Never Too Late To FullTime

[Tioga_George]

In 1995 when I reached my 57th year, I wanted to buy an RV sooooo bad! I believed then, that buying an RV was not something that my budget could afford. So all I did about that yearning, was to subscribe to Motor Home Magazine.

CANCER
In 2001 I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgekins Lymphoma, cancer of the lymph glands. I figured that I was a dead man. However, I lucked onto a terrific oncologist, and he saved my life.

I received chemo-therapy. After six months of that, radiology. By July, 2002, my doctors just let me recover. No treatment from now on.

On February 25, 2003, my oncologist doctor informed that I was "in remission".

[COLOR=]AN RV ENTERS MY LIFE
I left his office and drove directly to Manteca Trailer in the Town of Manteca, California. I got a 1991 Fleetwood Tioga, 27 feet long.

After cancer, I did not even consider if I could afford the Tioga. I figured then, that I could do anything that I set my mind to do!

TI0GA AND I GET MESSED UP
Fast forward to 2014. My TiogaRV and I got into a terrible accident. Tioga was destroyed. I had serous heart problems. After that, I lived in a senior apartment for two years. No thought of RVing again even entered my mind.

FATE STEPS INTO MY DESTINY
Making a long-story short, I now own two RVs. A 29 foot Apex Coachmen Trailer. And a Scamp 13 foot Trailer. The Apex is my Home Base. The
Scamp [Scampy] is my camping trailer.

Tomorrow I shall reach my 79th birthday. I believed that I was too old to ever RV again. But here I am fulltiming again.

I am posting this topic to you from Mission Beach in San Diego. Scampy is here with me. We are Day Camped here. Close to the water.

[DustyR]

Good story!!
I have spent the last five years in the RGV of Texas. Many of the people there are still active well into their eighties. The Line Dance Coach at the resort I served at was in her early nineties. I truly believe as has been stated in the responses here, you are only as old as you want to be, some day life will caught up to our aging bodies and the recliner will be or best friend.

Until then I chose to live as if my life is just starting and the world awaits me.

Go George.

[Targa]

Wonderful story!!

[jackquontee]

2freelife wrote:
When my husband was 69 he decided he just wanted to sit in a house/in a recliner. We were fulltiming, but that was the end of that. Now it's 4 years later. He barely gets out of his recliner. Doesn't go for walks. He has no zest for life at all. I'm finally seeing the reality that he has chosen not to live, & expects me to do the same. I am making plans to leave to fulltime on my own very soon. I won't have as much money on my own, but I will be living again. I'm only 65. I am very active, love to hike, bike ride, & want to be a part of the living. I'm leaving July 1....hooray

Very inspiring. I have often thought that I'd retire at 65, 67 at most, and wondered whether or not that would be too old to beginning full-timing. I was hoping not because, if I don't, it will always be one of those things I didn't do that I'd regret.

[Owinsmom]

Blessing to you.

[Nutinelse2do]

2freelife wrote:
When my husband was 69 he decided he just wanted to sit in a house/in a recliner. We were fulltiming, but that was the end of that. Now it's 4 years later. He barely gets out of his recliner. Doesn't go for walks. He has no zest for life at all. I'm finally seeing the reality that he has chosen not to live, & expects me to do the same. I am making plans to leave to fulltime on my own very soon. I won't have as much money on my own, but I will be living again. I'm only 65. I am very active, love to hike, bike ride, & want to be a part of the living. I'm leaving July 1....hooray

You go girl! Enjoy, smile, have a blast, and live every moment!

Great to have you back George. You are inspirational. Love these stories!

[BarbaraOK]

2freelife,

Good for you. Embrace living and build memories. BTW, has your husband been evaluated for depression ? Or medication induced depression. Quite common at our age when seeing more than one physician.

I find that nagging works with Dave when he gets in a funk. He'll walk with me just to shut me up, and then feels better afterwards, often lengthening the walk as he starts to feel a little better.

[2freelife]

When my husband was 69 he decided he just wanted to sit in a house/in a recliner. We were fulltiming, but that was the end of that. Now it's 4 years later. He barely gets out of his recliner. Doesn't go for walks. He has no zest for life at all. I'm finally seeing the reality that he has chosen not to live, & expects me to do the same. I am making plans to leave to fulltime on my own very soon. I won't have as much money on my own, but I will be living again. I'm only 65. I am very active, love to hike, bike ride, & want to be a part of the living. I'm leaving July 1....hooray

[carl2591]

great story.. what is the car / mini suv you are pulling the scampy with? looks like a honda of some sort..

[McIntraveler]

Thanks for posting your story - it inspires me.

[ventrman]

Good for you! That's the Spirit! Many happy Trails to you!

[jackquontee]

Your story gives me hope.

[ORbiker]

Tioga George wrote:
Thank you ALL sooooo much for all the good posts for me to read!

In the early years of my RVing, I posted on RV.NET a lot. I wanted to be of service to RVers. And I did that by helping Rvers here.

As the years rolled on, RVers got sophisticated. I was not able any longer to find posters here that I was able to help. And as a result, I gradually drifted away from RV.NET.

When by some kind of mysterious set of happenings, I found my way back to Fulltiming, I felt the pull of RV.Net moving me back here again!

I am so very delighted to be here with you all again! Your welcomes have overwhelmed me. 🙂

Tioga George

.

Thank you George for all your wise words over the years. I have been here since Joined: 02/17/2005.
My wife and I will be going fulltime in a couple more years.

[Geocritter]

Hi George,
After my dear wife passed away from cancer in 2011 I was at a loss. I had to do something to fill my life and about 4 years ago I began contemplating full-time RVing. I stumbled across your blog and read your adventures. I've been RVing for the last 3.5 years in a well-worn 1994 Class A Holiday Rambler as well one very long side trip to Alaska and Western Canada in my 2005 Caravan. So far my travels have taken me over 23,000 miles. Reading about your adventures definitely helped get me started.

Thanks George!

Steve

[DianneOK]

Hi George, welcome back 🙂