These old bones and water conservation
June 8, 2010
…if you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything…
The Princess Bride
It’s a sad fact of life that sometimes you make choices and compromises heretofore unthought of in pursuit of better health. Some of them aren’t a big deal: it’s just that you have to exercise in the mornings, instead of evenings lest you lie restless all night, or you have to mind this one stretch or that other warm-up because it makes your elbow go wonky.
Sometimes it’s a very big deal.
Sometimes, you choose between eating dinner or taking a hot bath because you’re in too much pain to eat and properly rest. You forgo a dream career path because it’s too highly physical for 4-6 years of professional schooling before you can choose to specialize in an area that’s less physically demanding. (You wouldn’t last a week.)
You’ll become limited to adopting small dogs because in an emergency, you wouldn’t be able to carry the bigger dog to the vet or away from harm’s way. You probably wouldn’t believe the number of people who call, frantic, about their sick dog they can’t carry to the vet’s and there’s nothing a vet can do over the phone for you. It’s a very real concern.
There are all kinds of compromises that are made when your good health can no longer be taken for granted, when the good days are so rare as to be cherished, defined as “only a few parts of me really hurt right now.”
Danielle knows what I’m talking about. Abby knows what I’m talking about. Nicole talked about the costs of health maintenance. Many others deal with health issues, minor to life-threatening. Many of them have noted that a significant part of the choices you make when a firm, fit and ready-to-go body isn’t what you see in the mirror, involves money.
What you spend your money on is highly influenced by your state of mind which is heavily informed by the state of your body.
These days, I haven’t eked out the time to find a new doctor, so I’m spending time and money (and feeling guilty to boot) in a nearly perpetual-drought state on hot baths in order to keep functioning. Next week, it’ll be therapeutic massages to keep me mobile, and maybe alternative medicine. Who knows what ten years down the road might bring?
All the more reason to become as financially stable as possible while I can make hay. You know, while the sun shines and all that.
I look forward to living pain-free someday but hope for the best and plan for the worst, guys. I’ll keep on saving and investing until I can do no more.
If nothing else, there are days where I can walk a straight line and I stop, breathe and think, I’m so grateful that I am walking without searing pain right this moment. I know it can and will change, but right here, right now, I’m grateful.
Take care of your health, friends, as best you can with what you’ve got.
Are you talking about fibromyalgia? I know a few women who suffer from this.
A thought: rather than choosing a stressful, high-paying field so you can “make hay while the sun shines,” you could consider a lower stress job–less hay, less stress, more years. In the end, the amount of “hay” may be about the same.
Yeah, I wasn’t too sure what’s going on. Revanche, do you have a condition that causes you to be in perpetual pain or are you just sitting poorly in your chair at work?
Being healthy (both physically and mentally) is so important but is sometimes overlooked. I’m glad and thankful that I have good health and do my best to maintain it. Hope you feel better soon.
Hugs. Feel better. I have definitely been there.
Money cannot buy health, though it can buy medicine.
Make sure you take care of yourself both mentally and physically. If you’re drained mentally, it might be hard to relax and let your body get well physically.
Hope you feel better soon.
I sympathize. I console myself that I probably won’t be fat and out of shape in my 40s, since failing to do my stretches and exercises for two days in a row reminds me why I always have to make time for them now. Also, my astonishing tolerance for pain medication may come in handy in some James-Bond-like kidnap situation 🙂
Hope you feel better soon. Do keep us posted if any alternative medicine regimes help you with the pain management side of things.
Hugs and kisses and glitter and rainbows.
This really makes me realize that I take my health for granted. You can do everything right, and still end up with a painful condition.
Big hug!
Revanche, you probably already know about “social buying,” but I’m going to give you this URL anyway:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Commentary/ByAuthor/Donna-Freedman.aspx
Massages/spa credits are very common on social buying networks. I’ve paid as little as $35 for an hour’s worth, which is incredibly cheap by Seattle standards.
Some social-buy deals allow you to buy more than one certificate. This might help you defray the costs for a month or two’s worth of being rubbed the right way for a change.
Health is paramount. I know this because I’m Abby’s mom, and because I’ve had a few health-related issues of my own. Take care of the physical plant or you won’t be much good for anything.
I hope you feel better soon. And if it’s not possible to be “better” (e.g., fibro) then I hope you have many more good days than painful ones.
Gosh, I am sorry you are in so much pain. You sure made me appreciate the health I have.
I hope things improve for you!
@FS: Fibro, yes, among other things. The depressing thing is that I’m not in a high paying field. I’m making ok money in a high stress field because I enjoy the work I do, but finding a different line to make decent money is certainly on the table. I’m just trying to make up ground for now because I can’t make a transition yet.
Unfortunately less stress doesn’t equal less pain either, as I had several severe episodes during my perma-cation.
@Investing Newbie: They’re actually medical conditions. Being at a desk doesn’t always help.
@Jersey Mom: Thanks. Keep taking good care of yourself! I feel like it’s important overall but so much more when you have kids.
@Danielle: *hugs*
@aspiringminimalist: You’re too right, there. I’m working on it! 🙂
@The Lost Goat: Hah! I always wanted to build a high alcohol tolerance so I could be a spy. You know, when I was five and thought that’s where Bond got his powers.
Off to try more yoga stretches …
@DogfoodProvider: Thanks darlin!
@L.A.Daze: Thanks! I miss your blog because it reminded me of being healthy and fit. 🙂
@Donna: You’re right about stocking up on the social buy discounts. I made the mistake of only picking up one when it was offered recently. I’ll have to get a few more the next time something like it comes around.
And thank you for the well wishes.
@Everyday Tips: Thanks, don’t take your good health for granted!