This Year is Our Year for Success!
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I’m sorry I’ve been absent over the past couple of weeks. Not much going on but we’ve been busy with various doctor’s appointments and working on getting our financial affairs in order. That’s long overdue, but we are making progress. We got our wills and other important legal documents done back in the spring, but hadn’t carried through with compiling information that the executor of our estate will need, so that’s what I am and have been working on. It’s definitely a work in progress. I ordered a book from Amazon that has been helpful. It has different sections that prompt you to gather account numbers, user names, passwords, etc. so that all of the information is in one place. It covers not only financial records, but also social media, subscriptions, and just about anything that might need to be cancelled upon our death. It’s very time consuming to hunt down all of the information it needs, but I know our executor will be very grateful that I did it.
I’ve also been busy playing travel agent. I booked a trip for early December to fly to Munich and we will tour Christmas markets in 4 major cities over 8 days. SIL is going as well, so I will have help with DH if he’s not doing well by then. I also booked airfare for 2 trips on Southwest this week while they were running a huge sale promotion. I was able to book a trip for us to visit my sister in her new home of Williamsburg, VA for only a little more than what is normally the fare for one person. The other trip is to visit SIL and family in Colorado to see their home. DH has been there, but I have not. I suffer from altitude sickness, so we will see how I do once we get to their home in Evergreen.
One of the doctors I saw this week is a surgeon who specializes in eyelid surgeries. Since having surgery 13 years ago to repair a detached retina, that eyelid has drooped. It is impeding my vision and is very noticeable in pictures, so I decided to see what my options are to have it repaired. Since it is impairing my vision, Medicare should cover it. I’m scheduled to have that done in August.
In looking at my calendar earlier this week, it seems I suddenly went from having almost nothing scheduled, to being almost fully booked. A lot of the dates are for doctor’s visits for myself or DH, but it still looks very busy, at least on paper.0 -
We’ve had a bunch of medical appointments since we got home 10 days ago. Between us, we’ve had 3 dental appointments and I see the eye doctor tomorrow. The gas company was here Friday to change the meter. It had been 10 years since it was changed. With gas explosions in the news, maybe they’re trying to change out old meters.
We need to do new wills. The old ones were written in the 70s and some of our heirs have died. What’s the name of the book you ordered? It sounds helpful.0 -
Helene, here’s the link to the one I bought. There are others at various price points, but I liked this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1441317295?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details0
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Pam - you certainly have been busy! I also have the droopy eyelid after a retina tear. When I get my vision checked they usually hold it up with their hand. Nobody's suggesting surgery at this point.
With any luck your efforts will spur Helene and I to action! I know its something we need although since both our wills have everything going to the other on the first death, I figure now that the worst of COVID is over it's probably not urgent. Certainly when one of us goes whoever is left (please don't let it be me!) will need to do a revised will.0 -
Maryanne, no one suggested surgery for me either, but I realized that my eye lid is drooping enough that it is actually impeding my vision somewhat. Plus, it is extremely noticeable in pictures, and that bothered me enough to get it checked out. Apparently it’s a pretty m8nor procedure and Medicare will cover it, so I decided to go ahead and do it. I’ll be sedated but not knocked out because apparently I have to be awake enough to follow instructions during the surgery. I’ll have a black eye for a couple of weeks, too, so I’m trying to limit my social engagements during that time, lol!
