One quart of homemade chicken stock, and one of beef stock, to go into fridge for another day.
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One quart of homemade chicken stock, and one of beef stock, to go into fridge for another day.
I think I’m ready to talk about what’s been going on in my life, and I need to do this if I’m going to continue any meaningful dialogue here. I’ll try to give you the short version! DH was diagnosed with renal cancer on 1/4. MD said it was due to smoking and that the most important thing we could do for his long-term well being was to STOP. His left kidney was removed on 1/19. He is doing very well and the surgeon feels that he is cured, although they will monitor him closely. Surgeon said cancer was early stage and low grade. So we have been smoke-free since 1/8/12. I haven’t really talked about it here, but I’ve been a veritable chimney for the past 38 years, so quitting is a pretty big deal. I’m sorry it cost us a kidney in terms of getting our wake-up call, but I’m hoping we can look back on this someday and say that it saved our lives. DH went “cold turkey” and I’m using Nicorette gum.
So on to frugality! After mentally processing the diagnosis on 1/4, my thoughts immediately turned to the impact this would have on our budget. We are fortunate to have a good health insurance plan through my employer, and we have an annual out-of-pocket maximum of $1500. per person. I quickly realized that we spend over $1600. on cigarettes in the course of 5 months, so covering our medical expenses would not be an issue. Since his testing began in December, we’re looking at about $2000. in out of pocket costs, because we have to cover the 2011 deductible and some out of pocket as well.
Our food costs have been a little higher lately because DH is the cook and I’m a rookie at grocery shopping, etc. Under the circumstances, I think we’ve exercised a lot of restraint. My Mom also bought us dinner a few times and has insisted on paying for my Nicorette and some other misc expenses, so that was a huge help as well. DH seems ready to resume the cooking and shopping now, so we should get back to normal with these costs.
So ultimately, not smoking will be the biggest and most important frugal imaginable for us, and of course, the monetary savings are almost the least of it in terms of benefits.
OMG Rosa what a shock! Glad to hear he's feeling better and that you took the plunge together as a team to quit smoking....I hope that pays you back in health 2,0000 fold. My mom quit smoking because she broke a rib (so she DID inhale) doctors told me 10 years later that that extended her life and the quality of her life even though she had COPD. Hugs to you both.
rosarugosa
Thank goodness for at least it being early stage and low grade....I am glad they will be following up and you need to be aware of any new sypmtoms...there are really good sites to
make yourselves knowledgable about this fairly uncommon cancer.
Under the circumstances you have exercised a lot of restraint. I will keep you both in my thoughts..
Stella, if I remember correctly, you live in Minnesota, right? My brother and SIL live in Minnesota, and you guys do have the coolest people in the world living there. The first time I visited with my mother and my four kids, one of my brother's friends offered to host a party for us!!! And the most amazing thing was, she had just gone through a bad divorce, had an hour each way commute to her new job in Minneapolis, had two young kids and was completely overwhelmed--and she STILL opened her home to us! I never forgot that. And that's just typical of all of the friends of his I've met.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stella
If my kids didn't live here in the NE, I'd consider moving to MN.
(((rosa))) best wishes to you both! tobacco can be a nasty master. On the frugal front we had to buy a new freezer, but we checked around and I'm satisfied that we got the best deal we could. A used freezer was not considered this time, since we can't move one in, and the old one out, ourselves now. This not-doing-it-yourself is hard for me to accept, and makes me feel very insecure, and poor! DH likes not having to do things, but not that he CAN'T do things if he chooses. The trials and tribulations of life in general, lol. Other than that, it's pretty much the same old, same old.
Rosarugosa. You and you husband are in my thoughts and prayers. I was a smoker for 25 (plus) years, and quit about 3 years ago. If you need additional support or someone to talk to, I'm always here. I never tried the patch, just cold-turkey. Several failed attempts. Torture...
Rosarugosa
I forgot to add; first it is great if you both can and are quitting...
But, my understanding is that they do not know all the causes of renal cancer...my DH had never smoked in his enitre life and neither had I so he
had not lived with it in his home in his last 47 years....
They are looking at smoking, drinking, chemicals, processed meats (seem to be really looking at that one and DH would have lived on them).
Thanks for the good thoughts, folks.
Danna, My mom was just telling me something about a link between bacon and pancreatic cancer. Of course, people have been eating bacon forever and many of them lived to a ripe old age, so who knows. We don't eat all that much bacon. I know of three other people who have had a kidney removed for renal cancer, and two never smoked, so it looks like a 50/50 split in my immediate radius. Well, we know the butts weren't doing us any good, and they sure are expensive, so quitting has to be a win either way - we both feel better already and it's only been a month. And I think it was good for us psychologically - in the course of this ordeal it was something positive we could do that was within our direct control.
On the frugal front, I'm about to dissect a rotisserie chicken to have for dinner with a salad I am making, and will prepare some extra for lunch tomorrow. On the not so frugal front, we've gotta start limiting our trips to Trader Joe's, but what a fun place!
((((Rosa))))) What awful news! You and your DH are in my prayers!
Catherine, yes I am in MN and I love it here. I grew up here, so I am probably a bit biased, but I have found a lot more sense of community here than in other places I've lived. What an amazing experience with your brother's friend!
I was needing some grown-up time this weekend and Zach was very kind about accomodating me. Friday night I went to my friend's house and we went to the chapel at our church that is open 24/7 and had some quiet prayer and meditation time. It was fabulous. I love my active life, but once in a while it is so nice to have a place to sit and just be still. It set exactly the right tone for the weekend.
Yesterday the girls had their girls' club at church. We played games and sang songs and they decorated Valentine's Day cookies. It was good girl time for them. They really look forward to that each month.
When we got home a different friend of mine came over we went out for lunch, just the two of us. We went to an ethnic restaurant and each got their signature appetizer and I got a cup of tea. Totally worth the $6. Both of us were nice and full and we had a nice time talking.
I helped her organize and declutter her kitchen, which was fun for me and I know was helpful to her. That and teaching her how to plan meals was my Christmas present to her. Her Christmas present to me is free babysitting.
Zach watched her kid, who has fallen way behind in school and had a ton of work to catch up on. His dad isn't around and he responds much better to male authority figures. She has been having some discipline problems with him lately, but he respects Zach, so Zach was able to keep him on task. He sat at our dining room table for almost 12 hours doing homework breaking only to go to the bathroom and eat. When we got back I helped him with some literature class homework and my friend taught my girls how to knit on one of those round knitting looms. Cheyenne is making a hat for her teddy bear and Bella is making a hat for James. I think this kind of unofficial bartering saves us all a lot of money.