I'm retiring due to health reasons. AMA

[BigRedChief]

I have short term memory loss. The doctors can’t seem to find the root cause. This isn’t some forgetfulness, it’s serious. They tell me I have about 10 years before I will lose all short-term memory. I will retain all long-term memories. So that post you make about me in 2006 is still going to be up there in my noggin.

I have previously shared this diagnosis with the mods. I asked them to keep this information confined to the mod lounge. Which they did and I appreciated their consideration. They encouraged me to share this information with the rest of the Planet. It’s time to come clean.

I also have CLL (Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia). Its only put me in the hospital once and it usually does not kill people these days.

Would not be a BRC post without bragging so…. Last 10 years of my career, I architected, designed, and implemented the first cloud at Bank of America, the largest private cloud in the world for the military and for IBM, the world’s largest serverless IT infrastructure services provider with thousands of enterprise customers, thousands of applications in more than 60 countries.

You cannot do that kind of work without a functioning short-term memory, so I have no choice but to retire.

I’m 65. I’m being forced to retire a little early but only losing a couple of years anyway. I’ll have a comfortable retirement alongside my wife of 34 years.

AMA

[Marcellus]

Sorry to hear about your health issues BRC, enjoy retirement as best you can.

The good news is you can make some really shitty decisions now and won't remember!

[dirk digler]

Sorry to hear that BRC and I hope they can find the root cause. Retirement is also good thing and you earned it.

[seclark]

Congratulations on your retirement brc, and I’m so sorry about your health.
I know it’s a bitch to work all your life and get so close to retirement and then get sick.
Keep on keeping on. We have to play the hands we’re dealt.
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[Wisconsin_Chief]

Sounds like you accomplished more in your last 10 years than most people do in a lifetime. The human brain is a weird thing, clearly you have a very powerful one, but it's starting to short circuit. So strange, wish we could understand it all better.

I'm sure you'll still find plenty of ways to enjoy retirement. Congrats, it was clearly well earned!

[Dunerdr]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

No, the wife's back in the day.

Lucky man! Best of luck in retirement!

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Call Elon and ask for the neurolink dept.

[neech]

Congrats on retirement, I'm sorry you have these health issues to deal with.

Prayers that your life will be the best it can be in your retirement years.

[Mephistopheles Janx]

Did you consider going the Memento route with the tattoos?



---

Joke aside, holy **** dude I'm sorry. Losing memories is a terrifying thought for me.

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Yeah, I've traveled all over the world. My wife hasn't been anywhere outside this hemisphere. We are going to fix that.

Sorry to hear about the health problems, hopefully they won't keep you from enjoying your retirement.

One suggestion I have, after reading your posts for over 20 years, I'd be sure and provide a face-saving way for your wife to back out of traveling all over the world WITH YOU. It might make your marriage last a bit longer.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Otter

I actually do have a question, you mentioned you've had some high level IT jobs for the government that would require some background checks (I'd imagine) and you've had a couple mishaps in your youth.

How did you get past the litmus test on those?

Oh yeah, everyone thought I'd be dead or in jail by 25.

I had a TS/SCI clearance for about 15 years. Worked for Homeland Security when it was first getting off the ground. CENTCOM, SOCOM, some other places I can't disclose for 75 years and the federal government.

They definitely were all up in my history and business. FBI goes out to your neighbors, my wife's work and ask questions like does he use drugs, fool around on his wife, hang with mafia etc. without telling them its a background check. Freaked out everyone. They know my media accounts. They knew I posted on here as BRC.

They know people have checkered pasts. They go all the way back to birth but focus on the last 10 years or so. You have to come clean with warts and all. They care but they don't really. What they care about is are you embarrassed about something. Keeping a secret? Cause then you can be compromised. Lot of people have affairs, they need to know if caught, will you come clean? I've taken probably a dozen lie detector tests.

I think that's why I shared more stuff than most people on here because the government already knew everything about me.

[Whosurdaddy]

My dad is in his 70s and has CLL, it appears to be managable.

[Otter]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Oh yeah, everyone thought I'd be dead or in jail by 25.

I had a TS/SCI clearance for about 15 years. Worked for Homeland Security when it was first getting off the ground. CENTCOM, SOCOM, some other places I can't disclose for 75 years and the federal government.

They definitely were all up in my history and business. FBI goes out to your neighbors, my wife's work and ask questions like does he use drugs, fool around on his wife, hang with mafia etc. without telling them its a background check. Freaked out everyone. They know my media accounts. They knew I posted on here as BRC.

They know people have checkered pasts. They go all the way back to birth but focus on the last 10 years or so. You have to come clean with warts and all. They care but they don't really. What they care about is are you embarrassed about something. Keeping a secret? Cause then you can be compromised. Lot of people have affairs, they need to know if caught, will you come clean? I've taken probably a dozen lie detector tests.

I think that's why I shared more stuff than most people on here because the government already knew everything about me.

That's pretty amazing. I did some IT work for the supreme court post 9/11 and the only thing on my record was an underage drinking citation from when I was 17 (10 years later) and I had to explain that about 5 times if front of as many people. I was waiting for an orifice check under a HD camera.


Well done, sir. Maybe you being in Florida you and Hog can hook up for some salt water feeshin' and a couple cold ones.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin_Chief

Sounds like you accomplished more in your last 10 years than most people do in a lifetime. The human brain is a weird thing, clearly you have a very powerful one, but it's starting to short circuit. So strange, wish we could understand it all better.

I'm sure you'll still find plenty of ways to enjoy retirement. Congrats, it was clearly well earned!

I grew up dirt poor in Springfield Missouri. I quit school the day I turned 16. Only have a GED. That's it. I do have 96 college credits but never bothered with getting a degree.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin_Chief

Sounds like you accomplished more in your last 10 years than most people do in a lifetime. The human brain is a weird thing, clearly you have a very powerful one, but it's starting to short circuit. So strange, wish we could understand it all better.

I'm sure you'll still find plenty of ways to enjoy retirement. Congrats, it was clearly well earned!

I grew up dirt poor in Springfield Missouri. I quit school the day I turned 16. Only have a GED. That's it. I do have 96 college credits but never bothered with getting a degree.

[Graystoke]

Sorry to hear this BRC. Enjoy retirement and hopefully the final prognosis turns out positive.

[duncan_idaho]

BRC, congrats on the retirement and enjoy your break!

I am sorry to hear about your other diagnoses. That's a tough hand to be dealt. Hang in there!