Service calls

Automated message: The appliance technician will be at your house sometime between 1 pm to 5 pm. You will get a text message when the technician is in route to your home.

This used to be a really annoying message.

Needing to arrange and get coverage for time away from work, needing to arrange for an extended family member to assist with being at the home and securing our dogs when there were no other options, etc..

One of the main LED lights in our refrigerator recently stopped working (and yes… I did spend a couple of hours trying to fix it myself).

The first service call was to get access to the panel to determine the exact LED replacement board needed.

The second service call was to install the new board, only to find out that the old board was fine, and that the switch to activate it was faulty.

The third service call, which just ended, was to install the replacement switch.

Three automated text messages with an anticipated arrival "time window" totaling 12 hours for the three visits.

But, since being retired, the automated messages are just annoying, instead of being really annoying!

Carving out some time

My wife (who's also a physician): He just had the blood test done by his primary care physician that was consistent with him being at a greater risk for Alzheimer's.

Me: Really? I didn't know the blood test had been given final approval by the FDA.

The FDA granted a breakthrough device designation for the blood test last year, but I wasn't aware of the final approval.

The Lumipulse G pTau 217/B-Amyloid 1-42 plasma ratio blood test was approved on 5/16/2025, 16 days after I retired.

It's a biomarker that detects an increased risk for the amyloid plaques that have been associated with Alzheimer's disease.

I basically haven't read any of my medical journals or updates since retiring.

But this reminded me that I don’t like being uninformed, especially in an area of medicine (evaluating patients for possible dementia) that was a significant part of my career.

My schedule has been pretty packed lately 😏, but I'm sure I can carve out a bit of time each day for some medical literature reviews.

Absolution

Today is the 6th Friday since I retired.

I've been tempted to call or drop by my old office to see how everything is going but haven't.

My wife feels as if enough time hasn't past and I had to agree.

I told the new medical director and my former program manager to call me for any questions or needs, but they haven't reached out.

I gave 4 months notice but there was a fair amount going on when I left that makes me ponder how things are going, along with a twinge of guilt.

Recently, a physician gave just two weeks notice before abruptly transferring, another physician was threatening to resign due to some administrative changes in his assigned office location, an advanced practice provider was continuing to be a source of, almost, daily drama, there were more requests than usual for emergency leaves due to medical issues and family needs, and many work site changes were being implemented due to edicts from the new presidential administration.

However, on further reflection, none of the above was grossly out of the norm during my long tenure as the medical director.

I was just always there to help adapt and problem solve.

I know my replacement will do an excellent job but I still wish that everything had been more settled prior to my departure.

But, having now documented these thoughts, I'm granting myself absolution from any guilt.

My former medical team, however, remains in my thoughts (almost) daily.

Finding (some of) your people

Last October, I tore my right rotator cuff  (supraspinatus) tendon hitting an overhead volley, while playing pickleball.

My rehab went fine thanks to some exercise routines, which I still do at least every other day, tailored for me by my son, who's a Physical Therapist.

I was back on the courts this am.

I arrived with a right knee brace due to an absent ACL, from a previous injury in 1985, and a right hand brace, due to advanced degenerative arthritis of my first carpal-metacarpal joint of my thumb.

I played just fine.

Others had an assortment of braces and elastic wraps and shared war stories, between games, of all their previous injuries and surgeries over the entire course of their lives on earth.

I could have shared having had both of my hips replaced, but decided to just listen.

But, I did feel right at home.

It's always good to find some of your people 😏!

Fahgeddaboudit!

Admittedly, I used to have overly ambitious to-do lists for a weekend day, especially in regards to yard work.

After an episode or two of heat exhaustion, my wife started to watch me like a hawk, keeping me hydrated, and reminding me of the amount of time I had already been working outside.

I still occasionally over did it, so to speak, because my days available for yard work were limited.

Well, since my wife still works, no one is currently keeping an eye on me now during the weekdays.

I still have a list but have gotten pretty consistent at limiting my time to only a couple of hours of yard work, first thing in the morning, before it gets too hot.

If I haven't gotten through the list, but have put in a couple of good hours, I just say to myself, "Fahgeddaboudit, I can get to the other things tomorrow...or the next day!"

(Although of Irish heritage, I grew up in a town, in New York, with a strong Italian heritage/ethnicity!)

Having the time

Since retiring, I've been spending my usual amount of time keeping up with (some) college and pro sports, but now have had the time to review national and world events in more depth.

Medical journals and updates continue to come almost daily, but reviewing them hasn't been a priority.

I will, however, get to them at some point.

A temporary set-back in the vacation phase

Phase 1 of The 4 Phases of Retirement, by Riley Moynes, is the the vacation phase.

"The early, carefree, "holiday" phase of retirement." Sleeping later, reading, travel, exercise, etc..

I'm now a month and 2 days into retirement and have actually slept in a couple of mornings until 7 am!

I've read a few books (highly recommend From Strength to Strength, by Arthur Brooks, given to me by good friends).

Some travel plans are approaching.

And, I've exercised a lot. 

Multiple walks, Core work, Pickleball games, Driving range outings, Swimming, Strength training, Yoga classes, and a fair amount of yard work.

My only set back was from a Yoga class. 

I misread the schedule, thought I was doing a "restorative" class but accidently found myself in a "body synergy" class and strained my back.

I always try and hide my injuries whenever possible.

However, my wife noticed I was spending more time, than is usual, alternating between an ice pack and a heating pad on my back while watching TV.

She asked what was wrong.

I told her.

She kept a concerned look but I'm pretty sure she was sort of amused that I could strain my back doing Yoga but, honestly, so am I!