Today I took DH for 3 punch biopsies that will pretty definitively tell us whether he has Parkinson’s. I don’t think there’s much doubt at this point, but the doctor wanted confirmation. The biopsies were done in the office with lidocaine to numb the areas, but still painful. We will get the results in 4 weeks at his next appointment. He had continued to struggle with sleep even with the new medications that were prescribed, so I talked last week with the nurse in the office. She said it was ok to double the dosage of one of them and that has made a huge difference. He’s feeling better as a result of getting more and better sleep, but still having memory issues and definitely not processing information as well as he used to be able to do. I’m so very relieved that we’ve turned over the financial management to someone else. I was really worried for the past several months about his ability to handle it. Numbers have always been his forte but he was struggling yesterday to balance the checkbook for his mother’s checking account, which doesn’t have much activity. I didn’t look at it myself, so I’m not sure what the issue was. He and his sister both have access to the account, so that may be the source of the problem.0 -
My eye appointment was last week. I’ve been telling my doctor that I feel I don’t see distance as far as I saw a few years ago. Yet my vision test doesn’t show it. I told him I think a droopy eyelid is the culprit. The practice has an eye surgeon who treats this condition. The first appointment I could get is November first. I hope he agrees and does surgery on me. I can see the droop but I don’t think my eye doctor ever would have addressed it without a push from me.0
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Helene, the doctor who is doing my eyelid surgery is an Asian plastic surgeon. She’s known in my area for being especially good with eyelid surgeries. If you’d like to get your eyelid surgery sooner, you might consider looking for a plastic surgeon who specializes in eye surgeries, instead of waiting for the surgeon in your opthmalogist’s practice. I notice if I close my droopy eyelid and look straight ahead, I can see much farther than I can when I repeat the procedure with the “good” eye. And my droopy eyelid is over the eye that I rely on for distance vision and like you, I feel that my distance vision is much worse even though when tested I’m told it’s fine. But I struggle to read street signs, so I don’t agree that my vision is fine.0
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There aren’t that many specialists where I live. Ended up waiting 5 months for a specialist last year. Maybe I’ll get lucky and someone will cancel. When I did the closed eye test, my right eye was stronger. And I saw better with both eyes open than I did with the droopy eyelid.0
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I shall look forward eagerly to hear about the eyelid surgery from both of you! It's not on my current "to do" list but could be!
I went to try to change the appointment with my throat doctor, which is usually easy, and there are NO appointments available. I hope he's not leaving! If he is that means I've let this go too long I guess. Of course I haven't lost my voice once since I last saw him so I figured it wasn't yet urgent. Hopefully if he is leaving - even if it's just to go downtown - he'll be able to refer me to someone.
Pam - so very very sorry about your DH! No results for 4 weeks? Wow! Someone used to being good with numbers has to be really struggling with the loss of that skill!0 -
Maryanne, if your doctor moves to downtown, would you consider following him to a new location. That’s what I’d do if the distance was reasonable, particularly if I only went yearly.0
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Maryanne, if your doctor moves to downtown, would you consider following him to a new location. That’s what I’d do if the distance was reasonable, particularly if I only went yearly.
Probably not as long as there are still throat specialists at the Hopkins enclave out here. I really really REALLY do not like driving downtown to Hopkins (and probably haven't driven downtown for any reason in 15 or 20 years).
If he is leaving I'm hoping he's telling his patients as he's seeing them for the last time who else is available.0 -
You could ask him out right. Just say if you ever leave here, who would you recommend? At least then you’ll have a heads up.0
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There are now more appointments listed for him. YEAH! The a/c in my van is out and the first appointment I can get is next Tuesday so I think I'll reschedule one more time but plan and telling him I want to (finally) schedule the procedure on my vocal chords. It's probably past time. Apparently they only do the permanent "fix" if you like how it feels with the first procedure they do (I think of it as the temporary procedure). I've got a few more questions but it's probably time to move on that now that we're out of the worst of the pandemic.0
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If this is the doctor you have confidence in, scheduling the procedure with him sounds wise. If he leaves down the road before you do it, you could be stuck with whoever stays with the practice.0
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Happy Independence Day! We aren’t planning to do anything special today, but I might watch some of the fireworks displays on TV tonight. It’s just too hot to attend in person around here, lol!
I have nothing new going on, but I did want to check in. I hope you two are doing well.0 -
Happy 4th of July! The a/c is out in my van and I can't get an appointment until next week so other than feeding the colonies I'm sticking close to home.
Some facts about the 4th of July!
INDEPENDENCE DAY HISTORY - July 4th
Independence Day in the United States commemorates the country’s independence from British rule on July 4, 1776. The day marks the formation of the Declaration of Independence, a document that declared the colonies’ independence from Great Britain and outlined the principles of freedom, democracy, and the idea of self-governance that have come to be associated with the United States.
Signed by the Continental Congress, a group of representatives from the 13 colonies, on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence stated that the colonies were “free and independent states” and listed a number of grievances against the British monarchy, including the lack of representation in the British government, excessive taxation, and the use of troops to enforce laws and suppress civil liberties.
The Declaration of Independence was a key moment in the American Revolution, a conflict that lasted from 1775 to 1783 and ended with the defeat of the British and the founding of the U.S. as its own nation. The Fourth of July has been celebrated as Independence Day in the United States ever since.
• 1777 – The First Anniversary – Bristol, Rhode Island, fired thirteen gunshots in salute: once in the morning and once again in the evening. Philadelphia hosted an official dinner for the Continental Congress. There were also toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decorated with red, white, and blue bunting.
