Retirement and Lung Disease - The New Journey

Retirement is a wonderful achievement.  Of course, people in ministry "never" retire, but I am retiring from the itinerant ministry.  I’ve worked hard and had a lot of amazing experiences, so I figured I’ve earned my golden egg. But retirement is itself a new journey, and mine has begun with splendid send-offs, as well as a rather anticlimactic downsizing, and enough medical challenges to last more than one retirement. Let me explain.

The ramp-up to my July 1 retirement began with a full house at Sage Granada Park UMC’s Hawaiian themed lunch on May 20, with tributes from just about everyone including the Language School Taiko drummers and Mission area friends.  Even the District Superintendent was there.  What a joy! I was so grateful for the outpouring of love. I also had my last chapel with the Nursery School kids, and they gave me a wonderful tribute.  In June, I attended the Conference Celebration of Ministry dinner and then Chin Cheak’s retirement dinner.  The celebrations were capped off by a Scout dinner on June 30 to “roast” the seniors, but they also gave me a standing ovation.  For good reason, I declined to give an encore.  I had been appointed to SGPUMC for seven wonderful years.  I had hoped to stay another year or so, but that is now impossible due to my medical condition. 

My healthcare moved to center stage this past year.  I have been under treatment by Kaiser since February 2020 for Interstitial Lung Disease/Pulmonary Fibrosis. That is a restrictive disease in which scarring around the lining and alveola of the lungs decreases both flexibility and oxygen flow. I experience both shortness of breath (dyspnea) and decreased blood oxygen (hypoxemia), so I need supplemental oxygen.  Since November 2022, the disease had progressed enough to be under evaluation by UCLA Medical Center for a lung transplant. Once I have met the criteria established by the United Network for Organ Sharing, I can be placed on the lung transplant waiting list.  Essentially, I need to be a good risk, physically, socially and in every other way, for this precious gift. I entered the program in 2022 as a good candidate, but my lungs weren’t sick enough at the time. Several events have since exacerbated the process, a gastric bleed in May 2022 leading to acute anemia, a pulmonary embolism in March 2023, following a hiatal hernia repair, and subsequent weight loss. I lost over 30 pounds in four months. I am now told that my lung condition is such that I could be listed, but that the weight loss is a problem.  I am exploring several possible causes with the medical team, but the condition is essentially gastroparesis – the stomach is slow in emptying, so I quickly feel full and even nauseous if I eat very much. I take medications to stimulate the stomach and eat 5-6 smaller meals each day.  The main point is to put weight on a keep it on. It doesn’t help the breathing apparatus if I’m a walking skeleton.  Many are praying for me also. And I need and feel those blessings.  So keep raising me to the light of God’s love. My wife also needs prayer and support as she has graduated from lecturer and pastor to becoming my primary caregiver. 

We had intended to move to Fresno upon retirement.  We have a lovely, spacious 4-bedroom house near CSU Fresno.  Living there would give me close access to the roads leading either to Yosemite or Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Parks.  I considered those areas part of my back yard when growing up in Dinuba.  Most of my closer family members live in the vicinity.  But we decided to put that move on hold in order to maintain continuity with the southern California health networks during this crucial time.  So we opted to rent a much smaller single story condo not far from where we have lived for the last seven years. We had a bunch of Scout families, church members, friends and my son, Walter, here to help make the move. Downsizing will take such adjustments.  

So this is the dynamic beginning of my retired life. It’s a new and unexpected journey. I may have to climb some more magic beanstalks and evade more giants, but I’m still getting that golden egg.  I would hesitate to call this a hero’s journey, but it will require some heroism to get through these medical challenges.  Stay tuned for the ongoing saga. Thanks for your prayers and expressions of concern.