When it's time to stop.

[rruff]

Gotta remind myself often enough...

 

[Scobos42]

Housing is or should be a concern for everyone. Not just people currently living in sticks and bricks and not just those living on the street. And not just the affluent McMansion residents that hate the poor people trashing up the streets nearby and impacting home prices or wanting so much affordable housing that their own unaffordable (to many of us) home prices might drop somewhat. I recently read an article in The Atlantic about successful steps that Montana has taken that are already helping. But I think waiting for the government to act is a fool’s game. Some on this forum might ask, “helping what?” And I understand that sentiment.

Many of us are full-time nomads by choice. Or at least we claim to be. I DO like traveling! But as I approach 80 YO I begin to worry about what I will do when my traveling days are over. When My body just cannot take the strain such a life brings. Yes, I have a family I can fall back on. Not everyone is so lucky. And I hate to have to depend on that always being the case.

I think then I may discover I have a lot more in common with the homeless or those spending so much on housing that they are otherwise destitute. Whilst I can live semi-comfortably on my Social Security and modest savings in the RV life - if I mostly boondock and visit friends and family along the way. I know that will not be the case if I am forced to settle down and pay what passes for minimum rentals in most places I would not mind settling down.

This is why I have followed and commented on threads that strayed into discussions about homelessness and RV Park living. Or threads talking about semi-affordable land. I wonder if I am the only one on this forum looking for a better solution while I can still make some personal choices. Does anyone have any reasonably good ideas about where we could park our rigs or return to a S&B lifestyle at an affordable price when the time comes? And please don’t suggest Jackson MS again. I hope never to be that desperate!

I know many seem to like the desert SW, but I would prefer somewhere that is not about to go totally dry. And with rising temperatures, I would prefer not to be sitting in a mostly metal box in the desert sun. I have considered Mexico, but that seems to have its own set of issues. Are any other solutions out there I have not heard of yet? Or do I just hope I can last until Montana's housing solutions finally bear fruit?

This will be IT for me. All I have are the proceeds from sale of property and will have no other housing than that sitting under my fanny. I'll just make one of those Indigenous burial stilts to die on and be fresh meat for Mother Nature.

 

[bullfrog !]

Just lay on the roof of the van! Lol!!!

 

[RvNaut]

I anticipate that a point will come when I will say enough, and I will effect an exit. I live in the only home I have and I have no desie to sit in a hursing home and wait for death to come get me. It isn't like a slow death is in any way attractive to anyone but the stockholders of the American medical system.

*IF* I were in another country with socilaized medicine, I would live longer and be healthier, but seeing as keeping me healthy is a profit center, I can't afford a doctor or tests or whatever medications they cough up. American Medicine is here for the rich and those getting rich.

 

[Frood]

This will be IT for me. All I have are the proceeds from sale of property and will have no other housing than that sitting under my fanny. I'll just make one of those Indigenous burial stilts to die on and be fresh meat for Mother Nature.

I've always been fascinated about the Tibetan sky-burial...

 

[Scobos42]

I anticipate that a point will come when I will say enough, and I will effect an exit. I live in the only home I have and I have no desie to sit in a hursing home and wait for death to come get me. It isn't like a slow death is in any way attractive to anyone but the stockholders of the American medical system.

*IF* I were in another country with socilaized medicine, I would live longer and be healthier, but seeing as keeping me healthy is a profit center, I can't afford a doctor or tests or whatever medications they cough up. American Medicine is here for the rich and those getting rich.

It really IS sickening. In SOCIALISED countries they even offer a smooth way out option that is within the law for obvious suffering. Heck, They may even have it as an option without that stipulation. Not sure.

 

[Happy Camper]

It really IS sickening. In SOCIALISED countries they even offer a smooth way out option that is within the law for obvious suffering. Heck, They may even have it as an option without that stipulation. Not sure.

Just save enough money for a plane ticket to one of those socialized countries when you feel like going. Easy peezy.

 

[bullfrog !]

Problem with that thinking is seldom do people choose to die while they are still mobile or physically able. Your best option would seem to be to have it in writing you wish to seek treatment there and have a prearrangement maybe.

 

[Scobos42]

Just save enough money for a plane ticket to one of those socialized countries when you feel like going. Easy peezy.

Haven't heard THAT ONE before! You or your clan have been HELPED by 4 terms of socialistic assistance until 1980.

 

[Scobos42]

I've always been fascinated about the Tibetan sky-burial...

I'd die of high altitude going up there! Can't do it here. I guess Karen is afraid a buzzard will drop an eyeball on her windshield!

 

[Scobos42]

A good friend who's the best chiropractor I know went to Bronson Hosp in Kazoo one night about midnight & told them he was having a heart attack. They checked him out, said he wasn't & sent him home which he refused to do. The cardiologist came in at 6am examined him & did emergency surgery within the hour. IMHO the medical industry is like any other industry, all about profit & you're lucky to get 10% very good people & the rest are there for the paycheck. I usually draw the bottom of the barrel also. When I was young hospitals were non-profit, Docs were upper middle class, drove station wagons, made house calls & did it to help people.

