Originally Posted by
EndGameNYC 
She acquired her professional status and achievements without the benefit of a complete liberal college education. Never studied banking or business. She taught herself to speak French, and studied philosophy on her own after having had a good experience with a philosophy professor...and with a little prodding from her brother. She's been to Paris several times, and has offered her expertise in setting up itineraries for people making their first trip.
Now that really sounds like my father. He did not have much formal education either, never went to college, etc. But taught college courses based on the expertise that he acquired completely on his own terms and in his own way. He also had some quite revolutionary contributions to his chosen and self-taught field during his 50's and 60's, including a unique collection of plants that one of the most significant botanic gardens will take over from him apparently soon this spring as he's no longer able to take care of them so much on his own. I think he likes that his life work and name will survive like that for the upcoming generations. Never went to the doctors and always hated everything about doctors and hospitals (when it was about him). Still does. He has a lot of issues now that I'm sure could be helped after some new examinations and with medical care. He says he won't go to the hospital because they would kill him. Would not give him his herbal teas that he knows and makes for himself, for example. And doctors are sloppy anyway. I am really the only person he trusts with just about anything at this point. Old age seems to be what has finally "broke him"... kind of. At least in ways that he acknowledges that now this is beyond his control and stuff he can figure out and influence. It really made him very scared, even paranoid at times, and also sometimes clingy in ways that I find difficult to handle. He has also brought up multiple times that maybe I could move back to our country, at least transiently, and live with him... and I did consider it multiple times over the past ~2-3 years. Again, not something I want to discuss right now in more detail, but we can later if you are interested, it's a very complex issue for me and I need some external help with it because I got lost in it in the end (just recently).
You guys do sound like some quite outstanding bunch of people, and also people who continuously strive to be that way. Very cool
I'm glad the surgery went well and hope that she can have some good rest.