Great inspiration, I plan on retiring at 50 following her strategy (except the farmland - probably buy some apartments instead since I don't' know anything about the former). The part about her husband dying suddenly is what made me switch into high gear for retirement. Surgery has already sucked away so much of my life, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to me or my wife with a young son and I wasted too much time chasing a career. Fortunately the "work till you die" mentality has changed drastically in my generation of surgeons (much to the chagrin of "back in my day" old-timers). Good for her in being a pioneer as both a female ENT and an early retiree!!