What are you worth?

    Because this a personal finance blog and financial bloggers read it, you may think I'm talking about net worth.

    I am not.

    I went to lunch with two girlfriends this afternoon. One had her thumb mummified. When we asked her what happened, she told us she had an accident with a broken glass mug in her apartment. The glass sliced deep into her thumb. But she had started a new job and her health insurance wouldn't kick in for another two months.
    She wrapped it up and hoped it would be fine in the morning.
    It wasn't. It was still bleeding, so she finally went to the ER. The docs were ticked off that she didn't come in immediately. They even told her that the chances of infection following stitching are greater when you wait to get the stitches. They debated about whether to sew her up.
    She's okay, but what if her thumb was worse? Was it worth delaying a trip to the ER because of the cost?

    I have a persistent pain in my back. I think it's from an old kickboxing injury (yeah, your girl is tough!). And I type for a living. I'm tall and most desks and chairs don't accomodate the extra height. I just contort my body to fit at my workstation.
    Last week the pain got so intense I couldn't turn my head. At 5 in the morning, my fiance insisted we go to the ER. I didn't want to go. First of all, it wasn't a life threatening thing. The docs would give me a painkiller and send me on my way.
    But the bigger thought in my head was, "Do you know how much that will cost!? I'll just lie here in agony, thank you."
    This morning, I got fed up and finally went to see a pain and posture specialist. Driving to see this doctor, I kept thinking about the money in my health savings account plan and wondered if I was about to empty it just ONE WEEK after it took affect. I still had the ER visit to pay for. What if I have to pay out of pocket for the physical therapy the doctor prescribed? What if the prescription pain killer is expensive? How is that going to affect my budget?
    I'm trying to get married! I'm trying to have a life outside my apartment! I'm trying to eat more than rice and beans! I'm trying to PAY DOWN DEBT, not add more!

    Why are we so willing to gamble with our bodies, but not our money?
    I'm smart. I clip coupons, wait for clothing sales, shop for banks with high rates, use credit cards with low APRs and buy generic at the grocery store. But when it comes to my own body, I'm an idiot.
    I recently joined a gym because I knew that my back was much better when I exercised regularly. Not only that, but my energy was higher and I just felt better. My blood pressure also seems to be creeping on the high side all of a sudden... I say it's because I haven't been physically active at all, but I have given myself more to stress about.
    Still, all I could think while I filled out the application was, "Damn. That's $39 a month."
    Is $39 too much too pay to feel better, be healthier and rid myself of pain?

    My grandmother hates that I skimp on health care. I seek free health screenings, but won't make a doctor's appointment. Depending on what a doctor advises, I may or may not fill the prescription I'm given. Drugs don't help me anyway. She said, "What good is your money if you ain't here to enjoy it?"
    Of course, she's right. I can't enjoy my wedding if a stabbing pain in my back is making it excrutiating to stand in front of a minister. I'd hate the nice house I'd like to buy if I was confined to it. If my friend lost her thumb, I'm sure she wouldn't be thinking about how high her ER bills were.

    I'm curious to hear your thoughts. What are you willing to spend on your own life? When do you think it's worth sacrificing the health care? How much would you pay to be totally rid of your ailments? Or would you rather keep the money and find a way to live with it? That's what I was doing, but it seems so silly now...

    DH

   

Comments

[mapgirl]

This post cuts to the bone. I am spending out the wazoo because I didn't do more dental care in the past. I was too scared of the dentist. I was too poor to go when I didn't have insurance. I decided to spend my money on other things and I have totally paid the price for it this year and NEXT year too.

Take care of yourself. When they say that you only have your health, they mean it and it's quite true. You can take away all the material things a person has, but if you have your health and good attitude, you'll survive.

[Single Ma]

Gosh, you hit it on the nail with this. There are so many things with my health I've been putting off. "Oh it's not THAT bad," or "I'll make an appt next week (and conveniently forget)," or "I hate the GYN, it's been a year already? One more month won't hurt."

I've used 'em all. Why do we gamble our lives? Good question! Nothing is worth my life but I compromise it with procrastination and have no acceptable excuse. To make matters worse, my procrastination has nothing to do with money, it's fear, denial and pure laziness.

Ugh! I hate being honest with myself. DH, you have struck a nerve and just kicked me into gear. I'm making calls on Monday...promise!

[L. Britt]

Great post, DH!

A long time ago, after I graduated with a BA in Theatre, I made a conscious decision that having direct deposit and health insurance gave me more peace than possibly acting, so I gave up on the idea of "making it," and started a great career working with artists.

For a long time, I questioned my decision, wondered if I sold out. But now, at 32, I've decided that my choice to search for a more stable career that provides things like health insurance is just as valid. As black women, we have SO MANY health risks. We are at the top of the disease food chain...we just can't mess around. I bet you the woman just diagnosed with breast cancer or HIV or heart disease isn't thinking about any savings account.

[3 things about money]

You hit the nail on the head. I am still paying for all the stupid dental decisions I made 25 years ago. Cavities went to root canals, bad gums, etc. I'm overdue for a mammogram. Eating ramen is one thing to scrimp, scrimping on health is another. Thanks for the wake-up call. I'll make the appointment on Monday.

[lpkitten]

thats why i love thailand. you don't even need health insurance and medical care is still super cheap. they should really figure out a way to make health care more affordable in the states.