The Game of Life

My wife just spent a week in the hospital. She has been struggling quite awhile before hand and it is not over yet--Out patient treatment for the next 3-4 weeks and another 2-3 weeks at home before going back to work.

Taken from the interwebs without permission

This impacts us financially as the up-to-2-months she will be off work will be unpaid. We do not have disability insurance. We do not have any other significant form of income (I stay home to care for our son and my mother-in-law). Nor do we have access to assistance programs.

We also have no savings. My wife has been sick off and on for various reasons over the last 10 years. She underwent 13 surgeries (including breast cancer and foot surgery) plus my 2 month hospital stint (brain tumor). This has drained us, an inheritance, and we still owe money.

I have painted a grim picture. What is my point? My wife and I keep forging ahead. People often say to us "It will get better". Well, I can say after hearing that for over 10 years, sometimes it doesn't--Sometimes it gets worse. But that does not mean we are giving up in any way... Its just reality.

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Spending time with my friends through games (as a true hobby) has been a pastime of mine since 1980. It is who I am, how I express myself, and an important part of my life. Its NOT just because I like games...

Created by Zorcon as a fan wallpaper for the video game
"Bikini Karate Babes"

I am socially awkward, even with close friends at times. Games put me on an equal playing field and I am more comfortable. But most importantly, games are a way for me to escape from the stresses of life and actually cope with it better.

Without games, I do not know how I would have made it this far.

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I have been keeping an eye on my post count. In 22 more posts, I will have posted in 2013 the same number of posts as the previous 4 years combined! With everything going on, it will be a big challenge, but I am up for it!