What happens to you, can be for you.

I had cancer. This is my story.

I say had mainly because I am currently in remission with my next PET Scan coming up in May 2023. "Life happens" is something I have told clients forever but you never expect it to be you.

You don't expect the slow decline of lymphoma to get you sick more often. The bone pain as it takes root in your femur and you certainly don't expect to be going through chemo and radiation in your 30s. These are conversation we all imagine are reserved for the aged among us. Our parents, grandparents, friends and family but never us.

I tell you the truth. Having walked down this path I am grateful to those who, in my twenties, convinced me to get life insurance. Note, the life insurance I purchased was limited at the time due to my tight budget and limited earnings. But, the quality was undeniable there. I bought two policies, one that we had structured to be a supplemental retirement plan and another couple years later to payoff the house and our debts should something happen in over a 30 year term.

To be as transparent as possible the Term Policy was $50/mo and the Universal Life policy was $75/mo. Looking back I only wish the person who sold me on these policies would have sold me on spending a little more. Even though Jack and I don't talk anymore... I am grateful to that nudge to buy a policy now more than ever.

Fast forward a couple years and I get my diagnosis. Everything I have taught my clients about peace in tough financial times rings through my head and I again thank God that I was smart enough to be dumb enough to listen to my mentors, friends, and colleagues and protect myself.

Those two policies I mentioned before, $75 and $50/month respectively paid my wife and I over $144,000. I don't say this to brag or rub anyone's nose in it. Within days of our claim approval we had two direct deposits into our accounts and we no longer had to worry about how we were going to pay for treatments. We didn't need to worry about my severely reduced ability to work. We didn't have to wrestle with whether a treatment was going be paid for or reimbursed by insurance.

All I had to do, was get better.

People say, that a great attitude will help through the cancer journey. Statistics say there are plenty of people in the grave that were optimistic to the end. Peace and security come from preparation and faith. There were a couple times during treatment where I was close to death. Where doctors were concerned the course charted was too much for my heart. Too much for my body to handle. In those moments I can say with a full heart that I looked back and had no regrets. I knew that my beautiful wife Laurie Wheeler would be fine. I knew that my clients were set up to where many of them didn't need to be managed anymore. Which is why many of them will be shocked to hear I was going through this. It didn't effect them or their plans.

I say again, all I had to do, was get better.

I can say now having completed treatments, getting back to normal, that I wrapped up my treatments with $0 in medical debt. Medical billing issues aside the life insurance policies we bought on me years ago saved out financial life.

If you are not familiar with Life Insurance that is for your Life not just your death feel free to reach out, either here, on www.simplifywealthpartners.com, or get directly on my calendar at the bottom of this article.

That all being said, cancer was one of the most life changing experiences that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Given the opportunity to slow down, heal, and get focused on what matters most however, I would recommend to anyone.

If you or a loved one a struggling with cancer and need someone to talk to and listen that has been there. Let me know. I have rung that gong.

If you are reading this and go man, I need to get some coverage. Let us know and I myself or a team member will get on your calendar to help figure out what that looks like for you.