Which wil be the deciding factor for you to stop cruising: Health/Wealth or Both?

[SmoothFlying]

2 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

My wife helps me as much as possible. I use a cane.I have a walker as well.

Yes, I know the situation all too well😞 My sweet wife has been reducded to using a cane, and is currently taking injections hoping to avoid knee replacment but it has reduced her ability to take walks for any great distance. She has to stop ever so oftten to rest, then slowly start walking again. It breaks my heart and gently beg her to take her time😧. But she's sooo excited to get ON the ship, that's all she cares about.

 

Mac

[jocap]

We're beginning to have small problems, which add to the wealth problem: new medications have to be told to our annual insurers, and each one adds another £100; changing trains is difficult with luggage, so it's now collected- another £74 each; more taxis before and at the port- OK, only £20 or so, but we can see the beginning of the age-related costs.

Probably next will be searching for handicapped cabins, so we'll be looking for those rather than last minute offers.

[mac66]

My parents stopped cruising when they were 88 years old. My dad had a stroke while on board a cruise ship and is now confined to a wheelchair.  My mother had a  heart valve failure since then. They are now 91 & 92 and their cruising days are over but they had a good run while they could.

[Kartgv]

Thanks to the OP for a very interesting topic, which has obviously captured the interest of lots of us.    One other pretty simple thought occurred to me:    Health issues will eventually stop all of us from cruising, one way or another, but not everyone will encounter financial issues that keep them from traveling.      

[rkacruiser]

This is an interesting question that the OP started.  10 years ago, I would have never read the post.  Time has a way of changing one's perspectives, doesn't it.  

 

My plan:  I am going to keep traveling as long as both health and wealth will permit.  I don't know how long that will be.  Currently, I have health concerns, but after my just completed annual physical, my doctor continues to encourage me to "keep truckin'".  I have two cruises booked and am debating about number 3 before I return from the Sunshine State to an Ohio Winter.  I feel confident that I will be able to complete whatever I book.  And, I have learned to "swallow my pride" and request wheelchair assistance at airports and embarking/disembarking a ship.  

[lenquixote66]

17 minutes ago, SmoothFlying said:

Yes, I know the situation all too well😞 My sweet wife has been reducded to using a cane, and is currently taking injections hoping to avoid knee replacment but it has reduced her ability to take walks for any great distance. She has to stop ever so oftten to rest, then slowly start walking again. It breaks my heart and gently beg her to take her time😧. But she's sooo excited to get ON the ship, that's all she cares about.

 

Mac

I take cortisone shots every 4 months .Without them I would not be able to cruise.My last one was in April.My next cruise is in October and I was hoping to be able to wait till 2 weeks before the cruise to get my next epidural but the pain is so bad that I have to call my doctor tomorrow.I have pain medicals  but the primary side effect is dizziness and I have had 36 falls,therefore,I do not take the pills.

[SmoothFlying]

1 minute ago, Kartgv said:

Thanks to the OP for a very interesting topic, which has obviously captured the interest of lots of us.    One other pretty simple thought occurred to me:    Health issues will eventually stop all of us from cruising, one way or another, but not everyone will encounter financial issues that keep them from traveling.      

Of course, NONE of us will escape 'Father time' but (hopefully) we're allowed by him/her to sail till that time comes. And even them SOME of our jolly CC pirates here will ask for a burial at sea ceremony on their bucket list at mid-cruise ! Just joking, of course. Although I have asked my wife that if she survives me, upon cremation she and my sister take my ashes to Grand Cayman (where I proposed to her in '94) and well....You know the rest.😁

 

Mac

[mac66]

35 minutes ago, SmoothFlying said:

Yes, I know the situation all too well😞 My sweet wife has been reducded to using a cane, and is currently taking injections hoping to avoid knee replacment but it has reduced her ability to take walks for any great distance. She has to stop ever so oftten to rest, then slowly start walking again. It breaks my heart and gently beg her to take her time😧. But she's sooo excited to get ON the ship, that's all she cares about.

 

Mac

As someone who has had a knee replacement and put it off for too long I encourage her to have it done.

 

If she waits it will only get worse, have it done and it will only get better. 

 

I was basically crippled before having it done. Now I'm more active and doing things I haven't done in 30 years. It's a quality of life issue.

Edited August 25, 2019 by mac66

[SmoothFlying]

6 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I take cortisone shots every 4 months .Without them I would not be able to cruise.My last one was in April.My next cruise is in October and I was hoping to be able to wait till 2 weeks before the cruise to get my next epidural but the pain is so bad that I have to call my doctor tomorrow.I have pain medicals  but the primary side effect is dizziness and I have had 36 falls,therefore,I do not take the pills.

