Gaining Perspective on Life and Life Insurance from Family Emergencies

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Gaining Perspective from Family Emergencies

When September comes to mind, most people think about the start of fall or football season, but did you know that September is also National Life Insurance Month?  When I think of life insurance, I can’t help but recall events in my life, where I was truly worried about a loved one and also stressed over our plans for the future.

It is because of these events that I’ve recently done some recently on life insurance from Protective Life.  They have an a great article about the importance of life insurance.    I learned that 3 out of 10 American households do not have life insurance, putting their financial future at risk.  It also posed some great questions:  If something happened to you, could your family afford to pay household bills and existing debts?  Could your spouse afford to retire in the future?  Could your kids afford future education costs?  The unexpected can happen at any time, and life insurance can really put your mind at ease, knowing that your loved ones are taken care of.

Jerri and Dad for Blog

The earliest event that comes to mind is my dad’s heart attack.  This happened ten years ago while I was still in college and living at home.  Before my dad had his heart attack we believed he was in good health, and we had no indications or reasons to think that would change any time soon, so when we learned he needed a quadruple bypass and a valve replacement, we were shocked!

I was really beside myself with worry because I had never gone through something like that with a family member before.  At the time, I pretty much counted on my dad for everything.  I couldn’t imagine life without him.  And yet, the whole situation forced me to think and wonder what I would do if something happened to my dad.  (What’s our financial situation? Where would I live?)

These situations truly change your perspective on a lot of things, and I think it’s easy for anyone to get overwhelmed no matter how old you are or how prepared you are.

Thoughts on Life Insurance

These same thoughts, fears, and anxieties came to my mind earlier this year.  My husband was very sick.  It actually started last fall.  He was very lethargic and often weak or dizzy.  He also had virtually no appetite, and he had a variety of pains in his back, stomach, chest, and legs.  Because the symptoms would often come and go, and because he is a stubborn man, I couldn’t convince him to go to the doctor.

Finally in March, he broke down and went to the emergency room.  From there, he was admitted to the ICU, where they treated him for pancreatitis, low blood sodium, and dehydration.  He spent two days being heavily monitored and medicated.  I was very worried for him, and yet I was relieved that he was finally getting treatment.  Needless to say, I was thrilled when they had him stabilized and moved him in to a regular hospital room.

Later on in his hospital stay, he also underwent an upper GI, after which he was diagnosed with gastritis, and polyps were found, which turned out to be benign. (Thank God!)  The medications were clearly helping him to sort out his other illnesses and his complete blood count was quickly normalizing, but my husband was still experiencing a lot of foot and leg pain, so much so that he could not walk.  This is when we learned that some of his symptoms indicated that he had neuropathy, which we later confirmed with our family doctor.

Thoughts on Life Insurance

After being in the hospital for a week, my husband was finally sent home.  For a few months, he continued to take medications and supplements to help his body finish the healing process, and he to had use a walker.  He still has to deal with the pains and challenges of neuropathy and will more than likely take medication for that for the rest of his life, but I’m just relieved that he is okay, and he’s able to go out and enjoy life with me.

I’ve known my husband for ten years.  Quite honestly, I can barely remember a time when I wasn’t in love with him.  He means the world to me, and I am so thankful for every day that I have with him!

Thoughts on Life Insurance

Have you ever had any life changing events like this that made you think about life insurance?  Do you have a plan to safeguard for your family’s future?

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