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Old 08-04-2020, 09:38   #1
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Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

As the title would indicate, the current set of events are starting to make me feel like the odds are stacked against me. Long story short is that most of last year we have been preparing to become full time cruisers. Sold the house, bought a new boat and moved aboard, and in the process of trying to find a buyer for our moderately successful business.

Now, with all this coronavirus stuff, plus the collapse of the oil and gas markets as well as the larger economy, selling the business at the moment may not be wise, at least from a retirement funding standpoint, as activity is dropping off and will likely remain slow for some time.

Now on top of all of that, it appears that I have developed some health related issues that appear to require a fist full of various meds to be taken daily. Great...another thing I have to worry about....sourcing my meds as we cruise....If we can ever get off the dock....
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Old 08-04-2020, 09:57   #2
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

Sorry to hear about the successive issues getting in the way of something that you clearly really want to do. These times are truly extraordinary and finding our way through them will be a great challenge for everyone.

We were delayed by about 10 years by one thing or another (mostly work and family things), including an accident on the dock nine days before our planned departure from Mexico to the South Pacific. The resulting broken knee delayed our departure by yet another year but we finally did manage to leave last year (2019). Now the boat is stuck in Tahiti and we are stuck at home base.

If you have been successful in business, which is rarely easy, you will eventually be successful with your cruising plans. Good luck - I hope that everything comes together sooner rather than later.
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Old 08-04-2020, 11:02   #3
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

High Temp,

Concur with Marathon. Remember, nothing says you have to travel far and wide to be cruising. Cruise where you are comfortable and where you feel confident in being able access any needed meds or business related correspondence.

Be safe!
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Old 08-04-2020, 11:12   #4
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

Hightemp,

If it makes you feel any better, we were just down the dock from you in watergate (19-32)left in December, and are now back in Texas (thanks Covid).

In summary, this season is shot, so you’ve got time to get everything prepared for next winter.
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Old 08-04-2020, 11:21   #5
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

I remember watching you guys head out. Sorry to hear the season was cancelled. It was going to be next year for us anyway, and we were hoping that we could use the remainder of the year to get the boat outfitted and ready.....but that takes money and given the current situation, we are going to be very tight fisted until things turn around.
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Old 08-04-2020, 12:41   #6
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

Re: the meds

This is NOT Medical advice.

I’m just gonna tell you about me.

I’m skeptical of a whole lot of medicines being prescribed. I personally would do a bunch of homework to assure myself they were really, really necessary.

I had a rotator cuff problem, pretty bad.
Dr 1 a GP - put me on drugs, cortisones. They made me feel terrible
Dr 2 an arthritis specialist - told me I had arthritis and I need to take a different regime of drugs
Dr 3 a surgeon - told me that the only fix was to operate
Dr 4 ME - bought a book on exercises to fix the rotator cuff. That was 20 years ago. It’s been fine since. Once in a while I get a tinge but some exercises clean it up.
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Old 08-04-2020, 14:00   #7
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

Quote:
Originally Posted by hpeer View Post
Re: the meds

This is NOT Medical advice.

I’m just gonna tell you about me.

I’m skeptical of a whole lot of medicines being prescribed. I personally would do a bunch of homework to assure myself they were really, really necessary.

I had a rotator cuff problem, pretty bad.
Dr 1 a GP - put me on drugs, cortisones. They made me feel terrible
Dr 2 an arthritis specialist - told me I had arthritis and I need to take a different regime of drugs
Dr 3 a surgeon - told me that the only fix was to operate
Dr 4 ME - bought a book on exercises to fix the rotator cuff. That was 20 years ago. It’s been fine since. Once in a while I get a tinge but some exercises clean it up.
I second this. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2008. First doctor said ”takes these pills forever and cut down on the bread you eat.” She was fired by me before I could get to the car. Told the next doctor (non-American) I wanted to fix the problem. He put me on a regimen and I was off the pills within 2 years.
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Old 08-04-2020, 14:04   #8
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

