Whatever it Takes

Recently my friend, Lauren, lamented to me that her husband's hours were cut back yet again at the printing plant at which he works. Another of several cut backs for them within the past two years which left them living on yo-yo income.

Shortly after that, Beth, a stay at home mother of one, who lives in Bonner Springs, Kansas, developed excruciating pain down her right arm. The pain left her writhing on the floor and crying one night. The next morning after a sleepless night for her and her husband, they made an emergency appointment with her chiropractor. The chiropractor examined all of the numerous x-rays then told Beth and her husband that Beth developed a compressed disc in her neck; that she was going to have to make regular weekly visits for adjustments if she didn't want to experience the pain.

The news sent Beth into a downward spiral of grief. They have insurance through her husband's work but the deductible is $500 and even then the insurance company pays only twenty percent of the cost of the visit. What was even more upsetting was being behind in their house payments due to the cut back in hours occurring several times over the past two years. Beth felt hopeless and helpless.

I assured her we'd find money for them somewhere. We'd sell collectibles she had inherited through Ebay. I would help her post a garage sale notice on Craigslist which I did but we haven't yet posted her collectibles on Ebay. She had made up her mind that she would take a job waitressing at a family owned restaurant not far from her house in the small town. As well, she managed to get two free visits from the chiropractor when she informed the doctor there was no way she could afford the weekly visits.

Beth made over one hundred dollars from the garage sale and the waitressing job is providing a bit of cash through the tips she makes. She has used her two free chiropractic visits and is nearly pain free. She seems more calm and in control these days despite the phone calls and letters from the mortgage lender.

The two of us agree that sometimes we have to do whatever it takes.