Well it has finally arrived!
By Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23979)
United Kingdom
March 31, 2019 7:10am CST
Friday was my last day at work. The week has been a whirlwind of mixed emotions and thoughts about whether I would be doing the right thing to finish work and retire especially as I have worked in our National Health Service for 41 years. I have never not worked from the age of 14 seeing my way through school and college etc.
Unfortunately four of my colleagues went down with the flu last week I had to send another one home on Wednesday and another on Friday which meant I was now covering four doctors plus my own caseload and trying to get all of my patients discharged and others care plans who were too ill to be discharged.
I said my good byes to my colleagues as I went on my ward rounds some had not heard I was going so it came as a shock to them. Some cried some just hugged me it was quite hard to say good bye.
I laughed at the beginning of the week I felt like a 20 year old but trust me by Friday I felt like an 80 year old.
So as one chapter closes a new one opens. Fortunately I am young enough to do the things I want to do and hopefully God willing I will still be around for a few years to see my grand kids grow up into decent human beings, to travel the world and to indulge myself for a bit.
So although there was no Brexit for the UK on Friday at least there was an Exit from the work force for me on Friday!
Retirement look out I am ready willing and able to take it on!
25 people like this
26 responses
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
@garymarsh6 And if you fancy going anywhere you can just do it - no-one to notify, no leave to arrange.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
@jaboUK Yes that will be great for starters!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
Cheers Janet. Although I think I feel a bit lost at the moment I do have some plans plus when my daughter goes back to work in October I guess we will be baby sitting too!
2 people like this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
31 Mar 19
Retired life is beautiful I can vouch for that. I gave up my job in my forties and did not regret doing that one bit. I started a business designing and executing landscaped gardens for a while but now I am a lady of leisure having all the time to spend the way I like to.
I wrote a poem on retirerment and have posted it here
If there are any seniors around this poem is for them Retirement Bliss Not Blues When retirement age draws near, There lurks an unknown fear, Of being a nobody……. Once a somebody!! How Faulty this thinking is, When life gets a fresh lease, To do what one r
3 people like this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
31 Mar 19
@garymarsh6 You are now on a different platform and so you will be in for happy surprises.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
I am pleased you have a wonderful retirement it sounds to me as if you are enjoying the way you spend your time.Thank you for sharing the poem. You speak many truths there. It is quite exciting in someways. They asked me if I would go back part time but I have been quite firm about saying no. Once I have made a decision I usually stick by it.I hope I don't live to regret it though! A new Challenge for me I guess.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
@allknowing Yes I am sure I am. When I got home Friday evening my daughter and her family all turned up late just as I was about to prepare dinner. I forgot dinner as they brought Champagne and a delicious cake with them. That made my day and I went to bed in a really happy frame of mind! Happy with my lot!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
Thank you. I hope it gives me a little more time to do the things I want to do!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502150)
• Italy
31 Mar 19
@garymarsh6 You will be surprised how busy you are when you do not work anymore. Enjoy your days, you deserved to retire.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
Yes Anna it seemed so far off then all of a sudden it has happened! It will be very strange not going to work. I am sure that we have enough things planned that will keep me out of mischief!
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54714)
• United States
31 Mar 19
I wish you a very happy retirement Gary 
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54714)
• United States
1 Apr 19
@garymarsh6 of course life is forever changed, but we are doing okay.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
@Tampa_girl7 I am pleased that you are holding it together. I know what it is like. It is something that you will never forget but be able to think of it in a more ordered way! You have my thoughts Marie.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
Thank you Marie. I hope you are holding up and your dad is ok?
1 person likes this
@thedevilinme (5217)
• Northampton, England
31 Mar 19
Well played sir! The NHS has been destroyed by the privateers
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
Thanks Phil. Yes it is a sad reflection there is now too much box ticking which I imagine some spotty little twit with a useless degree in the mating rituals of ants at the department of Health in Whitehall has decided is a good way of making sure we are towing the line. Haha I wonder how they would have coped doing the work of five last week.
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
@thedevilinme True.They play lips service to staff who make complaints about staffing levels........." We are here to support you" but I have seen how these monsters treat staff who do complain! It is criminal but they get away with it by saying you only had to ask for more staff when things go wrong!
@kareng (80243)
• United States
1 Apr 19
@garymarsh6 Oh I know! Traffic was bad for me with a 1.5 hour drive in and back home. Made for a long day! Have a good one today and enjoy the "no hassle" life!
