How has 2010 been for you?

[mountaintosea]

Because misery loves company I just wanted to know if anyone else is having a really BAD year? I put my cat down today. He was 16 with kidney failure I did everything I could for him as with my 16 year old dog back in May. But the worst part of the year has been that my younger sister (55) found out she had cancer at the end of August. She went back to the hospital one more time before they sent her home on hospice. That was the Thursday before Labor Day weekend. She died the Tuesday after Labor Day. She found out she had cancer and basically was dead in less than two weeks. It was pancreatic cancer. She never smoked or drank. She's the first to die in my immediate family. My dad will be 90 in December with my mother turning 86 in January. We thought we were pretty lucky with everybody still well. All 15 nieces and nephews are doing well and their kids. Putting down my cat today just brought up this deep well of grief that I'm feeling! Went to see Secretariat to take my mind off the above. Good movie but cried through it anyway. Nobody dies in it but that didn't matter.

 

[Tiger]

My wife died of cancer in January. I was fortunate to meet a wonderful woman and fell in love. I can't think of anything more horrible or wonderful that could happen in one year.

 

[GregLee]

Sorry. 2010 has been great for me, so far. But reading over your trials, I realize that is because I have similar bad things behind me -- previous to 2010. (Both parents died, 3 dogs died, survived cancer, ..., but all before 2010.) So, hang on. Get the disasters out of the way, and the future will likely be better.

 

[Khan]

Actually 2010 has been a good year, though I did spend/give away more money than planned.

 

[mountaintosea]

Sorry to hear about your wife Tiger. And GregLee I know you are right. I just want to crawl into bed and stay there for a while. But I won't. Khan I'm hoping that next year I will be able to say that also!

 

[Meadbh]

Overall, it's been a great year. I have had a lot of personal and j*b satisfaction and my portfolio is not looking too bad. Lost a couple of valued colleagues though. This reminds me that life is precious. I am thankful to be where I am today.

 

[Moemg]

But the worst part of the year has been that my younger sister (55) found out she had cancer at the end of August. She went back to the hospital one more time before they sent her home on hospice. That was the Thursday before Labor Day weekend. She died the Tuesday after Labor Day. She found out she had cancer and basically was dead in less than two weeks. It was pancreatic cancer..

I am so sorry to hear about your sister . It's hard to lose a sibling . Also sorry to hear about your cat . Hopefully 2011 will be better .

 

[bbbamI]

mountaintosea...

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your sister and your furry buddy. I can't know how you feel about the loss of your sister as I have no siblings, but I do know how it feels to lose a pet.

This year has not been a bed of roses for me. I've experienced my fair share of fear, loss and grief; some of which I am still dealing with.

Be good to yourself...cry, sleep, laugh, and lean on others whenever you feel the need.

Hugs to you....

 

[Bestwifeever]

I'm so sorry about your sister, Mountaintosea. Getting over her sudden passing won't be easy; go ahead and stay under the covers for as long as you need to. 2010 will be over in 82 days.

 

[Martha]

I am sorry Mountaintosea. My year has sucked too. I think I aged 5 years in one. I try to keep busy and it helps. I have been hiking, kayaking and watching the birds. There were two trumpeter swans on the lake today, not our local residents as they had already moved on. But visitors passing through. Juncos are everywhere. The leaves are now off the trees but the Tamaracks are golden. Even in a sucky year there are plenty of good days.

 

[Nords]

Sorry for the year so far, MTS. I don't know how to deal with death except to remember the quality of life.

I compare just about every year to 1991, where I spent eight months on deployment and tangled with an active volcano in the middle of a tropical storm. (Spouse refers to it as "the lost year".) Every year since then has been better.

 

[Purron]

I can't even imagine how painful it is to lose a sister. I never had a sister and have often wished I did. I'm so sorry you lost her Mountaintosea.

I'm also very sorry to hear about your cat. I had to put my beloved feline companion to sleep due to advanced liver disease earlier this year so understand how hard that is.

Keep the faith.

 

[W2R]

I am so sorry to hear about how bad this year has been for many of us! My sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones, including pets.

This year has been wonderful for me, like a dream come true. We all have bad years once in a while, though, so I'm sure mine will come.

What helps me at times like that, is to remember that I have always gotten through life tragedies, and that I will surely get through whatever has presented itself to me at the time. Just hang on.

 

[Dawg52]

Sorry for you losses Mountaintosea. I lost a brother to cancer 5 years ago and he was just 56. But nothing bad this year, actually been a pretty decent year. Hopefully 2011 will be a much better year for you and everyone else who had a poor year.

 

[Texas Proud]

Sorry to hear about your sister... I had an employee die from the same cancer... she lasted only 3 months or so...

