I have a HUGE warning! Be ready to handle medical issues.
I ruptured a disc in 2013. It was massive and required emergency surgery. I struggled for a year and a half after that. I had alot of pressure to quit work and take care of myself, both from doctors and my family, but I refused to go down with the ship. I had over 500 hours of sick leave saved up as this was my first major health catastrophe. I used it and short term disability with FMLA wisely. I was very careful to fill out all paperwork and for about a year I worked 95% from home. My boss at the time was VERY accommodating but I was also diligent at doing my job (I was only cleared to be in the office one 4 hour stretch per week). Altogether, It took countless injections, extensive use of gabapentin, minimal opiate use(I hated them), and 3 surgeries, the last being major (Spinal Fusion). I researched SSDI and accessing my 401k etc. in the event I would end up unable to work, and in the end I made it through.
Of all the crazy things, right before I was scheduled for fusion, DH was diagnosed with possible lung cancer and THAT was almost too much for me to handle. That took 2 surgeries for him in quick succession (the first failed to produce a diagnosis) all while my back was at its worse. I had to drive for 4 weeks, because he was on strict orders not to drive. I was just incapable of driving. We both maxed out our out of pocket medical for that year (2014) and that is the first time we've both had to deal with major medical bills ever. Just getting through all of our appointments during that time was daunting. Our family does not live close, so it was up to us to get it all worked out.
Amazingly we survived it all. DH has been diagnosed with a disease that is not friendly at all, BUT its not cancer. My fused spine is finally happy and we did not lose any progress toward RE. We were very far along on our FI journey in fact. We'd already accumulated enough passive income that by Feb of 2015 we officially called ourselves FI. But I chose to work as much for the stability and to sort of make up for the 2 years I wasn't able to be 100% at my job. I had a blast working all last year, saving more pennies to position us for me to exit the workplace in 2017(if not sooner).
On a side note about physical trauma: I am very, very glad that our brains are wired to forget traumatic pain. Burning sciatica pain day in and day out while my ruptured disc material pushed on my nerve reset my understanding of pain. Now I cannot even remember that feeling and I hope never to feel it again.
So back to cautionary tales. DH and I were both 45 when this all went down. We still diligently walk, do aerobics, lift weights, etc. all with the intention to get back to a high level of fitness like we once had but reality is we are getting old and slowing down. But we still keep on keeping on. So just be ready, stay calm and keep focused on the prize when scary medical stuff happens. You can and will get through it, if I could do it anyone can.
DH was already retired btw, he retired at 43. I am now in my final year of working my day job and because of both health scares we've changed our RE plans completely and plan to slow travel while we are young and capable because who knows when that ability will be taken away. We've had to reverse the order of things in life because of the strong desire to travel and see sights NOW. Originally we planned for me to work until minimum retirement age. MMM was helpful in showing us all of the great options to retire even earlier!
Because of this new game plan, I am doing some educational things that will set me up to earn some side gig money after we are done traveling. These particular certifications I can use anywhere at anytime. DH will continue to manage our rental properties and I will of course assist, but I am going to be prepared to earn my own discretionary income to pay for my hobbies if needed.
I hope this "tale" is helpful to folks!
