Write what you know, right? Thus my most recent post at Get Rich Slowly was called “Prepare to get sick.”
In it I explained how I stay relatively ready year-round for illness or injury, from having basic foods and OTC meds on hand to figuring out a way to telecommute in case of a longish period of immobility. Specifically, I noted that one reason I could have surgery on really short notice was that I already had most of my ducks in a row.
I also got to work in a reference to the exchanging of body fluids. This pained one reader, who left a comment asking if this were truly necessary. My reply: “Yes.” After all, it was Valentine’s Day when I got sick.
The 161 comments dissolve at one point into a furious back-and-forth about universal health care. But they’re worth a quick read-through anyway, since some of the others are helpful. It’s a smart bunch over there at GRS.
Speaking of illness…
Quick aside: I had my follow-up visit to the surgeon today. He looked at the four incisisions, poked and prodded my abdomen, and said that I am “healing beautifully.”
When I asked why four incisions were made, he drew a little sketch of a gall bladder and the things they did to it with several different implements. Eeewww. Did I really need to know that they take hold of the organ and shake it back and forth?
Or that the laparascope went in through my navel? Eeewww. But I did enjoy his explanation of the view from inside.
“You know in ‘Pinocchio’ when the little puppet and his father are inside the whale’s belly? You have this space, and you can see the ribs and everything? That’s what it looks like through the laparascope,” he said.
“Only without the boat,” I pointed out.
Oh, and the pathologist reports that the gall bladder was full of stones, not cancer. No sign of a boat, either.
Just let it go
I turned out a piece for the Savings.com blog recently, too. It’s aimed squarely at people who came to frugality late in the game and spend way too much lamenting their formerly spendthrifty ways.
Yes, it’s true you probably shouldn’t have spent $20k on designer shoes or baseball cards. Yes, it would be great if you’d invested that money or if you could get it back.
But you did, you didn’t and you can’t. Far better to leave the past in the past and spend your time and energy sharpening your new, frugal focus.
Or, as I sensitively suggest, “Stop beating yourself up and move on.”
Meanwhile, at my day job…
Having lots of fun over at Frugal Cool, the daily MSN Money frugality blog. Here are a few of my recent favorites:
“Stupid frugality tricks” – Some ideas save money (maybe) but waste your time and might even decrease your quality of life. Pick your battles.
“How to get free life insurance” – The MassMutual insurance company has a special policy for the working poor, i.e., parents or guardians ages 19 to 42 who earn between $10k and $40k and are in good health. If something happens to the insured, his or her kids get $50,000 for school. Do pass along this link to anyone you know who might meet the criteria.
“Marked-down meat is a frugal treat” – Let’s hear it for the “used meat” bin.
“Ubercheap eye exams and glasses” – There’s no need to overpay for eye care. Or, maybe, to pay at all.
“Be good to the future you” – A new study indicates that people shown elderly visages (including their own, thanks to age-progression software) choose to put more in long-term savings. I include a link so that you can try this yourself, at home. Let me know if it changes your thought patterns at all.
“Does your kid need the new iPad?” – I bet you can guess what my answer was, and why.
Six degrees of separation?
Finally, I was interviewed by Erin Huffstetler of About.com Frugal Living for her continuing series of money-themed Q&As. Previous interviewees include Stephanie Nelson (aka “The Coupon Mom”), Chicago Tribune business writer Greg Karp, and Money Crashers Personal Finance contributor David Bakke.
If you’d like to read what she asked and how I answered, check out “An interview with Donna Freedman.” Note: I did the interview the day after the surgery, so if I sound goofier than usual just chalk it up to the pain meds.
Incidentally, the PF blogosphere is a very small world. I’ve interviewed Stephanie Nelson several times and hung out with her at a conference; I’ve had cocktail hour with Greg Karp and the two founders of Money Crashers at the same conference; and last fall I shared a hotel room with Erin Huffstetler at yet another conference.
I supposed you could consider that six degrees of separation. But being frugalists, we’d probably try to get it down to four and a half.
