Modern Medicne

       As we get older, our medical care becomes much more important to us.  So, it becomes a concern when it becomes more expensive and less helpful.  What do you as a senior do?

          I am dealing with ten physical concerns – some more important than others. Some have kept me homebound and discouraged. Medical care has already cost us thousands this year with few answers and little help.

          Recently my eye problems returned and despite several surgeries I have had trouble reading.  I wanted to see my specialist once again and the only way I could be seen quickly was to travel to Hershey.  He had no openings locally.  So, we drove there on a Friday afternoon to be examined.  I'm not sure if he really found anything but he had some long medical terms to share with me – no real explanations.  He suggested a procedure which would cost several hundred dollars - not covered by insurance.

          He also recommended several items off his shelf – also not covered by insurance.  Then he told me the girls in the office would explain their use when I checked out.  They didn't but they gave me a bag of items and a bill for another $108 for them.  They said I should read the instructions on the meds and they rushed me out.  Now it was 15 minutes past closing time on a Friday afternoon.  They all wanted to leave for the weekend – and they did.  No explanations.

          When I got home to do my own study, I realized that there were meds missing.  After a search I found out that two were called into CVS – at Parkesburg – not even close to Lancaster.  How did that happen? Carelessness!  Fortunately, CVS had it transferred for us.  I still don't how to use all these meds and my eyes are not any better.  But my wallet is empty.

          One of my other specialists cancelled my appointment and the first date open for a replacement was December 26.  I won't be too surprised if he eventually changes that as well.

          I was waiting for a med called in by my gastro doc.  I was told it was cancelled because it wasn't covered by my insurance.  But I had to ask where it was.  When I said I needed it ,des pite the cost, CVS reordered it – for $208.  Just another bump in the road to medical care.

          Since Covid, several of our specialists have suddenly retired.  Our longtime dentist shocked us with a letter announcing his closing of his practice.  Then this week it happened again. This time it was our eye practice that has closed and we have appointments scheduled with them in December.  More changes ahead!

          Well, enough complaining for today.   There is much more that I could say but it won't do any good.   But maybe I wouldn't mind if I were getting any help.  But I'm not.

         But, one way or another, I know the Great Physician is in charge and will take care of me as He has for 83 years.  He knows, He cares, He provides and someday He will give me a new and healed body without cost or pills or tests or appointments or physicians.  No more pain, isolation, or depression.  What a great day that will be.

 

Some Random Thoughts

Here are some thoughts to consider on a sunny afternoon:

 

February is the border between winter and spring.  (Terri Guillemets)

 

The February sunshine steeps your boughs and tints the buds and swells the leaves within.  (William C. Bryant

When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.  (William Arthur Ward)

Some stranger somewhere remembers you because you were kind to them when none else was. (Terri Simber)

 

A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied 10 minutes later.  (George Patton)

 

 

Fertilizer does no good in a heap, but a little spread around works miracles all over. (Percy Ross)

 

It is the province of knowledge to speak and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen. (Oliver Wendell Holmes)

 

Be kind to unkind people - They need it the most. (Aldo Leopold)

 

What this country needs is more unemployed politicians.  (Edward Langley)
The principal contributor to loneliness in this country is television.  What happens is that the family "gets together" alone.  (Ashley Montagu)

 

Always borrow money from a pessimist.  They don't expect to get it back.  (Unknown source)

 

You cannot fly like an eagle with the wings of a wren.  (William Hudson)

 

Not to decide is to decide.  (Harvey Cox)

 

Work is the greatest thing in the world – so we should always save some for tomorrow.  (Don Herold)

 

An executive is one who never puts off until tomorrow what he can get someone else to do today. (Unknown source)

 

He who neglects to drink of the spring of experience is apt to die of thirst in the desert of ignorance.  (Ling Po)

 

A person who has had a bull by the tail once has learned sixty or seventy times as much as the person who hasn't (Mark Twain)

 

If you are unhappy in your career choice after giving it a fair shake, quit.  Leave it and look for an opportunity that will make you happy.  No matter how well a job pays, if it is drudgery, it isn't worth it.  (Ed Koch)

 

I love acting.  It is so much more real than life.  (Oscar Levant) 

 

