Layout:
Home > "Hidden costs" of illness

"Hidden costs" of illness

February 27th, 2008 at 02:18 pm

So forget that I haven't seen my Dr. since coming down with the flu. I know what he'll say so there's no reason to go spend money to hear it. And I won't take antibiotics for an infection that *might* develop as a result of the virus. It's still expensive, this bug.

I couldn't cook for four days so DH bought several meals. He also bought me a few meals, which all tasted like the same mushy cardboard, by the way. The cost? About $65.

We pillaged and plundered local cold/flu sections of stores twice to the tune of about $25.

I couldn't do laundry but needed it done by this morning so I could go to work if I felt up to it so we dropped it at the washateria last night and paid them to do it for us. I've done that one other time in my adult life, also when I was ill. The cost for that was (gasp!) $24.36! Outrageous! But it's nice to have it done.

But wait, there's more! Either a weird lower back ache is part of the bug or I pulled muscles coughing and if that doesn't right itself soon I'll see the chiropractor next door. That will cost $35.

So, my getting ill cost us about $115 and might cost more. Now DH has it. He's running about two days behind me in this and today is feeling very, very poorly. I'm going to work, though, and I hope I make it through the day. If I do and am not totally exhausted when I get off, I'll make him a nice dinner of something healthy...and frugal!

9 Responses to “"Hidden costs" of illness”

  1. luxlivingfrugalis Says:
    1204124517

    Been there - doing that! My wallet says OUCHHHHHHHHHHH!

  2. Aleta Says:
    1204128022

    Please be careful in not letting these illnesses go on for too long. On the news yesterday, they talked about flu's turning into pneumonia. I know because it happened to me a couple of years ago. If you're not better by 7 days, go to the doctor. Sometimes you lose more money by sitting it out rather than getting to a doctor and not to mention everyone else that gets infected. Take care of yourself. That is very nice of your husband to help out.

  3. scfr Says:
    1204133040

    Awww, Denise ... I hope the both of you feel better soon!

    I'm so glad for you that you have some savings so that you can absorb the extra expenses. I know you're not happy about the extra spending, but there are times when it just makes sense to do it, and this is one of those times.

    Ooh ... and I almost forgot to add ... I'm super glad that you guys aren't smoking now! I'm no doctor, but I'd think the odds of it developing in to something like the pneumonia that Aleta mentioned, would be higher if you were smoking.

  4. cptacek Says:
    1204148286

    Um, why can't your husband cook and do laundry while you are sick?

  5. disneysteve Says:
    1204155010

    cptacek beat me to it. Your healthy husband (until now) should have taken over cooking and laundry while you were too sick to do it.

    Hope you are both better soon. Being on the doctor end of things, I've seen how bad this year's flu epidemic is.

  6. DeniseNTexas Says:
    1204155184

    Aleta, we're being careful and taking it easy. If I don't feel much much better by Friday, I'll see my dr. I did manage to work 5 hours today, though, and that's a good thing.

    Cptackek and Steve, he did cook until he got sick, too. And the laundry was done when I first got sick and didn't need to be done again until Tuesday but by then we were both too sick to do it.

    Normally, the other half does cook, clean, and do laundry if I get sick but this time it sideswiped him and hit him hard. Frown

  7. luxlivingfrugalis Says:
    1204302943

    Are you guys on the mend????

  8. carol Says:
    1204420286

    hi Denise hope you are on the mend now,and your poor hubby gets better real soon,the flu makes you feel so ill and i know you just can,t do a thing its revolting,i wish i could send you some of my chicken soup, it works wonders,take care both of you.

  9. Aleta Says:
    1204654235

    We haven't heard from you and sure help that all of you are up and around. I just found out that my little granddaughter has been sick again. This is definitely a bad flu season. Take care of yourself.

Leave a Reply

(Note: If you were logged in, we could automatically fill in these fields for you.)
*
Will not be published.
   

* Please spell out the number 4.  [ Why? ]

vB Code: You can use these tags: [b] [i] [u] [url] [email]