Pain in the…Head

So, I have a pain behind my eyes and I’m pretty sure it’s a tumor.  I’ve told people this and they say that I’m a hypochondriac.  I am.  I’ll admit it.  But where is that line?  I guess you can’t up and go to the doctor every time you have an ache or pain, but when should you go?  

We are all slowly dying (or slowly living, if you want to be one of those annoying optimists), so a strategy that’s been proposed to me is to not think about it and live everyday you have and don’t worry.  Coming from a Jewish background on both sides, worrying is ingrained in my DNA so that strategy isn’t feasible unless I’m consistently sedated.  So what is a good life strategy?  How do you go about ignoring your own mortality?

I’ve often said this: people who have debilitating mental issues and can’t leave the house because they fear they’ll get into a car wreck or struck by lightening or murdered are the most honest people around.  I mean, those destinies are reserved for all of us.  Well, one of those destinies is reserved for each of us.  I’m shocked more people aren’t petrified by fear.

So, how do you manage?  I’m interested to hear some techniques.  I’m tired of being afraid all the time.

Oh, look, my eye-ache has gone away.  Guess I’ll go back to living everyday to its fullest.  Come on, fingers, lets work on your latest short story “Pick Up”.  Got to get that sucker out to the lit mags before I keel over from heart failure, brain aneurysm, pneumonia, leukemia, diabetes, stroke, malaria…