Always listen to the experts.  They'll tell you what can't be done and why.  Then do it.  (Robert Heinlein)

 

Never fail to know that if you are doing all the talking, you are boring somebody.  (Helen Gurley Brown)

 

Too many pieces of music finish too long after the end. (Igor Stravinsky)

 

Remember always that all of us, you and I especially, are descended from immigrants.  (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

 

The time to prepare a roof is when the sun is shining.  (John F. Kennedy)

 

Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life.  (Daniel Auber)

 

There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper.  (John Ruskin)

 

My friends have made the story of my life.  In a thousand ways they have turned my limitations into beautiful privileges and enabled me to walk serene and happy in the shadow cast by my deprivation. (Helen Keller)

 

Sometimes the news is in the noise and sometimes the news is in the silence.  (Thomas Friedman)

 

A preposition is something you never end a sentence with. (Jill Etherington)

 

A pen is mightier than the sword, and considerably easier to write with.  (Marty Feldman)

  

If fans don't want to come to the ballpark, no one's going to stop them.  (Yogi Berra)

 

 

 

 

A Beautiful Drive

          It was a beautiful day for a drive.  Fall was just beginning and we hadn't been able to take a longer ride for several months.  Dianne had knee replacement surgery and wasn't able to drive since July and I have had to stop driving because of various physical challenges.  It has been very hard to be confined to our home for many months.

          But I had a medical appointment and had to see a doctor in Hershey.  Now that is only about an hour from home but it was a great excuse to go for a ride.

          The leaves had not yet started to change but the fields of corn were harvested.  Pumpkins and mums were everywhere. The air was cool.  It was beautiful.  We have so much to be thankful for.  Unfortunately, the medical visit was expensive and a waste of time.

          But as we drove, I couldn't help but think of the poor people in Florida who were at the moment being devastated with winds, floods and tornados.  Many were losing everything.  Some were losing their lives.  My heart aches for them.

          And at the same time folks around the world were in dangerous places due to wars and terrorism.  What is happening in Ukraine and Israel is horrendous.  I am beginning to think that the only hope of avoiding World War III and seeing peace might be the rapture.  And I am ready for that.  At least that would also give us relief from the terrible election news and ads that fill our lives.  But I guess that is another topic for another day.

          I have become more thankful for what I have.  God has been so good to us.  Each day I need to pray for others who have these desperate needs and thank God for His goodness to me.  Thank you Lord.

Help, Help!

           Have you ever needed help for a particular need and you received the following response from your friends – nothing?  Or more likely – "I'm praying for you."

          During the past two months we have had some needs. Dianne had knee replacement surgery and since I am not driving now, we found ourselves isolated without any transportation for needed appointments.  But with the help of two of our assistant pastors, an elder and family members, we were able to schedule 14 trips.  While this was a tremendous help, I only had to cancel two doctor appointments.

          We were also able to get help planting flowers twice and another neighbor helped us get our newspaper every morning.  Several family members helped by bringing us our mail when they were in our neighborhood. Meals came from Meals on Wheels.

          But what I really missed was the fellowship of friends, especially those from church.  However, I did have some when our pastors provided transportation for us.  That was really appreciated.  And our family did visit and call regularly.  Two women from church also called and a group from church wrote regularly.  That was appreciated.  There is nothing like visits from friends when you are isolated at home.

          The biggest surprise came when our oldest son took an early retirement from the bank.  He discovered several things that needed to be done at our house.  First, he found several shelves of outdated cans of food that were in our basement which we hadn't been able to access for months.  He got rid of all of them for us.  Then he cleaned out our basement freezer which we also had not been able to use for months.  Threw out those old items.  Then he located cans of old paint which he took out to the landflll for us.

         But he wasn't done yet.  He had a dumpster delivered to our house and he and his brothers and our grandson spent hours cleaning out old materials from our garage and basement.  A whole dumpster was filled and there is enough left for another load.  When my wife is well enough to do steps again, they will take her down to continue this work.  Unfortunately, I doubt that I will ever be well enough again to join them, but much has been accomplished – unexpectedly.

          But, as I've been saying, God has been good to us.  And despite our problems, He is still taking care of us and providing what we need, when we need it.  He responds to our pleas for help in His time!