I had the same experience more then 20 years ago. Medical world agreed that I needed a meniscus operation. Decided that I did not needed one. Prescribed myself soft soles for running and exercises to reinforce knee bands/muscles etc.
Still going strong today without that “necessary” operation.
Came to the conclusion that patients are only money generating subjects that medics pass on to their study friends.
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Old 08-04-2020, 14:14   #9
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

Hello, High Temp,

Sorry about your plans. These are "interesting times", and the pandemic is creating a great deal of anxiety, and disruption in many people's lives. Perhaps, over time you will get everything sorted out, but it is going to take emotional self discipline, and sticking to your long term goals while working on the short term ones. You will have feelings that get in your way. If you can, share them with someone you trust, just talking about it relieves stress and makes it easier on your body. We're all in the same boat, and have to pull together to make progress.

As to the medications, before you leave, have your doctor give you a printout on his/her letterhead stating the medications, treatment schedules, and quantities (x mg, for instance) that you can show to doctors where you speak the language. You will have to pay for the appointment, and the drugs, but you should have no trouble getting most things you need. Where their FDA has not approved certain medications, they will have something they use to treat the issue that is a different drug from what you get, but should treat what needs to be treated. Incidentally, the US does not always allow the best drugs for some conditions, because the companies who make it did not choose to pay for the FDA testing. And on the other hand, certain skeletal muscle relaxants are not available other than in the US. Overall, we hope it balances out. Only try to re-stock in civilized places. Little countries do not have the stocks that first world nations do.

Ann
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Old 09-04-2020, 02:01   #10
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

With a little bit of planning, sourcing meds is not that difficult. Plus it is usually cheaper overseas. I take a med that costs usd450 a month in the US. With insurance it still costs me 250 out of pocket a month. I purchase the drug while cruising in 6 or 12 month lots. Depending on the country it is usd50 to 60 a month.

The much bigger issue is that now that you have been diagnosed with a long term illness you aren't likely to get healthier as the years pass. Not that cruising isn't a relatively healthy lifestyle, it is just that getting older isn't for sissies. You can delay going cruising as long as you want, but if you wait till your health isn't great, it will be a much more restricted cruise.
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Old 09-04-2020, 02:03   #11
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

You'll get there, High Temp and Spouse!

Hang in there,
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Old 09-04-2020, 02:35   #12
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

Lots have similar stories. Stuck one way or another.


If you're going to get stuck, be thankful you're close to home. I have seen cruisers trapped (including myself) with lesser options because of where they were.


I was trapped and things were only getting worse. But things changed overnight.


I have seen too many that were not able to turn things around.


I repeat. Be thankful.
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Old 09-04-2020, 07:43   #13
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

I guess I was just complaining. I suppose that I should remember my own "No whining" rule.

The two primary items that are causing my frustration are that 1. due to the current economic conditions, our future financial outlook is not quite as rosey as it was just 60 days ago. Yes it will come back....eventually, but not right away. 2. With these health issues surfacing, I suppose it reminds me that we all get older and with age comes complications. It seems that all Doctors these days want to prescribed the latest, greatest, most expensive drugs on the market. Once we cast lines, we will be cash patients for the most part, at least until I hit Medicare age.

My biggest fear is that I might, unintentionally leave my wife in a very difficult, if not dangerous, situation of having to single hand on a very long passage. She is a very capable sailor, but our boat really takes 2 to sail. I have never been one to allow myself to be paralyzed by fear of what may come, but I feel as if I may be doing that now and it pisses me off. I guess this can be overcome by simply inviting others to come with as crew..... not our original plan, but one has to adapt to the situation as it is....
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Old 09-04-2020, 07:57   #14
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

Cripes! If we took all the whining out of this forum there would only be two left.

At least it’s whining I can harmonize with. LOL
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Old 09-04-2020, 09:55   #15
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Re: Gods appear to be conspiring against me!

The Gods are conspiring against a lot of folks right now, in a lot of ways - Covid sickness and death, job loss, income loss, investment losses, convicted felons being let out of jails with no job, no money and walking around wearing masks (what could go wrong there?), etc. Cancellation of recreational and travel plans sure feels like the least of what's going on! I'm just thankful for what I've got, and what I've got left!
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