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
Oh how nice. 2 years already. That is so nice to hear. Well I was still in work mode and woke up at 05:30 but what a lovely feeling not to have to fight the traffic this morning!
1 person likes this
@rebelann (117199)
• El Paso, Texas
1 Apr 19
You're going to have a lot of fun @garymarsh6 now you can plan trips whenever you want to go. For me the bonus was to be able to stay home for days on end to do things around here I never had time for before.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
@rebelann I am looking forward to it!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
I do hope so. The thought this morning of not having to drive into work was great!
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111937)
• United States
31 Mar 19
Happy Retirement Gary.A new beginning for you
This is the second phase of your life.Knowing you will be a busy sort there.
Enjoy your life and travel like you have been.
Mike and I want to wish you the best.
Alfredo and Mike.How many pints did you have there
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
Thank you Alfredo. It was champagne and I only had two glasses!
@amadeo (111937)
• United States
31 Mar 19
@garymarsh6 Good man there.Let the celebrate begin.any big retirement party there?
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
@amadeo No I just went out to a hotel for dinner with my colleagues one evening last week which was nice and refined.I wanted to go quietly to be honest and not be a bother to people.
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
Thank you Dianne. If I have half the fun you are having I will be very happy!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
Thank you Judy. Haha guess who still woke up at 05:30 this morning. It was a nice feeling not having to struggle with the traffic this morning.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381760)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Apr 19
@garymarsh6 My sister-in-law would let her alarm ring on her off-days simply for the pleasure of turning it off and going back to sleep. :)
@Shiva49 (28366)
• Singapore
31 Mar 19
I am sure you have planned out what to do in your retirement and may it prove fruitful and rewarding.
It is not easy for anyone to fill the time and find meaning.
My exit was slow and steady. I worked parttime during the last few years of my working life.
The main worry for most is whether they can live out their remaining years independently.
I think I have saved just enough to ride out my years in peace but health is more of a worry as the years take their toll
I am happy to have called it quits a couple of years ago as I wanted to ease into the final phase of my life - siva.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
Well done you. I had a few jitters last week thinking lordy I won't have a job for the first time in my life but I have already made lots of plans booked up seven trips so far the first of which is in two weeks time. Well I new chapter in my life is just starting so I shall see how that goes.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (28366)
• Singapore
1 Apr 19
@garymarsh6 That makes me recall a comment here - "am so busy after retirement that I do not know how I found the time to work"!
Best of luck, retirement is a different ball game altogether - siva
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
31 Mar 19
After 41 years, you deserve a relaxing retirement. Now get out there and do all the things you want to do. You have the time now.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
Thank you John. I still have some mixed feelings but I am sure it will be for the best! I wonder how I will feel in a month or two!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
@JohnRoberts Yes and how decadent is that! Well next week our niece is coming to spend a week with us so I am sure we will hit some of the Art Galleries and museums in London perhaps. I will leave them to get on with the shopping together!
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
31 Mar 19
@garymarsh6 Time to pursue hobbies and reading to your heart's content or what ever you wish.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
1 Apr 19
Have a marvelous time while you are still young and in good shape. It sounds like your colleagues tried to convince you to stay by dropping with ill health.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
Haha yes I guess they wanted to get some time off before I went. No they were really sick I thought I do not want to pick that up as I am about to finish. Thank you!
@snowy22315 (208746)
• United States
31 Mar 19
Happy Retirement to you! I guess maybe we will be seeing you a bit more on mylot.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
31 Mar 19
Yes I do hope so as there are so many lovely people here and funnily enough I think of them when I do not have the time to come on mylot. Thank you for your kind wishes!
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 19
Haha the trouble is I did love my job it was the five hour commute that was killing me. I still woke at 5:30 this morning but the feeling I do not have to sit in that blooming traffic jam into London was a very nice feeling! I hope your time comes soon!
1 person likes this
@porwest (112717)
• United States
6 Apr 19
@garymarsh6 Holy smokes. A five hour commute? Why didn't you just move closer? I sure would have. But yes, it cannot come soon enough and I am doing all I can to facilitate it's quicker arrival.
@garymarsh6 (23979)
• United Kingdom
11 Apr 19
Thank you I hope you will retire soon and enjoy your time too!
