Surgery, Fender Benders, and Dead Batteries

Life.  Ain't it funny at times?

I'm tellin ya, if you don't have a solid sense of humor, life can be really hard.

So, this past Saturday, I'm home by myself.  The hubby is visiting family in Alabama with 2 of the kids... my 18 year old daughter is working then off to a friends house...the oldest, well, he's married and has his own home.

 

Anyway...  I'm working and enjoying the WA forum most of the day.  I've been working on a new online/offline business project so I was enjoying the quiet time so I could focus.

Watched University of Alabama play football on TV (Roll Tide!) - then my hubby and I talked on the phone and did the ol' long distance high five over the phone to celebrate the win.

All was fine...

Until...

About 1am my time here in Atlanta, my phone rings... it's my hubby.  Odd for him to still be up when he's off with his kids so I answered the phone saying,

"hey baby, what are YOU still doing up?"

His answer....

"Uhhhh... we have a situation.  I'm on the way to the emergency room.  My stomach hurts so bad I can't stand it"

OMG!  The emergency room!?!?  I don't know about you other women, but my hubby does NOT volunteer to go to the ER.

Long story short, he wanted me to wait until he knew more.  That "know more" came in the wee hours of the morning.

It was his appendix.  It needed to come out.  Now.

So naturally, I am ready to go.  I grab the keys, get in our "other" car (he had "my" car with him)....  I turn the key and...

Dead battery.

Put car battery on the charger for awhile... still nothing.  Still dead.

Panic sets in.

Oh, but wait.... we have our old hunting truck.  It ain't sexy, but it runs...and that is all that I am interested in at the moment.

So in the wee hours of the morning, I cranked that loud old hunting truck up (I just KNOW the neighbors were loving me for doing that) - and I'm off to Alabama.

I get there right as they are about to take him into the OR....all went well... and then we're settled into a hospital room.

Fast forward a few hours.... my phone rings.

I hear my 18 year-old daughters voice -  she's crying.

"Mama - now don't panic... I'm ok"

PUH-LEASE!  What is the FIRST thing a mom will do when hearing those words?

PANIC!

Turns out my "baby" girl had her first fender bender.  Someone hit her from behind...nothing she could do and all that she could do, she did right.

No one was hurt, thank goodness...but oh my at her poor little car.

The police came, accident report filed...the whole thing.   All was handled in my absence....and slowly my blood pressure came down.

But not for long.

Later that night in the hospital, what does my hubby decide to do?

Spike a fever!

Naturally, having a fever after surgery is not a good thing - especially when they just removed an infected appendix from his body.

Blood pressure BACK up.

Long night, but all is well.  Late Monday night, the DR came in and released him.  I put that sweet husband of mine in the car, gave him some pain pills, and drove him back home to Atlanta.

Just a side note:  Men, you are not the best passengers in the world.  In fact, my hubby likes to tell me how to drive ALLLL the time.  Makes me crazy to the point that if we go somewhere, he drives.  My decision and not up for debate.

Now, I learned that giving the hubby pain pills and THEN putting him in the passenger seat makes for a MUCH more enjoyable trip....lol!

So wives... take note  =)

The past few days have been a blur.  My husband is doing very, very well.  He is determined to get better because we are due to play in a golf tournament in Mississippi weekend after next.

I am about to go to the police department to get a copy of the accident report (small town....things take a little longer here...lol) - and then I'll start that battle with the other car owners insurance company.

Meanwhile, all my work stuff is one big cluster of stuff that needs my attention. It will be slow moving get things back on track, but I'll get there.

So, what does all this have to do with making money online?

Well, nothing...and everything.

Like anyone else, the only thing I was concerned about thru all of the above was the well-being of those that I love.

I have to admit tho, that there was a time when the thought of hospital bills and wrecked cars woulda set me over the edge simply because I didn't have the money to take care of it.

When you're worried about someone you love, the last thing you need is the stress over money to add to it.

But also, other things hit me throughout this whole ordeal.

1.  When I wanted to go be with my hubby, I left.  No boss to call, no taking sick leave or personal time...no pay being docked by my absence.

2.  While I was gone, I didn't think about work at all - BUT, money was still coming in.

3.  When we go back home, no boss to call to beg for time off to take care of my hubby.  The only person in charge of how I wanted to handle this family situation was ME.

 

And there are some other things that for me, are very significant. 

For one, needing to leave for a 2.5 hour drive meant the need for gas money.  There was a time, not so long ago, when I very well may not have had access to the money to buy that gas.  Sad, but true.

Then add in that I needed to pay $100 to the hospital for something (still not sure - some insurance co-pay or something), then I had to pay for his prescriptions...and then, yup, gas money to get back home.

I know that for many of you it may be hard to believe that those small amounts could present such a challenge - maybe some of you can relate - but that was my reality not so many years ago.

Last night, as I was falling asleep counting my blessings and being VERY thankful that my husband is ok, it hit me...

What If I Never Took That Chance on Internet Marketing and on MYSELF 2.5 years ago?

The events of the past few days have been emotional stress..and they've been physical stress for my hubby, but none of it has been FINANCIAL stress.

And for someone who knows first hand how financial stress can be the last straw in so many situations, this was a huge realization for me.

Money is NOT everything...and to me, it is not the "why" anyone should be focusing on...but money does provide options and peace of mind in life.

It gave me the option to simply worry about and take care of those I love so dearly.

Priceless.