I've Been Chided, Nay Scolded . . .

Yup, scolded for not writing in my Blog. I kind of quit because I never get any feed back. So it is sort of like posting into never never land, all out go and no return.

We had a good Christmas. Limited for us, we are getting too old now days, little patience to shop and so we lapse into the check writing mode. That's okay, it works. Cash for the youngsters and a couple of special gifts for the grandchildren, the get the last of the attention getters.

Judie has been on a medical onslaught since her return from Madison. She arrived back feeling so bad, we stopped at the emergency clinic on the way home. They confirmed she had Pneumonia. I called it airplane Pneumonia - the germs get spread into the aircraft's cooling system (really a recirculating heating system) and spreads about to all passengers. The passengers are trapped and remain in the contaminated atmosphere for the duration of the flight. Nothing they can do about it.

The PA that saw her wanted the doctor to look her over the next day. We returned and among other things she had an X-ray. The doctor confirmed it was indeed Pneumonia. Later another physician reviewed the X-ray and did not like what he saw and recommended she see a Pulmonary Specialist. She also had a blood test that next day and it show anemia. So they recommended a Hematologist too. All this was sent over to her (and mine too) GP, Dr. Reeve. The blood test also showed some kind of Thyroid problem and Dr. Reeve recommended she see an Endocrinologist.

She also had a Cat Scan done for the lung thing, then later a Iodine test for the Thyroid. Well it appears the Thyroid is putting out too much of what ever it does but she has yet to see the Endocrinologist (lousy staff at Dr. Reeves office is the cause of that).

Mean while she is still being treated by the Ophthalmologist for Cataracts. She sees him every two weeks, slow progress. Last visit they said her eyes were too dry and were going to put plugs in the tear ducts to improve that condition. Judie said, "You did that three years ago." Oh, they said, hummmm. "Well come back in two weeks." It has been over a year since the first surgery. They may soon get around to doing the Lasik tune up and BTW, the Thyroid problems may be part of the problem.

The beat goes on. This AM we were at the local hospital emergency room because she has developed a Unitary Track Infection. That is about the fourth time this year for that.

Me, I get a Email from the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). I had sent them a missive to enquire about my last visit/evaluation to the Dallas VA hospital seeking a ruling on non employability. I am a life member of DAV so they respond to me and are my agents on the scene so to speak. The message was short and to me disturbing. The Officer reported that it was being "evaluated" by the committee and that there was a new finding, or disability - Ischemic Heart Disease (IHS), it is yet another Agent Orange thing.

As best as I can tell the Dallas VA GP that evaluated me decided that all the drugs I was taking were in response of potential heart problems - Cholesterol drugs (2 each), Blood Pressure drug, a heart rate drug (my heart rate goes up under stress like running as one would normally expect but it does not come down like my blood pressure does), and a baby aspirin (to ward off heart attacks). So I think he concluded that the aggregate of those drugs indicated IHD. And IHD with Agent Orange implications is considered a Combat related disability - no Purple Hearts but a result of activities in Viet Nam and an indisputable rating.

So one of two things and maybe both of them are in the offing. I will be rated non employable (and that gets all my property taxes removed) and I may get to the magic 100% disability rating. 100% disability rating is the "big" rating in VA compensation. It results in almost a $1,000 per month increase in my current compensation. VA compensation is among other things totally tax free; it can not be taxed by either Federal or State/City entities. Sort of like manna from heaven.

I would, if I could, trade it all back for better health but that ain't gonna happen.

So, we are getting older, and older, and older. And try as we might our bodies are just not as good as they used to be.

Could it be that we are wearing out?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.