings are getting tighter. I can’t wait for my wife to go back to work.
Seems like most of us have had lots of ups and downs this year. Lots of major life changes.