My title is understated. Life can and does surprise both good and bad. I had such a surprise I wanted to share for the possible insights it provides.
A recent biz car trip to Idaho took r/t 13.5 hours behind the wheel. It was a beautiful drive through the Great Basin Desert then Oregon for a bit into Idaho. The air was noticeably different and aromatic, maybe clover for bees. I enjoyed the entire trip which was a success on all counts.
I returned to home base as planned in the evening of Wed. and pooped from the drive hit bed a little early. My sleep was interrupted by a pain in my central to lower abdomen. It felt similar to constipation so I just stayed with it ,tried to sleep more, but it worsened. By daylight it had become pretty nasty and migrated to my lower right abdomen. I tried to induce a MB and succeeded but not anything to write home about. It did not change my pain level or location. I toughed it out hoping it would be abate on its own. It did not. At 11 a.m. I decided to go to Urgent care. On my way, the pain became unbearable so I changed plans and drove straight to my in network hospital ER.
With some surprise, my theme here, I was quickly diagnosed with a seriously inflamed appendix. 2 hours later it was out and I was recovering in my room sans appendix. That was quite a surprise with little time to assess it and as emergency suggests requiring fast action. The small incisions form the new methods are minor and compared to the old big scars left are a big advance. I was released and sent home within 24 hours which is amazing. As I type, I have pain but now from the surgery itself and I know it will heal.
All surprises bring the unexpected, but thankfully I have maintained good insurance and an ER visit turned into an admission and surgery gets treated fairly within my plan, so I am pleased about the plan I had in place. Financial surprise is one aspect, but change to life and lifestyle and mobility are always unwanted. I witnessed it in my mother and father and my Italian grandparents. 24 hours after, I am mobile, a little pain but still myself. I can't say I dodged a bullet, though that argument could be made, but as bad surprises go, this was not too bad at all.
My point is to walk through life knowing many things are under your control but not all. The best we can do is plan for unknowns of reasonably expected surprises. Contingency plans are not to be sour but being wise. Take my brief appendix episode as an opportunity to get ducks in a row with some emergency cash as insurance and good proactive actions to stay in decent shape and avoid problems that can be either prevented or lessened because you can sustain them.
Wishing no bad surprises, and many good ones.
Best,
Donn Marier
DM-Your Own CFO