She's moved beyond cortisone to what her Dr. calls 'chicken juice' but its only good for a few weeks then the pain returns with a vengeance. And I fear the ultimate out come eventually will be a replacement. I hope SO much the cortisone shots give you some much needed relief. Good luck

 

Mac

[lenquixote66]

2 minutes ago, SmoothFlying said:

She's moved beyond cortisone to what her Dr. calls 'chicken juice' but its only good for a few weeks then the pain returns with a vengeance. And I fear the ultimate out come eventually will be a replacement. I hope SO much the cortisone shots give you some much needed relief. Good luck

 

Mac

Thank you.

 

Lenny

[SmoothFlying]

3 minutes ago, mac66 said:

As someone who has had a knee replacement and put it off for too long I encourage her to have it done.

 

If she waits it will only get worse, have it done and it will only get better. 

 

I was basically crippled before having it done. Now I'm more active and doing things I haven't done in 30 years. It's a quality of life issue.

She's torn, 50-50% Half of her friends say it did NOT seem to make a difference, while the other hal, encluding several family members said quit the opposite, so she's confused as too what action to take. I see her concerns every day and I wish I knew how or what to say. I know it has to be HER decision.

 

Mac 

[mac66]

Just now, SmoothFlying said:

She's torn, 50-50% Half of her friends say it did NOT seem to make a difference, while the other hal, encluding several family members said quit the opposite, so she's confused as too what action to take. I see her concerns every day and I wish I knew how or what to say. I know it has to be HER decision.

 

Mac 

Well, it will only get better or worse, the choice is hers. My brother had both of his done, he agrees.

[SmoothFlying]

4 minutes ago, mac66 said:

Well, it will only get better or worse, the choice is hers. My brother had both of his done, he agrees.

I know, and of course there's always the chance it'll get worse and I know her, she'll feel that it a dumb choice having it done. While I don't voice an opinion, for fear of pushing her towards an decision, I feel like you do. Ans it's so difficult for me to just keep quite and watch her HURT.😢

 

Mac 

[Heidi13]

The OP raises a very interesting question and I have enjoyed reading the responses.

 

For us the limiting factor could be either option. Although we do not face additional medical bills, if our utilisation of the medical system increases, it does cost additional money for travel insurance as we age and report an increasing number of pre-existing conditions.

 

Since we generally focus on longer Grand Voyages/World Cruises, the travel insurance (medical) is already a significant expense. Were they to increase significantly, while we could pay more, I would have a tough time justifying that expense.

 

Therefore, initially we could be restricted to shorter cruises/holidays.

[feathersandnananose]

Hugs to you all.  We are in our late 60's.  In June, I sprained my ankle very badly on our first stop of a two-week cruise (it took two months for the ligament damage to finally be repaired).   We had plans to do lots of hiking.  That went out the door fast.  The worst experience was the flight home.  At this point, I could hobble wearing hiking boots (which worked as a strong brace), but we spent hours at Heathrow on our feet in line after line for the connecting flight home.  I never realized how horrible "simple travel" could be to those without full mobility or who are in pain.  

As they say, aging ain't for the faint of heart.......

 

[lenquixote66]

I was an athlete.I played all sports and I was healthy.I moved from NYC in 2003 to a town of 32,000 .Eight months later I was driving one day,fell asleep ,smashed the fence of a home and nearly drove into a house.That was the last time I drove.That was the beginning of getting sick with problems I could not imagine .From 2003 to 2014 I developed some new illness every year as well as mobility issues.I had major surgery in 2010 and felt good for 9 months.That was when it began getting worse every year.

[bonsai3s]

29 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I was an athlete.I played all sports and I was healthy.I moved from NYC in 2003 to a town of 32,000 .Eight months later I was driving one day,fell asleep ,smashed the fence of a home and nearly drove into a house.That was the last time I drove.That was the beginning of getting sick with problems I could not imagine .From 2003 to 2014 I developed some new illness every year as well as mobility issues.I had major surgery in 2010 and felt good for 9 months.That was when it began getting worse every year.

 

This thread is giving us a chance to "meet" and "know" more about members...lenquixote66, hope our paths cross someday...praying for for you to get better and more cruising.

Yes, I was also an athlete, Division 1 scholarship...health and visual impairment stopped me in my tracks.  I have adapted and same with athletics..."I will never quit"......ultimately, I want my ashes thrown in the ocean. 

To the original question: Bad health and disability will make it difficult to cruise, but perhaps with some assistance we can continue...until....

