H just shared with me the sad news that a colleague of his (a very nice man who delivered my S13) just had surgery today which revealed positive lymph nodes in his neck from a newly diagnosed malignant melanoma. This colleague just retired a month ago.
I'm very sad for this man. I am also worried about H, since this seems to be setting off his MLC/depression/fear of death and dying spiral.
(Remember the story about H and his "melanoma" - which turned out to be tree sap - while I was gone to London just before the bomb? I've always thought that was the last straw that pushed H into OW's arms - he was worried about dying from melanoma and figured he'd better "carpe diem". When I came home and "cured" him with Simple Green, he seemed oddly put out with me. Now I realize I had just taken away one of his justifications for starting the flirtation with oW.)
Anyway, both of H's parents have had malignant melanomas removed (quite early, thankfully) so H is at higher risk for a melanoma. And has just had a too-busy month of work, from which he is feeling pretty burnt out. And, the birthday he just had was his 45th - one of those round-number birthdays that seem to bother people more. So, the panicky part of him is now shouting "retire now, before it's too late!".
UGH. I just don't know how to help him with this. I know it's irrational. I try not to be too practical, and let him have his fantasies, but of course it's just his burn-out/depression speaking. And if I thought he'd be happy living a life of poverty on our current savings, I would do it - heck, I'd probably enjoy it - but I know HE would hate it.
Okay - so I have GOT to get him to take his vitamins and fish oil, and lean a little harder on him to moderate his schedule (he just says yes to too many things) - and I guess I'd better take my own advice and buy him one of those artificial dawn alarm clocks (I bought him a special lamp but he doesn't use it.)
