Planning Ahead
Mary Laura Philpott, in the article describes a “quiet thrill” when she could remove some items from her schedule. Obviously she was not thrilled by a deadly disease. Still, she was happily willing to skip a dental checkup and to know that it was not necessary to file taxes by April 15. “July is the new April, for accountants anyway,” she wrote.
Then, she said “As the country reopens in different phases from state to state — in some cases retreating before advancing again — I feel relieved to be able to tiptoe out of isolation and put at least a little of life’s regular maintenance back on the calendar…” Then she described, “But reopening doesn’t feel entirely like relief…” This is where she makes an interesting point: “Nothing is happening when it’s supposed to, but it all has to happen sometime.” This also comes with unexpected stress, although not the immediate and serious stress of living with the most extreme stages of the disease.
From my perspective, this is what I have been seeing. As people “come out,” those postponed items seem to need to be done immediately. The document that did not need to be completed or filed then, now does. The major life decision becomes immediate. The stress to get things done and get them done now begins to build.
The author describes the reopening of the legal system, for example. “When courtrooms shut down across the country this spring, countless people were left waiting to settle disputes, finalize divorces and hold hearings on issues from custody to child support…,” she wrote. That was only the beginning. It can be stressful.
The author went on to describe a story when she was pregnant and expecting to give birth in December. The miscalculation was slight but significant. She and her husband had built up preparation for Christmas for their toddler son expecting their next child would be born somewhat before or after. It did not work that way and she needed to give birth on Christmas. She and her husband noted a toddler does not know the date and they “readjusted” the calendar (using a slight deception) to make their toddler believe Christmas fell on a different date.
As she notes, “You may be nearly 41 by the time you have your 40th birthday bash...” It has some positives, she said. “Waiting whether we wanted the wait or not, provides time to think… That’s why people say ‘let’s sleep on it.’”
Be well.
Janet Colliton, Esq. is a Certified Elder Law Attorney and limits her practice to elder law, retirement and estate planning, Medicaid, Medicare, life care and special needs at 790 East Market St., Suite 250, West Chester, Pa., 19382, 610-436-6674Call via Mitel , colliton@ collitonlaw.com. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and, with Jeffrey Jones, CSA, cofounder of Life Transition Services LLC, a service for families with long term care needs. Tune in on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. to radio WCHE 1520, “50+ Planning Ahead,” with Janet Colliton, Colliton Elder Law Associates, and Phil McFadden, Home Instead Senior Care.