 

 

[SmoothFlying]

1 hour ago, feathersandnananose said:

Hugs to you all.  We are in our late 60's.  In June, I sprained my ankle very badly on our first stop of a two-week cruise (it took two months for the ligament damage to finally be repaired).   We had plans to do lots of hiking.  That went out the door fast.  The worst experience was the flight home.  At this point, I could hobble wearing hiking boots (which worked as a strong brace), but we spent hours at Heathrow on our feet in line after line for the connecting flight home.  I never realized how horrible "simple travel" could be to those without full mobility or who are in pain.  

As they say, aging ain't for the faint of heart.......

 

I've turned 69 this summer and  now really find this adage I first heard when I was sixteen totally comical now..

                                                            ' When you're in your Sixties, those are the GOLDEN years'

(Hmmm.. GOLDEN, as in the amount of GOLD (coins) you have to pay for medical aliments ??)

 

Mac

[lenquixote66]

27 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

 

This thread is giving us a chance to "meet" and "know" more about members...lenquixote66, hope our paths cross someday...praying for for you to get better and more cruising.

Yes, I was also an athlete, Division 1 scholarship...health and visual impairment stopped me in my tracks.  I have adapted and same with athletics..."I will never quit"......ultimately, I want my ashes thrown in the ocean. 

To the original question: Bad health and disability will make it difficult to cruise, but perhaps with some assistance we can continue...until....

 

 

Unfortunately I have another illness for which there is no cure but I belong to a gym and exercise 5 -6 days a week  and I take exercise classes specifically for people who have this.My father was a pro soccer player when he was in his 20’s and relatively healthy until he developed this illness when he was in his 70’s.He lived with it for 10 years.I was diagnosed in 2014 and I am doing everything possible to be on this planet as long as possible.

[lenquixote66]

7 minutes ago, SmoothFlying said:

I've turned 69 this summer and  now really find this adage I first heard when I was sixteen totally comical now..

                                                            ' When you're in your Sixties, those are the GOLDEN years'

(Hmmm.. GOLDEN, as in the amount of GOLD (coins) you have to pay for medical aliments ??)

 

Mac

I agree 100 percent. I began getting ill at age 60 .

[SmoothFlying]

2 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Unfortunately I have another illness for which there is no cure but I belong to a gym and exercise 5 -6 days a week  and I take exercise classes specifically for people who have this.My father was a pro soccer player when he was in his 20’s and relatively healthy until he developed this illness when he was in his 70’s.He lived with it for 10 years.I was diagnosed in 2014 and I am doing everything possible to be on this planet as long as possible.

Good for YOU !! Hang in there and FIGHT this illness tooth and nail !! I admire your positive attitude. You seem determined to WIN ! Good Luxk

 

Mac

[lenquixote66]

1 minute ago, SmoothFlying said:

Good for YOU !! Hang in there and FIGHT this illness tooth and nail !! I admire your positive attitude. You seem determined to WIN ! Good Luxk

 

Mac

Thank you very much.

[getting older slowly]

My late father always had a saying

 

" the only thing worse than dying is running out of money first "

 

My mother is still thinking of another cruise at 93... but something near to home.

 

Our thoughts are do it while you can we only started cruising 3 year ago

 

and have got our next one at the end of the year. after which we would have spend 78 day afloat.

 

To us at the moment Cruising is a great holiday.

 

Cheers Don

Edited August 26, 2019 by getting older slowly
spelling

[SmoothFlying]

6 hours ago, getting older slowly said:

My late father always had a saying

 

" the only thing worse than dying is running out of money first "

 

My mother is still thinking of another cruise at 93... but something near to home.

 

Our thoughts are do it while you can we only started cruising 3 year ago

 

and have got our next one at the end of the year. after which we would have spend 78 day afloat.

 

To us at the moment Cruising is a great holiday.

 

Cheers Don

OMG !!! ninety three !! That is SOOOOOO remarkable. Honestly, I double IF I'll even be here, much  less able cruising. I mean I'd LOVE too say I'll be able to do both but...😉

 

Mac 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

On 8/25/2019 at 10:53 AM, SmoothFlying said:

As the years pile up on my wife and myself we both find it more difficult to walk for a long distance so we tend to take shorter walking excursions so for us it may come down to a physical problem. At this current time, money is not a pressing problem but IF health issues increase that could change.As we all know you health can change in the blink of the eye. One can have an impact on the other, which will affect future decisions considering our loved activity. What are your thoughts about the three selections.

 

Mac 

 

 

Health or death...