Beech Tree News Network

Do you fear developing a health condition? Not surprisingly, surveys show that Americans “consistently place cancer, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes at the top of their list of health concerns” (http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306761,00.html). But, many of us also have some other health fears.

    The above website listed a some other health fears, including: contaminated water, infertility, having one’s child get a terminal illness, blindness, childbirth, eating a bug, dirty hands on the subway, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), losing a digit due to extreme weather, choking on food, and a crippling knee injury. Though I haven’t experienced all of these fears, I sympathize with their concerns.

    I asked family and friends the following question: “What health fear do you have other than the epidemic conditions of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity?” (My sister-in-law, whom I love dearly, called this my “weirdest question yet.”) Their responses (ages 13 through 70-something) are below:
•    Dementia.
•    Parkinson’s disease.
•    Multiple sclerosis or chronic anemia.
•    I fear that eventually there will be no antibiotics to take care of infections such as the super bugs.
•    Just being sick and alone – not being able to take care of myself.
•    Heart attack, especially with increased activity of motosports.
•    Alzheimer’s or dementia in general.
•    Alzheimer’s.
•    Trauma causing paralysis, clots and heart failure.
•    Alzheimer’s. It would be terrible to lose your memory and not know your family.
•    ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, or having a stroke and becoming a vegetable. I would hate for my husband and family to have to go through that.
•    Blindness.
•    I fear that a member of my family will have a terrible accident or develop a life-threatening disease and that I will lose the ability to care for myself.
•    I have a fear of accidents, like being shot in the head or being attacked by a wild animal.
•    I fear my child dying at a young age due to accident or illness or dying before she is grown.
•    Diabetes.
•    A heart attack.

Related to the fear of developing a health condition is the concern of how to pay for health care. As it stands now, in 2014 everyone has to have health insurance or be fined. Open enrollment decisions regarding health care coverage begin this month. By law, pre-existing conditions are not to affect the cost of health care insurance. Also, I understand that a tax penalty will be incurred for those who do not have health care coverage. To sign up for health insurance, go to healthcare.gov to fill out an application or call 1-800-318-2596 (available 24/7). Unfortunately, health insurance doesn’t cover the total cost of health care.

    Like others, I too have a couple of health fears, but I don’t allow myself to dwell on those fears. According to a Japanese proverb, “Fear is only as deep as the mind allows.” Having lived six decades (a blessing), I’m thankful for my health.