Yes, I'm grateful too, but I had my issues. I was having trouble doing things that I normally did for work (somewhat strenuous for a mid-50s year-old) and went to the VA in XXXXX, and the PA took an x-ray and said it was emphysema and COPD and there wasn't much they could do until it was more debilitating for me. So I continued pushing it until I moved to another area and saw a pulmonologist. By that time I was going to bed then bolting upright trying to catch my breath and could only sleep semi-reclined in a recliner, but still working. (CATV/Internet/Phone hook-ups & maintenance - climbing a 24-foot extension ladder all the time, not to mention attics and crawl spaces). The pulmonologist saw my chest X-ray and said, "Anyone can see that you have an enlarged [with fluid around a failing] heart!" So he put me on water pills and an interim blood pressure medicine until I could get into Cardiology. Cardiology put in an ICD/Pacemaker for a failed heart (defibrillator) and the pacemaker for an arrhythmia. I started with my fifth one (they lasted 3,4, & 5 years and it is supposed to last 7 years. They don't put in new batteries, they put in the whole thing with any upgrades. I also had to have ALL 3 of my leads replaced (inside the blood vessels to the heart muscles). Then there were the 3 80% blockages in my cardiac artery (Widowmaker) requiring a double bypass & graft plus the abdominal aorta endograft surgery. It's been a REAL RIOT, but the VA took very good care of me, despite the actual horror stories that you hear about. I feel grateful AND lucky! Have to hit the road before it's too late!

 

[Happy Camper]

I was being facetious with the buying a ticket thing.

Just like anything else, experience and capability matters. Some doctors have more experience with certain symptoms and issues, and can connect the dots quicker. Others not so much. That's why residency is a thing.

And, just like everything else, you have some that are extremely talented and exceptional. And others on the other end of the spectrum. They all work in the same general field.
Doctors
Mechanics
Administrators
Etc.

Every worker is of course there to make a living. But not every worker is created equal. I've made it a goal and priority to only deal with above average doctors and specialists for my health. I've fired a few doctors that didn't meet those standards. That includes my primary doctor, twice. Today I have an extremely good group of doctors and specialists.

That goes for every service you receive. Just because it's what you have today doesn't mean you need to stick with it. You have more power than you think.

I agree with bullfrog. Make some sort of provisions for the best and worst case scenarios, so others don't have to guess after the fact. We only get to be independent while we're here. After that it's up to others to figure out during a hard time, unless we make it easier.

 

[quilting22]

I anticipate that a point will come when I will say enough, and I will effect an exit. I live in the only home I have and I have no desie to sit in a hursing home and wait for death to come get me. It isn't like a slow death is in any way attractive to anyone but the stockholders of the American medical system.

*IF* I were in another country with socilaized medicine, I would live longer and be healthier, but seeing as keeping me healthy is a profit center, I can't afford a doctor or tests or whatever medications they cough up. American Medicine is here for the rich and those getting rich.

Perhsps if you lived in another country, THEY would decide if you deserved to live or die. I'm 74yr, believe me l've thought abt this and l'm grateful that so far no one else gets to decide if l'm just "a useless eater."

 

[Happy Camper]

At least you're not a picky useless eater like myself.

 

[quilting22]

I've enjoyed all your comments on this site. Please continue posting. Hope to meet up with you some day.

 

[RonDean]

Perhsps if you lived in another country, THEY would decide if you deserved to live or die. I'm 74yr, believe me l've thought abt this and l'm grateful that so far no one else gets to decide if l'm just "a useless eater."

Good point, but...

Life expectancy in the United States is lower than in many countries and has been for an extended period... In 2016, the United States ranked 34th among all countries on life expectancy (World Health Organization [WHO], 2018a) and 40th on “healthy” life expectancy (i.e., years lived without disease or disability) (, 2018b).

I put this down to a combination of an unhealthy US lifestyle AND basing our quality of health care on the money in our pockets.

 

[Camper]

Is this thread supposed to be uplifting or depressing... I prefer a positive attitude.

 

[rbee]

This will be IT for me. All I have are the proceeds from sale of property and will have no other housing than that sitting under my fanny. I'll just make one of those Indigenous burial stilts to die on and be fresh meat for Mother Nature.

Hi friends
I have been reading this forum for a few years now and wonder if the nomads could jump start a solution to affordable housing for those considering transitioning to a less mobile life style.
Is pooling resources and developing cooperative living structures interesting and possibly one solution? I think about this a lot and it seems that cooperative living makes sense.

 

[Zerpersande]

Perhsps if you lived in another country, THEY would decide if you deserved to live or die. I'm 74yr, believe me l've thought abt this and l'm grateful that so far no one else gets to decide if l'm just "a useless eater."

I live in ’another country’ with socialized medicine. I went to the dentist the other day and paid the equivalent of $3.50 for a filling. A few years ago I stayed in the hospital forbover a month and had weekly heart cath procedures to put in 4 stents. In-patient with all services was about $1800. There’s a monthly cap of a bit less than that and I had straddled two months by a few days. Most people pay 30% of costs but you can see from the costs I just listed that the costs themselves are well controlled. 99% of the population is covered. Monthly costs are on a sliding scale. Nobody is refusedvtreatment. Ambulance service is like protection by the police and fire depts…free. And this 99% coverage includes dental. About a third of Americans have no dental insurance.

The only influence they have over when I live and die is if I need some new treatment that approval hasn’t been given for. Not sure of the transplant situation but they have seemed to be a couple of steps behind the US over the past 30 years of my stay here. I’ve never heard of anyone I know not being covered by anything.

What countries are you referencing with such policies as to who lives and dies? Perhaps you’re experiencing a knee-jerk reaction to the word ‘socialized medicine’ sounding like ‘socialism’?

 

[user 22017]

Good point, but...

Life expectancy in the United States is lower than in many countries and has been for an extended period... In 2016, the United States ranked 34th among all countries on life expectancy (World Health Organization [WHO], 2018a) and 40th on “healthy” life expectancy (i.e., years lived without disease or disability) (, 2018b).

I put this down to a combination of an unhealthy US lifestyle AND basing our quality of health care on the money in our pockets.

Break it down by income level Ron. Wealthy folks in the U.S. live much longer than those less wealthy.