• 1778 – General George Washington gave his soldiers a double ration of rum and an artillery salute. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin hosted a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.
• 1779 – Since the holiday fell on a Sunday, celebrations were held on Monday, July 5th.
• 1781 – The Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize July 4th as a state celebration.
1783 – Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, celebrated with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. The work was titled “The Psalm of Joy.”
• 1791 – The first recorded use of the name “Independence Day” occurred.
• 1820 – Eastport Main held the first Fourth of July celebration, and it remains the largest in the state.
• 1870 – The United States Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.
• 1938 – The United States Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.
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CNN's Independence Day quiz (being a Hamilton fanatic did NOT hurt LOL!)
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2024/07/us/cnn-5-things-independence-day-2024-quiz-sec/0 -
I ordered two books on Amazon. The Planner looks very useful to gather all the information together. The second book is a general estate planning book. Both will be helpful.Helene, here’s the link to the one I bought. There are others at various price points, but I liked this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1441317295?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
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I ordered two books on Amazon. The Planner looks very useful to gather all the information together. The second book is a general estate planning book. Both will be helpful.Helene, here’s the link to the one I bought. There are others at various price points, but I liked this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1441317295?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
DH was responsible for his dad's estate. It was a ton of work so I insisted my dad use his lawyer and when the time came I was SO glad I did!1 -
I am still driving my 2004 toyota sienna because I love it. Right this minute I'm driving a rental because my van wouldn't start at the grocery store Friday and had to be towed. I took the seats out the day I bought it and use it like a truck. It's been having some issues so at some point I know I'm going to need another. Starting in 2021 you can no longer take the seats out so I'm looking for a 2020 or earlier. I think it's time to get serious about looking. I realized I don't have to trade this one in - it would be worth next to nothing - which really frees me up to start looking. I need to contact my "secret source" (I'm a lawyer; you do the math; LOL!) and see what advice she has and then start looking. There's a web site where you can put in all your specs and it will show you used cars that are available. I think it's time to start moving on that.0
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I just rid of my 2002 Highlander. I had thought about donating it but it needed new tires and had some corrosion underneath from road salts. I didn’t want to sell it for the same reason in case it would breakdown on a new owner. I ended up gifting it my friend Mel. He had a work van with 240, 000 miles on it. Mine had 170,000 miles. I kept it 22 years because I loved it. It had all the bells and whistles when I bought it. My favorite feature was a 6 CD changer. I listen to a lot of audiobooks so I could load half a book in the player without having to feed another disc in. With the tire issue, I figured it would cost at least $1,000 and I didn’t want sink that kind of money into and old car. I only drove it $3,000 miles a year the last few years. Mel was thrilled because it was much better than what he was driving. Win/Win. I haven’t decided what I want to replace it with yet. I’m in no rush.0
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Interesting that you both are considering new(er) vehicles. I’ve also been looking at various models. You may recall that when I had my car crash 2 1/2 years ago we were still dealing with a severe shortage of available cars, both new and used. My 2011 Hyundai Sonata was totaled and I needed a new vehicle. I had really enjoyed that car and hadn’t planned to replace it for at least another 2-3 years so I hadn’t been looking at cars at all. In the end we bought a Honda CRV because the dealership near us had one coming in within 2 weeks that had my exact specifications as to color, interior, and options. It was the first time I bought a car without even sitting in or test driving it first. It’s a nice car, but I’ve never been really happy with it. I don’t find the seats to be very comfortable for long road trips, though it’s fine for running around town. So I’ve been looking on-line at various SUV’s and making a chart to compare features that are important to me. If I ever get my settlement out of the car crash, I plan to buy a new vehicle that I hope I will like better than the one I have now. Right now, the front runner is the Hyundai Tucson but I haven’t test driven one yet so it might not survive the next round of narrowing down my choices.0
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Helene - I am really really REALLY going to miss my CD player. I'll probably buy a portable one and keep it in the car. Now that I no longer commute for work I don't listen to audiobooks but I have dozens and dozens of music CDs.
