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Bad karma?

Well, there may be a few out there who will revel in the knowledge I may have been struck with some bad karma, as the result of my recent post on fatigue, and my last 3 posts on the MCL message board, regarding fatigue, and the US health care system.

I didn't really think the comments were inappropriate, my only intention being to try and get everyone to learn and think on their own, without relying so much on others, but yesterday, when I was driving to work, I hit a [BIG] rock (ironically near the Big Rock) on PCH, a few miles north of Zuma Beach (it was dark, and I had just come around a bend in the road), which I just learned today, resulted in a cracked transmission which will require a new or rebuilt replacement.

My only consolation is it's an 11 year old car with 230,000 miles, and since I do have an extra car, I don't have to spend the money to fix it. Plus, when I bought the car, I said when the Camry dies, I'm going to retire.

So does a broken transmission constitute dying?

I really didn't want to retire just yet. I actually like my job, and besides, what would the company do without me?
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Comments

John Wagner said…
Marc, I certainly would not have wished any bad karma on you, even though I was biting my tongue reading that post a few days ago. And no, your comments on your Blog were not inappropriate. That is your legitimate opinion and that is why I didn't comment.

I guess you probably read my post on fatigue back in February, which took a different slant.

http://johncll.blogspot.com/2009/02/naps-not-just-for-preschoolers-anymore.html

If you did retire, you would have more time for naps...er, bike rides, sorry. Anyway, hope you will let us know if you fix the car or retire. (I bet nobody else has tied a retirement decision to those choices.) Wishing you the best. Now, back to my nap...
8:19 AM
Marc said…
Thanks for understanding John, and I hadn't read your blog post on fatigue until just now. I only wish I had read it sooner, I might have had more to comment on. :)

I don't doubt for a moment the people making those comments you referenced in your post aren't sincere. Heck, I experience the same feelings everyday.

There are days I have no trouble getting out of bed, and there are other days all I want to do is sleep.

And as for climbing stairs, WOW! That's the really amazing thing. I can ride my bike 25 miles at a race pace, without stopping, but I get worn out just climbing the stairs to my bedroom. You use different muscles you know, and I only climb stairs once or twice a day.

Oh and John, I take 3 naps [or more] a day as well!

So don't think I don't understand fatigue, and don't think I don't understand the effects of infusing deadly chemicals into your body (chemotherapy). I just don't think it does anyone any good trying to rationalize there's nothing they can do about it.

In fact, I just came across this article today from the American Association of Cancer Research which recommends exercise as the best way to improve both prognosis and the quality of life.

As for retiring, I doubt that will happen, at least voluntarily, just yet, although there are days when I do have the urge, but it has nothing to do with my MCL.

The real question is whether I will fix the car or not. I just checked the Kelly Blue Book and the car is only worth about $3,100, and that's if it's in great shape. The mechanic hasn't told me how much it will cost to fix yet, but I have a feeling it may cost more than that.

So I'll probably just wait for some government program to get rid of it.
9:52 AM
Becky said…
Well now you can go buy a new car with a "lifetime" warranty and help out the economy.

And your response was damn near longer than most of your posts. So, any luck finding the accordian?
11:21 AM
Alan Posner said…
It wasn't the Lexus, was it?
12:39 PM
Marc said…
No, I said the Camry didn't I? Besides, the Lexus is 16 years old. You should know that Alan, after all, I bought it from you.

Oh yeah, and I just spent $850 fixing the A/C, which now seems like a good idea since I suspect I'll be driving it for a while.

And yes Becky, I found the accordian. Do you think I can get enough for it to pay for a new transmission in the Camry? :)
1:02 PM
Becky said…
Um, I don't think so.

Why don't you just drive the Lexus?
2:42 PM
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