More struggles to cap an awful year !

 

Soothsayers were not kidding when they said that this was not a good year for folks like me. 

Three weeks ago, I started getting double vision and thought that there was something wrong with my new progressive lenses. After multiple visits to the optician, they said that my eyes were misaligned and only an opthalmologist could resolve the issue. So I thought I would resolve it quickly by using the private sector to get help.

The problem turned out to be much more complicated than I thought. I was diagnosed with Thyroid Eye Disease and after seeing three ophthalmologists, getting an MRI, and spending over $3k, I was able to order a new lens to mitigate my vision problems. Sadly for me, treatment in the private sector will cost me a five-figure sum over the next year, and I've decided to go back to the government-restructured hospitals for help. It's slower, but at least I can deplete my almost-full Medisave account.

( Concerned readers can note that tomorrow I get to see someone in TTSH, so please don't bash our excellent medical system here. )

So as of now, I can see clearer with one eye than two so I told the clinic to cover my left eye while I wait for my new lens stickers to arrive. 

The strain of managing private-sector clinic visits, research and costs has caused me to skip investing my latest tranche of training fees from my training problem. I taught 32 batches of students and this was the first time I held back in case I needed liquidity to pay the medical specialists. 

So you can imagine how I felt when markets rallied just as I predicted last week with REITs leading the charge?

Fortunately, I have not sold any holdings since interest rates have gone up and the fees are a drop of the ocean like everyone else stubborn enough to remain invested locally, I made a tidy sum today and look forward to an ever better Capricorn effect next year. 

But hey, health is always more important than wealth. Until I actually get a slot to consult a specialist in a government hospital and get my corticosteroids, which can take a while, I'm holding back my funds in the rare probability that my situation will get worse. I even have documents in a folder in case I get into an A&E situation. 

I have also started to obtain contacts for Malaysian private doctors. If I can combine an eye operation or steroid injection with a trip to KL, Girl Maths will tell me that the savings are enough for my hotel stay and shopping to be free! 

Finally, as I hit my 50s, I realise that the game is starting to move from Normal to Hard difficulty mode. There is no way I could have played my cards better, I even started a new gig to stabilise the loss of income from investment courses, but for every step I take forward, I have to take a step back. My only consolation is that at least I'm alive - I was shocked that a number of celebrities have passed away this week. 

Tomorrow, I will be conducting a lecture on Legal Ethics with the use of just one eye.