I do feel sorry about your animals, but I also know that dying is a part of life and they lived a long time.... much longer than normal... so when this happens I just think of the great life that they had and the joy they brought... and I do not grieve for them...

 

[Alan]

Sorry to hear about your losses. This last 12 months we have lost all 3 of our surviving parents plus 3 of their siblings (our aunts and uncles).

This is only to be expected as we age although it is tough when many deaths happen so quickly.

We haven't yet faced the death of a sibling although my baby sister (39) had a bad year, with cervical cancer, ending up with a hysterectomy.

Other than that 2010 has been great, first year of ER and lots of enjoyable traveling.

 

[haha]

Very sorry to hear of your big losses Mountaintosea. I lost a 57 year old brother last year, and this year my 56 year old sister is really struggling so I am worried that she won't be around much longer either.

We can hope for less troubled years, and hang in there as you are doing.

Ha

 

[kyounge1956]

For me, 2010 has been mixed. I'm still on course to retire in a few years, which pleases me a lot. My work is a good fit for my skills and temperament, and my boss doesn't give me a hard time about my "de-facto flex schedule", but the budget shortfall and impending layoffs can make things tense around work these days. And I'm just tired. I still have both of the cats I started the year with, but (though you wouldn't know it to look at her) the older of the two is going on 15, and I can't expect that she will be around for many more years. My parents are both still with me, but my dad was in the hospital for several days last week, my younger brother is also facing serious health problems, and my brother-in-law's business has really been hit hard by the economic downturn.

I've had better years....but it could be a lot worse.

 

[Walt34]

This year was great until last Thursday. My half-brother-in-law passed away suddenly. Twenty-three years older than me, he's always been somewhere between a brother and a father, old enough to have "been there done that" and young enough to have credibility. He was a huge help during the teen years, not only for me but for my two sisters as well.

He was the first person who ever quoted me the line "Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?" He was married to the same lady for 61 years. One of those guys who if I had half the character, integrity and wit that he did I'd think I was doing pretty good.

He'd had a lot of heart issues during the past five years so this was not entirely unexpected but that doesn't make it hurt any less.

 

[Moscyn]

Mountainsea and others, very sorry to hear about all your losses. I hope the remaining months will be the better part of the year. I had a mixed year - not too sad and not too great. I had a major surgery for one of my eyes and doctor said that I have regained 90% of my vision. My dad (in his eighties) is diagnosed of leukeamia and is undergoing chemotheraphy. The first session had him in ICU but he did better in the second session. 4 more cycles to go. I certainly hope the rest of the year will be better. The good thing for this year is I RE.

 

[Ronstar]

My condolences to all that have lost loved ones. Our 2010 has been ok. No health scares for the immediate family. I finally found the perfect mix of hobbies, travel, and work to get me through ESR

 

[vicente solano]

There is still 2 and a half months left of 2010. Plenty of good and bad things can happen yet. I am truly sorry to hear abot all your human/pet losses. I´ll stop right here ´cause I am in a very gloomy mood.

 

[DangerMouse]

2010 has been as rough as 2009 has been. In the past 3 months we have lost 4 family/friends to the grim reaper. My two aunties who were in the 70s, well I can understand that better than I can the friend who died of kidney cancer at 45 and the cousin who died at 51 of stomach cancer. We currently have another family member on death watch, 39 and diagnosed with untreatable brain cancer after never having a day of sickness. Seems as if it will never stop.

However, these events have made us look at our lives. I have begun to cut off people who where leeches in our lives. I no longer have time for people who want to be victims and expect me to hold their hands for extended periods of times whilst they whinge but do nothing to change the situation. I refuse to waste my life on these people who suck the life out of you.

We had to move for the 11th time in 16 years when our last landlord sold the house we lived in. However, this has been the shining light of our year. Our new landlady is one of those special people who rarely enter your life. She is Greek and there is just something about her. We live in a 100+ year old cabin on a property in a town which feels like we are in the country. Comes with squirrels in the ceiling and deer pushing their noses against the windows. We love sitting on the deck in the morning having our coffee and observing nature at work.

The money side of it has not been a focus at all for us this year. When the grim reaper constantly comes knocking it does provide a distraction from worrying about $s but does force you to focus on what you really want.

 

[TooFrugal]

Sorry to hear about your sister and cat Mountainsea. Sorry to hear about your wife, Tiger.

We lost a family pet this year. Our pets have always been like members of the family so for us it was a very sad event.

 

[Retire2013]

I am sorry to hear about all your losses to all who have written about their loss(es) on this thread. I've lost two Aunts to whom I was very close to to cancer within the last 10 months. I buried my cat two years ago. My cat was affectionate, playful, and intelligent. Always sat on my lap and enjoyed being petted as I read or worked on my laptop. I still miss her. The loss of loved ones is painful. Please know that we are all here for one another.