This is one of those days when

you have to choose to be thankful.  I ain't feeling it; I'm going to try to practice it.

This is a recounting of my problems, so feel free to stop right here. Nobody likes to listen to other people's woes 'cause we want to talk about our own. If you want to share your woes with me, I'll listen. I may not have wisdom to impart, but I can be sympathetic, maybe empathetic even. 

But this is about my ills. Woke up this a.m. with back ache. IF you've had lower back problems, then you may be familiar with the soreness and inability to stand erect or walk correctly because you're trying to reduce the pain.

Yeah, there are pills for it and I've started that cure. Then in a little while I'm going to an oral surgeon to have some teeth cut out. Ain't it sad. Sorry, don't have a hanky on me. 

After the oral surgery, I expect to go home, take drugs, watch TV and zone out. THEN tomorrow I will visit an opthamologist since my eye doctor wants a second opinion on his opinion of my eyes. THEN Friday I go back to the dentist to be fitted for partial to replace bridge that fell out because it cannot be hung on broken teeth beneath it.

I think there's a chance I won't make it to Friday's yoga class. Haven't ruled it out completely since I really like it and benefit from it.

None of this is fun and some of it is discouraging, but I can remember a time in my youth and as younger adult when all of these issues would've been defined by their cost. Unless it was serious enough to invalidate you or interfere in essential functions, you didn't run to doctors and dentists. People had life insurance, at least enough to bury them, but few seemed to have health insurance.

I remember our family physician from my childhood; we had an installment plan/revolving charge account. You just kept paying on it. I have no idea his economic status, but I doubt he was wealthy with patients coming in and out and paying when they could. I do recall that he always saw us if we needed him and he even made house calls. Now that really is a thing of the past.

So as I whimper about my trials, I am aware that I've had it worse. It could be worse again, but today it's manageable.