Looking for the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Retirement. Update/ GOOD NEWS!!!!!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Since Dk has been a big part of my life for the past 6 years, I've decided to reach out to all you dear people who are living the retired life to share some insight into what retirement looks like to you now.
I just turned 60, have a fabulous job, work 3 days, 11 hours per day, work with wonderful staff and new mommies and babies. I make what many would consider very good income. My work days are long and demanding and challenging, both mentally and physically as I probably walk an average of 5-6 miles a day throughout the unit, and am standing a good part of the day as well.

BUT, I am just tired. Tired of the committment, tired of the responsiblity, tired of all the requirements of hospital employment. Tired of being gone 3 whole long days a week. I leave at 6:30am and not home til 6:30 pm and just come home and go to bed because it's such a long mentally draining day. (I am also up everymorning at 4:20 to go to Crossfit at 5:00 before work)
I love, love , love staying home. I have always been a home body and have many hobbies and activities to be as busy as I want to be. First and foremost, I have two amazing grandchildren that I see and have hours and hours of playtime with at least 1-2 times a week, However, I just feel like I am missing out on more with them.
And the finanical loss would be considerate, but it would certainly not send us to the Food Stamp line or buying Purina.
When is it enough? When did you decide and what helped you make up your mind? Does anyone have any regrets or wish they had stayed employed longer? I would very much appreciate your thoughts and feelings about this, as I am just making myself miserable with indecision. Thanks in advance.

update:
After so much great input from everyone here and discussing this with DH and family, we have our sights set for this Oct. I feel such a sense of relief and that sense of dread on the mornings of work is greatly lessened. Still there tho. Find myself wishing it was Oct already. We are preparing financially and it's looking very do-able with some minor adjustments, but nothing earth shattering. I am as frugal as they come, so my spending habits won't change. I always said I'd still be looking for coupons and sales even if I won a HUGE lottery. Just in my blood I guess. Thank you to everyone who replied as your input was valuable and all taken into consideration in this decision. You are all just such a kind and generous group of friends.

GOOD NEWS!!!!! I will be very busy in retirement. We have grandbaby #3 on the way!!!!! Due in Feb. Wanted to share that with my Dk family. thanks

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am older than you but I haven't been able to let go completely yet : ) I have let my practice dwindle down and this week I have four paid hours : ) But there is always phone and paper work. I wonder if it pays to work but so far it seems to be something I am unwilling to let go of. My work is much less taxing than yours though. 

[Pam Thomas]

I like working, like I said it is my most social activity. But I feel plain worn down, I like the idea of having my doodle and going to classes and working with puppy.  Quiting  means an end to a lot of things, like traveling. But if it isn't good for me anymore, it's not good for my patient's. And I might be able to work a day here and there. I also see it interfering with getting a second doodle!

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Sue,
My vote is if you can retire, DO it! We aren't there yet, but I so wish I was. Sounds like we do similar hours, 12 hour shifts, three days a week, it's physical and emotionally taxing work. (RN). I personally could keep very busy not working. It would be awesome!! I'm trying to make it to 62, so 4 years to go. Sometimes I feel I'm wishing my life away, looking forward to it so much.

Unless you love your work, go have some fun. You never know what tomorrow will bring.

[Pam Thomas]

I agree. I feel like I am wishing my life away to be 65, but I do like working-just wish not so much or so hard.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

So true Leslie, when I look back at the friends we have suddenly lost in their 50's and early 60's I have to slap myself and say what are you thinking......quit and enjoy life now that you really can! And I do love my actual hands on patient care part of my work. All nurses love that, it's all of the extrainious demands of the institution and the laws and rules and policies and patient surveys about your performance and being careful to not say the wrong thing to the wrong person at the wrong time or you will be called into the office . Everything we say and do has to be evidenced based and researched, has to hold up in court in the off chance you are caught up in some patients lawsuit. The stress is just a constant dark cloud over you.

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain

[Pam Thomas]

Love that quote.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Everyone has been so encouraging and other than health insurance, which I will be looking into the ACA this week, I don't hear any real issues yet.
My DH has a group plan for life with the fire dept and I can always join his, but it's pretty costly. Rather get my own until Medicare kicks in. I love your comments and Mark Twain post Leslie.
There is a remarkable older RN at my job, 80yrs old! And I mean really exceptionally remarkable woman! I told her I was planning on retiring by next yr, before 62. She said "Oh Honey, you are too young to retire!" And to her I would be. I replied, "that is the point, I want to retire while I can still have fun and enjoy things while I am young".
It really is scary though. I've worked since I was 15 yrs old. Have always equated my value with the size of my paycheck and don't really know how to NOT have one. That might be the biggest adjustment for me on a personal level.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It may have changed over the years, but the last time I looked, police and fire department personnel had Cadillac insurance coverage. "Costly" is a relative term, and you have to look at what you get for the price. You may be in for sticker shock when you see what kind of coverage you get on an individual policy for what you pay, and you really might be better off going with your DH's plan. It depends on your needs. Preventative care and testing are now basically free on all plans, so if you are relatively healthy, the individual coverage with a higher deductible might be better. Take some time to compare and research it. 

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Yes, the coverage is certainly relative and I'm sure it's a "you get what you pay for" kind of industry anyway. I am never sick enough that I couldn't pay out of pocket for the routine stiff, but a major illness needs to be covered for sure by some insurance, I will look into what I have now and see just how it compares to what I can buy on my own, thanks again Karen,

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We were lucky in terms of health insurance - some where in the dinosaur past, our contract was for our employer to pay for health insurance until we are eligible for Medicare as a bridge.  This actually meant MORE money in our pockets as we were paying a portion of our insurance when we worked.  It is a serious consideration though and I might not have retired early if it wasn't for that huge perk.

[Charlotte and Bo]

If you feel that it is time to go then it probably is.  I found myself just being depressed about going to work.  All the fun had gone out of it.  Friends had retired or left and a couple I felt close to had died.  As someone who had worked in a cytogenetics lab for 30 odd years, I was starting to have problems with stiff sometimes painful joints in my hands and floaters in my eyes.   I hate to admit it, but the work itself  had started to pass me by and my resolve to continue learning was not there.  Time to go. 

Retirement gives you the freedom to fill your days with whatever you chose.  That is never a bad thing :-)

As Karen said health ins. is always an issue if you don't have it.  If you have access to your husbands then you will be fine.  I was lucky to have worked for NYS so I have pretty decent coverage.