Hang in there brother. Played guitar way back when. Was really a "banger" (chords and rhythyms) more than anything. While in Iraq in 2004 I took it back up again playing with the young guys. Now that I'm retired, like you, I've taken it back up, but more seriously into leads and scales. Somthing I've always wanted to learn. At 65 y/o it's a slow process, but, as you say, it's theraputic.