Good to hear that you’re “healing beautifully”, and very good to hear that there wasn’t any cancer in your gall bladder. I’ll have to look into what you wrote about cheap glasses; I broke my glasses two years ago and can’t afford to replace them. I prefer to wear contacts most of the time, but it would still be nice to have a pair of glasses when I want to read in bed.
One thing that keeps me from spending that much money on designer shoes (not that I have $20k lying around anyway) is that I’m usually too intimidated to go into the designer stores. Those salespeople dress way better than I do. The few times I did venture into those stores, they took one look at me and didn’t even acknowledge me; I guess they could tell from my designer-label-free clothes that I couldn’t afford to buy anything.
@Neurotic Workaholic: There are some programs that will pay for your glasses if you meet income levels. I don’t know if grad students are eligible, or if the local chapters of those programs are already full-up. But if you already have a prescription and all you want is a basic pair of specs, you might be able to get away for less than $10, especially if you order through a cash-back site (as noted in the article).
I hope that works out for you.
So, how did I miss you had surgery? When I was ill, pooping and throwing up for 50 hours, I had a sonogram of gall bladder. It still hurts. It hurts all the time for years.
I have read none of the links, but I had marked down meat tonight. My portion (1/4) of the “roast” was 42 cents and it was steak, not roast, just cooked like a roast. I only eat marked down beef, not chicken. All my vegetables were free–potatoes, carrots, onions, and tomatoes.
@Practical Parsimony: I had my gall bladder removed on March 1. It’s an outpatient procedure these days, for which I was supremely grateful. Why stay in the hospital if you don’t have to?
I’m sorry you’ve been ill, and hope you are improved.
“you did, you didn’t and you can’t.” For some reason I love this line. Appropriate for so many things.
Glad you are on the mend Donna, even if a child puppet and his gang havent taken up residence in your innards. After your adventures about town to get the computer fixed, I was concerned. Its wonderful to have so many venues for Donna Freedman. 😉
@Dogs or Dollars: And we still need to reschedule that Panera date before I head to Phoenix to see my daughter…E-mail me.
Donna-your writing cracks me up. I wanted to tell you years ago my daughter had her GB out at the age of 8 (gallstones). When she heard stones “she swore she did not swallow any stones.” But the funny part was that she really wanted to know what was going on so her surgeon took pictures throughout the surgery and even saved the stones for her. After she felt a little better he went through the whole procedure with her, showing the pictures, referencing the incisions, etc. Believe it or not….some things even went for show-n-tell to explain to her class at the time. The kids loved it!
@D: Wow — 8 years old? I didn’t realize they could form that early. Glad her surgeon had a decent bedside manner.
Thanks for reading, and for leaving a comment.
Thanks for the links to where you have been. With my last bout of computer illness, I lost all my favorites. (And you are one.)
Glad you are healing well! My surgeon told me my gall bladder was a “sack of gravel” and if I wanted to see it the lab would keep it for 30 days. I could take it home if I wanted. I was tempted just to show it to my grandson.
Wow the comments over at GRS were a whole boatload of crazy! Sheesh.
Did your surgeon save the stones?? At least you’d be getting SOMETHING constructive out of it. (I’d bet there’s even a market for them on Ebay.)
Glad you’re feeling better.
@Cindy Brick: I didn’t ask. No doubt the pathologist has tossed them by now. I’m not sure I’d want to see them, although it would be a good “eeewww!” moment with my great-nephews.
Congrats on being boat free! Wait I missed the damned point again, didn’t I?
@SonyaAnn: Well, yeah, but that’s why we love you.
I mentioned marked down meat in casual conversation the other day and was immediately met with a whole lot of “Ewww” comments. At least I’m not competing with them for it, I suppose!
Glad you’re feeling better– my fiance’s hip surgery was outpatient and I was stunned by that too!
Hi Donna,just started reading your blog…today that is,love your take on finances.Love your sense of humor and the fact that ,like me your only human.All the best for 2011..oh what’s in Alaska?