Best places to spend large sums for Lymies? (thought experiment)

Once in a while when driving, I notice the lottery billboards advertising huge jackpots. I don't play the lottery so there's no real risk of me winning, but you know how you get contemplative when driving....

What would I do with $500 million dollars, anyway? I mean, $5,000 is quite a lot to me right now. I don't need much.

I could of course spend on the typical things - on myself - spending sprees, stuff, fun, nice house, etc. (I think I would tire of a lot of that quickly. I know better than to live for myself, and this passing world. But do enjoy things a little, just don't let them control you...)

Besides that I would of course give a lot to causes and people that are important to me. I would have a lot of growing to do in careful generosity....you could do a lot of good, but sometimes you could do a lot of harm.


More relevant to this forum -

• I would obviously seek the best treatment(s) I could. That would take some time researching and deciding. What are your thoughts on that - if you had millions, how would you treat?
  
  
• I wouldn't have to worry about money, so I could crucially spend my time focusing on more important things than trying to make a few bucks to get by or look for ways to stretch the dollars or bargain with hospitals....etc
  
  
• I would hire some help around the house, healthy meals, etc etc. - thus freeing up even more time and energy
  
  
• Personally, I would probably see about - ah....finding that special someone - they'd have to be really extra special to be willing to marry a Lymie though....
  

But beyond that - think of what we could do to help fellow Lymies:

• Help people with testing, treatment, information, support, etc. etc. - a lot could be done
  
  
• Raise Public awareness
  
  
• Fund research! Both in testing and in treatment.
  
  
• Try to remove some of the hurdles we face in healthcare, insurance, politics, etc.... But How?
  
  Maybe lobbying for legislation? (I have mixed feelings about that)
  
  Suing insurance cos or government bodies or whomever (more mixed feelings but maybe) - Trying to get test cases up through the levels of appeals?
  
  I mean, there is plenty of evidence for a lot of the things that we fight for, but it's just not accepted - how to get it accepted? In this realm, though, I'm afraid that even $500,000,000 wouldn't go far ... considering vested interests with very deep pockets.
  
  

"Money is a defense" - definitely can help some kinds of problems just go away. (Although money itself goes away too - "riches make themselves wings, they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.")

So let's take a mental and emotional pleasure cruise here - what would YOU do with BIG bucks?

$500 million, I would buy a home closer to my Mom but keep this home I love so much.

Then for my own enjoyment I would -

Help put music and art back in our local elementary school.

I would make a new baseball field.

Give to Fisher House so wounded vets that are hospitalized can have their loved ones close.

And give to the Hospice nurses that I know. What they do is incredible and they are paid less than most regular nurses. They choose this field. These people have hearts and I would want to anonymously give them something to make life easier for them. They help families watching a dying loved one easier.

The Dude - would you do that by replacing the entire car? ;-)
Trav - love your idea!

The more I think about this, the more the idea of that much cash actually scares me some. Not just the new security aspects, nor the thought of all kinds of possible swindlers - but the huge, sobering responsibility of stewarding it, and of giving account for how I use it. (Kind of like how the responsibilities of having kids or even being married sober me.) I would try hard not to publicize, but definitely find a few trusted advisors.