“Health is like money, we never have a true idea of its value until we lose it.” – Henry Wheeler Shaw (1818-1885)
When Pam and I picked up the RV we now live in (hanging out in Tampa, Florida, at the moment), we needed to purchase some ‘must-haves’ for full time motorhome living. While I was perusing the sewer hose aisle (how glamorous my retirement life is), Pam had fallen into a conversation with a fellow female RVer about the insanity we had just committed with the sale of our home, cars, and everything we own to live full time in a 31-foot Winnebago.1
This sage of a woman said how pleased she was for us and our decision. She went on to remind Pam (who kindly passed this wisdom on to me) that in life, we struggle with the triad of time, wealth, and health. Like many triads of this ilk, you can usually have two sides of the triangle simultaneously, but never all three. (There is one for boating: good, fast, and cheap with which I am very familiar). Nostra-RVer would elaborate that when we are young, we have plenty of time and good health but little wealth. As we mature into our work lives, we have wealth and health but little time. Finally, as we approach the twilight of our time on Earth, we have time and wealth, but our health declines. She congratulated us on our wisdom to leave the comfort and safety of our work life now that we were free of child-rearing responsibilities. She pointed out that we are currently in that sweet spot in life, where there is still ample health to enjoy our ample time and accumulated wealth. When Pam related this conversation to me, I was profoundly humbled by the veracity of this simple life triad.
I have had older family members warn me how time would seemingly speed up as I aged. As a young boy, I fondly remember summer days that seemed to last forever. As a young man, the idea of signing up with Uncle Sam for an 11-year commitment in order to afford medical school seemed like a life sentence. Looking back, that time seems like a flicker of a candle. Now well into my fifties, the years seem to pass with astonishing speed.
One does not join the Army to become excessively wealthy. Still, I can honestly say I have never had an empty stomach unless it was of my choosing. While Pam and I will not be featured on the next episode of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” we have traveled the world enough to understand how privileged we are as Americans. Indeed, we could not always have what we wanted, but we were never without what we needed. Thanks to the example set by our parents, we have managed to save money every month throughout our 30-year marriage. That, along with the sale of our home and belongings, allowed us to retire early and live this adventure.
Presently, Pam and I both are fortunately healthy. Perhaps this fact contributed most to our decision to radically change our routine and set out on this adventure. I am grateful for the time we are taking to do this, but that was our decision. We also made the personal decisions regarding our wealth that make this journey possible. However, the one element we do not have absolute control over is our health. The sudden death of my father a year ago brought this fact into sharp focus. We certainly can make decisions to positively influence our health (I’m looking at you, delicious beer), but we are not masters of our health, just managers. Of the three elements in this life triad, I believe health is the most important and perhaps the least under our direct control. Diet and exercise are undoubtedly influential, but we cannot plan for the accidents, trauma, or toxins we may inadvertently succumb to during our life.
Combat trauma, toxin exposure, harsh environments, and physical demands, among other stressors, define the service member’s life. Many servicemembers have sacrificed their health in defense of our nation. As federal medicine providers, we are often the only defense health-challenged service members have to improve their health. Hopefully, our activities put them on a path to better health, so they may also enjoy their time and wealth.
When the drums of war begin to beat, the importance of the military healthcare mission can and is often lost in the fray. Generals often forget the importance of the medic until after the battle. Unlike the battlefield that occasionally enjoys the respite of periods of national peace, the struggle for the nation’s health is never-ending. As federal medicine providers, our mission to improve the health of our patients remains a priority, regardless of the conflicts we may or may not be engaged in. I would further contend that helping a servicemember who has served this country have the opportunity through better health to enjoy time and wealth in retirement is the least the nation can do for these ‘best of citizens.’ Perhaps they, too, can find their much-deserved sweet spot in this triad.
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