June 7, 2009
Health & Happiness: Don't Take it for Granted
What a weekend--sunny days and plans for being outside and celebrating with friends. And then, in the span of a phone call, utter speechlessness over the unfairness of life.
We're one week down and one to go with Chase's camp experience. It's been tough as hell to be away from him, to have no communication other than the written letter. I've sent him several; I've received two, amazingly. But not seeing him or even hearing his voice...now that's hard. It's been a smack of reality, what life would be like if we had no children. And I don't like it a bit. Even worse, since I know I do have a child and I know how he looks, his personality, his quirks and mannerisms, being completely without him now offers some tiny understanding of what it would be like to have and then lose a child. And that has always been what I consider the most horrific of all life experiences. Thank God, Thank God, Thank God that is not my situation. And then, in the midst of thanking my stars that my child is merely three hours away, safe and sound, my close friend Tracy has found out that her one year old niece is most likely dying.
Abigail had a basic childhood cold about nine months ago; it was persistent and, it turns out, not just a basic cold. She was diagnosed with leukemia. And not only that, but she had the far worse type, called AML. It's rare (two in 100,000 cases of leukemia are AML), it's aggressive and has a propensity to return, tough to beat. Her best chances were to receive chemotherapy and then ideally, a bone marrow transplant. Amazingly, her older sister was a perfect bone marrow match.
Months of hospital stays, ration after ration of horrible chemotherapy and the side-effects that go with it, constant fear that the disease would be stronger than the medications. She survived the chemo and a few months ago, Abigail had a bone marrow transplant, with her sister acting as her possible savior.
Everything looked good afterwards--we thanked the Lord, thanked our lucky stars, praised her older sister and believed we'd never take for granted again a healthy child.
Last Friday, a slight fever triggered the discovery of the worst: the leukemia has returned. Not even 100 days since her transplant, the doctors say this is very, very bad. There are only a couple options now, neither of which look good. They would be incredibly harsh and have such remote odds of success, they instead could actually be what ultimately steals her life. Tracy's sister and brother in law aren't sure it's worth putting their little girl through it. And if they don't, they're looking at weeks Abigail has left, a month or two, tops.
It's a tragedy beyond words, a situation that every parent places at the top of their most dreaded list. I remember a professor of mine in college talking about death. As we listened, he told us all that death was not the worse thing in the world. What, we wondered? How could it not be? "How about watching your child die? Isn't that worse that losing your own life?" Bingo, I agreed. That is indeed the worst thing life could hand you.
Do you have a child? Of any age? Hug him or her or call them if you're not nearby, be thankful because a happy, healthy life isn't a given. And there are people out there who would give anything to trade places with you. And after you hug your child, send a prayer up for little Abigail and her family.
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Meg, I'm not much of a Christian, but what ever Christian is in me, I'll be praying for Abigail. When you get a chance, you might share this video with them. It's a song called, Held by Natalie Grant.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOufqWodFNo
If you observe a really happy man you will find him building a boat, writing a symphony, educating his son, growing double dahlias in his garden. He will not be searching for happiness as if it were a collar button that has rolled under the radiator.I have liked your blog. I will come again to your site. Keep it up!
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ReplyDeleteInsurance, in all its varied forms, is simply a method for managing risk. In order to plan an effective insurance program, consider what risks you and your family are exposed to and how financial loss would affect you. For each risk exposure, the key elements to consider are the severity and frequency of loss.
All Risks are not Created Equal
Some risks may be so small that you decide to accept full responsibility for any potential loss. In insurance language, you “self-insure” for such risks. For example, it is rarely cost-effective to carry collision coverage on a ten-year-old automobile. Collision coverage generally pays actual cash value, and since a ten-year-old car may have little current fair market value (FMV), it is common to self-insure in such cases. In making this choice, you assume full responsibility for any accidental damage you may cause to the vehicle.
In other situations, the risk may be so large (or the cost of any potential loss so great) that the best strategy is to try to avoid the risk entirely. You practice risk avoidance in daily life when you say something is “not worth the risk.”
Sometimes, risk can be reduced. For example, installing an automobile anti-theft device or home security system is a strategy for reducing the risk of loss.
Risk Transfer and Risk Sharing
Buying insurance coverage is a method of transferring risk you cannot afford, or choose not to accept. Even in situations of risk transfer, it is common to share some risk. For example, the deductibles and premiums you pay for insurance are a form of risk sharing—you accept responsibility for a small portion of the risk, while transferring the larger portion of the risk to the insurer.
Between the ages of 25 to 35, for example, couples are just starting out—getting married, establishing families and careers. During these years, the death of one partner could seriously jeopardize the surviving spouse’s or family’s financial future. In such situations, life insurance can be used to help create an “instant estate.” A life insurance policy death benefit can be a source of funds to help provide a continuing source of income, pay off a mortgage,or save for a child’s education. Great term life insurance rates at termco.com
Additionally, many people give little thought to how they would handle financial responsibilities, such as mortgage payments, car payments, college tuition, and utility expenses, if their income suddenly stopped for an extended period of time due to an illness or disability. Disability income insurance can help fill the financial void that occurs when income stops, and proceeds can be used to keep up with ongoing expenses.
Furthermore, since you may be unable to afford to rebuild your home in the event of fire, for example, you may choose to transfer that risk to an insurer by purchasing a homeowners policy.
Taking a closer look at different types of risk that may occur can help you answer some important questions. What should I insure? What type of insurance do I need? How much coverage should I purchase? Remember, the fundamental rationale behind all forms of insurance is to determine what risks can be transferred on a cost-effective basis.