October Chat-Chit

[Jeanie Z]

:) Hi everyone. I won't be online probably until the first of next week. My 55th class reunion is this weekend. The events planned are strange for 73 year olds. Fri afternoon is a tailgate party with catered BBQ. It is in the alumni tent at the school and after our high school's present football team will play football on the field at the school.

Sat night is a cocktail party and dinner at a local Italian restaurant. Sun AM there is a brunch at a classmates home. There is a ramp for the alumni tent, but I won't be staying for the game. Now all I need is some energy so I can do any of it.

Y'all behave yourselves. I'm sure I will miss reading Chit Chat. Jeanie :)

[Virginia]

Jeanie, have a really great time. Sounds like you will. Maybe the adrenaline will flow enough to keep your energy up enough to allow you to do everything.

Sally, great picture of the cat. I would be a little skeptical of allowing a child to do that to a cat because they can be so fickle. One minute loving and patient and the next WAM!

Called and got an appointment with my regular Doctor Friday regarding knee. I iced it last night and this morning. Obviously, still not exercising.

Way back many years ago I was employed by the U.S. Army in France, Germany and the Pentagon. Well, today I looked up a few of the people I worked for and with that I really cared so much about. Found obituaries for 3 and saw where a 4th had died. They were all a little older than me. I found one Colonel had died when he was 77. Knew him in France. Another Colonel had died in 2012 when he was 80. Knew him at the Pentagon. Shock of all shocks the one I expected to find dead at an early age that I knew in France did not die until January of this year. He was 90 years old. I thought he would have died earlier because he smoked, drank much coffee all day and took aspirin all day. He must have had good genes. I wish I had looked them up earlier, and don't know why I did not. They would not have had a way of finding me since my name changed in 1989. Actually, I might not have been able to find them if they had not died. Their obituaries were what I found. I think I might have found another one, but I am not sure it is him. The one I knew at the Pentagon hurt the most - well actually all of them did.

The internet can be both good and bad - not sure if it is better to know or not to know. Before I could still picture them alive. I had looked for the one I knew at the Pentagon some time back. I thought he might have gone back to Ohio after he retired. He actually had retired according to the obit. in Hampton, Va. Last time I talked to him was when he was on his way to Vietnam and called me from California just to say he missed me. Nice to remember.

Hope all of you are doing well.

[Virginia]

My name is all over the front page of this forum!!! Will someone at least write Hi or something so I will not appear to be dominating the forum. It's embarrassing.

[Frog42]

Hi Virginia!

[Howie]

Whoooooooooooooooo lives in a pineapple under the sea?
SpongeBob Virginia!!!

[agate]

My name is all over the front page of this forum!!! Will someone at least write Hi or something so I will not appear to be dominating the forum. It's embarrassing.

I know exactly how you feel, Virginia! I've had this happen many times.

I just did something really remarkable and would like to crow about it here.

Five years ago, almost to the day (October 14, 2009), I moved to this town, where the neighborhood is all houses, no stores. The nearest supermarket is over half a mile away. I'm not up to walking a mile, particularly if I wander around a store too and have stuff to carry home with me, but I'd thought I could take a taxi over there and walk home if I didn't buy much

I haven't tried that yet. Any groceries or other things I need, I order online or by phone and have delivered. Or I sign up for a paratransit ride and go to a store using my wheelchair--often involving an entire day, what with waiting times.

But there's a tiny convenience store not as far away as the supermarket. I've been walking around the neighborhood lately pushing my (new and more manageable) manual wheelchair and noticed this little store one day. I made up my mind to try to get to it when the weather cooled down.

Today it was beautiful weather, and I set out with some money and got to that store--the first store I've got to on my own in 5 years. I went in there and bought some hair clips, something I've been wanting for years.

And I came home. I was out there walking for a little over half an hour and covered 2/3 of a mile. I was pushing the wheelchair (like a walker) all the time but I didn't have to sit down in it and rest.

It's taken a while to get to this point because the move wore me out. But I did it! Now I know I can get to a store if I have to.

[Frog42]

Good for you, Joan!

Notice Howie doesn't seem embarrassed!

[agate]

(bowing and blushing) I'll gladly accept any applause, kudos, bouquets, and compliments. The line forms on the right!

No, Howie doesn't seem embarrassed but he does get mad as a hornet when he comes in here and finds nobody else around.

[Cherie]

Today is my dad's last birthday (87) At least, we believe it to be his last. He has felt better this past week because Mom made a decision last Wednesday to do what she had been told over a month ago and give him his pain and nausea med every 4 hours around the clock and not just 2-3 x a day when he complained. He has been moving better, been more alert and been eating since she started this routine. He has now surpassed his Dad's age at death by 10 days and is proud of that. When I called at 1PM, he had already had 3 of his 7 kids visit (one gave him an hour long massage ...she's a licensed therapist), the hospice nurse come in and three different Amish families stop by for a visit. Now, seeing first snow is his last goal (forecast within the next week up there.).

I am struggling to get copay coverage for my Rebif now that I am on Medicare. It is a $1900+ copay a month and because we own three investment properties, we do not qualify for copay assistance under Medicare even though we do not make too much money. This is how the system bankrupts and disrupts people's lives. I am learning this early on in the journey.

[Virginia]

Declared I would not post again for a little while because the thread seems to stop with me, but just got to address two things.

First Agate, that is a real feat. I could not do that - no way. You are to be commended for getting out there and doing it all alone - 2/3 of a mile is a long way. Very, very proud of you. Now, when you feel like it, do it again and try to get in the habit. Bet your confidence and stamina will grow each time. Congratulations.
Now if I could just post a bunch of cute things like you and Sally do, but still not in the mood to learn. However, I do feel like jumping up and down for you. Unfortunately, I can't.

Second thing to Cherie - According to what one of the reps for Rebif has said, no matter what your income or source of it, there is to be no copay for Rebif. They get what they can from the insurance company and try to find you other help, but I was told that if that doesn't happen then the drug company takes the insurance money and that is it. Unless this has changed, a company rep stood up in front of a number of people, some on Medicare and some not and made that statement. I was there when it happened. I wonder if this is still true. I hope so. He says it does not matter what you have. Call the rep for your area and talk directly to them and see what they recommend would be my advice. They might help you more than MS Lifelines. Good Luck!

[Howie]

Virginia, because you were posting helpful information, I'll post and take the spotlight off of you.

[Gary]

Well I cant let Howie have ALL the fun!

[Cat Dancer]

You don't have any secondary insurance? I'm so sorry! Both while I was on ssdi
And now that I'm on straight social security I've never had to pay more than a co-pay of $15 -- although there was a brief period where I was paying $35/month for the techfidera until it got worked out between the drug company, Medicare and my insurance company). When I suspect we don't have as many assets as you, Medicare isn't being means tested (yet!) so your assets should not be a factor. I'm most grateful our primary insurance has such a good drug policy!

You might want to contact the drug company and see if they can't work with you to reduce your cost.

[Howie]

Here it is, Saturday night, party night. You remember those don't you? Sally sure does, look at her dancing on that table.

It's approaching 9 pm...WHOOOOO....and I can barely stay awake. Why when I was young.................................

[SalpalSally]

It's date night night and I don't have a date. Oh the horrors of it!!!!