Pam - be sure to drive the Hyundai. This Hyundai rental (Santa Fe) has convinced me I don't want to go anywhere near a Hyundai. I know that's a gross overgeneralization but this vehicle is awful.0 -
I bought a car today which I’ll pick up next week. The dealer has to add a couple items onto the car and get it registered. We went back to Toyota and I was looking at pre-owned vehicles. I was leaning towards a Camry because I had two previous Camrys before I purchased my 2002 Highlander. I looked at and drove a Camry, a Highlander and a Venza. All were nice cars but I ended up buying the Highlander. It’s a 2021 model with 25,000 miles. I drove the same route each time and the Highlander gave the smoothest ride. Th Camry and Venda’s were hybreds which was an attractive feature but the Highlander got my vote. I owned the previous one 20 years and they hadn’t made major changes. The Camry was very different from my previous models.
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Maryanne, now I’m curious! Please tell me more about the car you’re driving and what features you dislike so much. It might help me when I test drive the Tucson and other vehicles. I genuinely enjoyed my Hyundai Sonata so much and was really sorry it was totaled in the crash. The Honda CRV I drive now is much newer and has a lot of safety features I had to get accustomed to. At first I didn’t like them but I’ve gradually gotten more comfortable with them and now I don’t mind them.0
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One of the safety features the car I’m getting is a blind spot warning. We had that feature in a leased truck a few years ago and assumed the next truck had it. It didn’t. It works by letting you know someone is in the blind spot by a flashing light on the side mirror and an audible alert. It also has a radar feature connected to cruise control. If the car gets too close to the car in front, the radar feature slows the car down. I’m all for safety features. My old car had none.0
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My CRV has a lot of safety features my old car lacked, and they took some getting used to. I like the blind spot warning, especially in an SUV because visibility isn’t as good as in a sedan. I’m still getting used to the lane keeping assist feature and not exactly in love with it because I think it’s a little too sensitive. It’s especially annoying in areas where there is or has been recent construction and the lanes have been restriped because that seems to confuse the lane keeping sensors, giving me warnings that I’m drifting from my lane when, in fact, I am not. The forward-looking radar that works with my cruise control has also given me a few problems, though overall it’s a good feature. It also works to cause the car to brake for you if it thinks you’re too close to another car, even if I’m not using cruise control at the time. That took me by surprise once when a car turned in front of me and the car abruptly stopped itself without my input (I saw the car turning and didn’t think I was close enough to it to require action on my part, but my car thought otherwise, lol!). I really like the backup camera and sensors that let you know about cross traffic, but again, it is so sensitive that sometimes blowing shrubbery or trees are sometimes misinterpreted by the car as traffic.0
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I bought a car today which I’ll pick up next week. The dealer has to add a couple items onto the car and get it registered. We went back to Toyota and I was looking at pre-owned vehicles. I was leaning towards a Camry because I had two previous Camrys before I purchased my 2002 Highlander. I looked at and drove a Camry, a Highlander and a Venza. All were nice cars but I ended up buying the Highlander. It’s a 2021 model with 25,000 miles. I drove the same route each time and the Highlander gave the smoothest ride. Th Camry and Venda’s were hybreds which was an attractive feature but the Highlander got my vote. I owned the previous one 20 years and they hadn’t made major changes. The Camry was very different from my previous models.
A HIghlander sounds like a great choice! You'll have to let us know how you like it.0 -
Maryanne, now I’m curious! Please tell me more about the car you’re driving and what features you dislike so much. It might help me when I test drive the Tucson and other vehicles. I genuinely enjoyed my Hyundai Sonata so much and was really sorry it was totaled in the crash. The Honda CRV I drive now is much newer and has a lot of safety features I had to get accustomed to. At first I didn’t like them but I’ve gradually gotten more comfortable with them and now I don’t mind them.
I was SO glad to return the rental car. I didn't like the "key fob" idea; I've read that's great for robbers. I didn't like the fact that the speed limit and the speed you're driving are reflected on the windshield in front of you. We never did figure out how the emergency brake works. I didn't like the lack of a fuel gauge (it supposedly shows you remaining mileage). I didn't like that the seat moves (jerks backward) when you turn off the ignition. If your foot's on the brake it can be wrenched off the brake in a hurry. I didn't like that the gauges become cameras. I didn't like the push button gears (keep in mind my current car is the first car I ever owned that has automatic transmission). Basically there was not a single thing about the daggone car that would make me think "I'd like to own this as my next vehicle".
I didn't have it long enough to need to try headlights or windshield wipers (thank goodness) or defrosters. I didn't even have to add gas to it. (I disliked it so much I started thinking of it as being here just in case a cat needed to go to the Pet ER and nothing else.)0
