Preparing To Move
So, we were homeowners in Republica Dominicana. The next step was to actually get there. After multiple years of struggles with work issues, financial issues, family health issues, in 2015 we got our first real glimpse of an opportunity to move to the Caribbean. After years of number crunching, it seemed that we would be able to afford living in Sosua full time since the cost of living is lower than Pennsylvania. Now it was a matter of working on preparations for a move.
Family and Health
Without boring you with the details, a number of family members faced a number of health issues at the end of 2015 and 2016 that prevented us from seriously preparing to move. But the serious nature of the health issues forced a decision to retire in April 2016 to better take care of these specific health issues. But as it turns out, that was also one concrete step in moving. Instead of draining our finances, which the health issues could have done, we were able to handle the health care costs without depleting our savings to a dangerous level. We would not have been able to care for our family and work simultaneously. And if not for the availability of reasonably priced healthcare under the Affordable Care Act, we couldn't have cared for loved ones without trading our mental health, our retirement savings, the health of the loved ones, or all of the above.
Cancer Exercise
Toward the end of 2016, with radiation treatments scheduled, I began an exercise routine of running. I had never liked or had the ability to run, even a a young person. Running bored me. After running a mile I would be out of breath and aching, even in high school. Ask me to play basketball and run non-stop for hours though, and I had no problems. Yeah, I know it's all in my head!
In the beginning, as I expected, I struggled to jog 1 mile. But after pushing myself through that barrier, I actually started to enjoy the runs and worked up to 4 miles at about 10 minutes per mile (a nice "old timer" pace for me). It astonished me! But it also made me feel good about going through the radiation treatments and still having that kind of energy.
Running In Review
My running routine lasted for 7 months, well after my radiation treatments were finished. But in March 2017, the runs became much more difficult. And this was after actually enjoying running in all forms of weather - hot sun on occasional days in the Fall, snow, sleet, rain, and cold typical of the Winter.
What I will miss, even in the warm confines of the Caribbean, is the fondness I developed over the months, of my running route through Owl's Nest Park, just a short walk from our Pennsylvania home. It was a bit difficult to navigate with a camera through the interesting weather, so unfortunately, I don't have any photos of those times to share.
