A purchase that will give great relief, but little joy…

Before I went on holiday, I asked papa to think about possibly getting a spa to help with my health. I felt, and still feel, that this is something that will improve my well being immensely and quite possibly reduce the amount of pain I’m in on a daily basis.I told him that I wouldn’t bring it up again but that I wanted him to think about it.

When I got home, in true Papa “I’m thinking about it style”, he’d set up an appointment with a Spa dealer that’s approved by the Arthritis Foundation and is made primarily for the use of people like me, people who are struggling to make it day after day with chronic pain. I thought that this would be a blessing. We both had some savings and we decided that this would be our Christmas gift to each other, a little early.

After going thru everything last night with the salesman, I just feel all un-done.

There is no doubt at the quality of the product. The quality of Resin they use for the actual tub is far and away much better than any I’ve ever seen. They parts are all first class, above and beyond what any other Spa/Hot Tub offers. They have a 10 year warranty on EVERY part on that tub. Every single one. We just call them and they come out and replace the problem and that’s it. No fixing, no questions, no problem.

One problem. The price was very high, for us anyway. I was surprised, I used to sell spas. Ok, so it was for 3 weeks between this job and the last when I had to have an income to survive, but it was selling spa’s dag nabbit. Nonetheless, my guess price was a significant difference. Papa’s guess price was not. I’m forever an optimist about everything from human nature to money estimations. Papa is not and optimist about everything from human nature to money estimations.

Two calls to the office later, I did end up getting the Spa I liked, with some conditions. We didn’t get a choice of color because I was getting a spa that a woman had changed her mind on last week. We got delivery and the Ozonator included. The Ozonator helps keep the spa ultra clean. I have to get a prescription from one of my Drs for a Spa so that I can get the state tax back. I also have to send a marketing letter stating why I got the spa, a photo of the spa and how much better I’ve been feeling since we’ve gotten the spa. I can do that, no problem. I’m more than happy to do that if it works and I start feeling better.

In the end, my problem is that I felt like I was stealing Papa’s hard saved money. I know, as my Papa, he’s not worried about that and he’d do it for me because he understands the amount of pain I’m in on a daily basis. But, that doesn’t take away from the fact that we were wrung out, we had a lot less money in our pocket and I know he’d worked very hard to save that money. And that something I need was taking that money away.

I know… my logic is messed up.  My friend said this was buyer’s remorse. I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced that, so it could be.

Fizz

© ‘Fizz’ 2009