Thursday, May 04, 2006

The Creep posted this comment:

How about instead of visiting debt free solutions you instead stop spending more than you make? It's a simple concept I call " Quit cryin don't spend more than you earn"

Well, Mr. Creep, sir, I know it's hard to read an entire blog when you're using Blogmad or Blogexplosion, and thank you for taking the time to read mine. I only read about 1/10th of the blogs I visit, and I appreciate that you found mine worthy of comment. And as simply and elegant as your solution is, it doesn't address my entire problem.

you see, Mr. Creep, on August 20, 2005, my plan was to be debt free by The end of August this year. I had already planned who and how much I would pay from each paycheck, and was excited that within months I could finally live my life as you do. Then a friend called and asked if I would like to play golf in the morning. "Sure," I answered, and met him at the course at 8:30 am Sunday morning.

At 9 am, I was in the back of an ambulance with a broken ankle. The gory details can be found here.

Had I had your advice at that point, Mr. Creep, I could have told the ambulance driver, "No, I don't have $500 for an ambulance ride. I can't go." At 10 am, I was in the emergency room, and I could have told the x-ray tech, "I don't have $120 for each x-ray. I'll pass." At 4 pm, whilst I lay in pre-op, I could have told the doctor, "I don't have $3000 to pay you for the surgery. Thanks anyway." And I could have told the nurses afterwards, "I can't afford the $2000 a night you guys charge at this particular bed and breakfast."

You see, Mr. Creep, I went from $12,000 in debts to $33,000 in debts in a couple of moments when I heard the sound of my leg bones breaking. Sometimes, sir, you do not have the choice about whether or not to spend money. I'll admit and confess that the first $12,000 was pissed away. But without insurance, I had no choice about spending the money to be treated.

So, Mr. Creep, now you have the whole story, and why I was so frustrated with my financial situation. Thanks again for your comment, but it just doesn't apply in this particular case.

2 Comments:

Blogger thordora said...

I'm so glad I live in Canada. The thought of a broken ankle costing that much scares the CRAP out of me.

And it's so nice when people make such absolute judgements about you so quickly, isn't it?

7:17 AM  
Blogger hiikeeba said...

aimenhoodle,
To quote Ruk, from Star Trek, "THAT is the equation!"

Actually, I have received some assistance from the hospital. However, it doesn't apply to my doctor's fees, the emergency room, nor the ambulance ride. I did get a reduction on my three nights in the hospital, and the use of their fine surgical facilities.

8:12 PM  

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