At Last . . .

At last I was able to get Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate to run games again.  No not any special games, uploads and that sort, just the games that comes with the software.

I do not know how I got it to come back.  I tried all the tricks, downloading KB files form Microsoft that had fixes in them, turning the games on and off several times.  Rebooting again and again and installing more fixes to the software.

I had had a virus attack and had to resort to reload of the Windows 7 Ultimate software.  I lost a lot of stuff but had a lot of stuff backed up.  So I have all my old files, just got to reload them here and there.  Back ups work!

But in the process somewhere along the way Microsoft decided I did not need the games.  I found that they had issued a KB file, a fix if you will that they later had to unfix.  It literally turned off the games and other stuff.  So I saw all the discussion on that here and there.  I was unable to find the errant KB file and that seemed to indicate the fix had found it and eradicated it.  The discussion said that would happen, that the errant file would just disappear (of course I never found it in the updates, and there are about 90 to 100 updates, fixes, etc. to get the system back where it was before).

All the pundits said the games were there,  And they were.  They have appeared and I have used Solitaire again.  I play Klondike exclusively, not the other games at all.

What is irritating is that the formats have changed a bit here and there.  I have a copy of XP Office, and the package reloads even though it is XP software. Microsoft sends out a host of changes and makes it compatible with current software.  I suspect the same basic stuff is used, just some compatibility updates are changed.  Then you go through a bunch of updates.  But when you open the software to use it the format or appearance has changed somewhat.  I am sure some of that is in self configuration that I can change but that is a ton of work.

I use a Logitech mouse and key board.  Logitcch software conflicts with Windows but the key board and the mouse work just fine.  So I had to get rid of those files.  That conflict is gone.

Since I have updated, reloaded my virus checker, I have captured no less than two Trojan Horse applications.  And some how another virus checker appeared, 360 and it has caught a couple of problems too. 

So be aware crap is floating around everywhere all the time.  I now delete all address for forwarding mail.  It seems that is a favorite spot for viruses to hide.  Anyway, back to operating and still fixing.

More on Annuity . . .

Our little annuity is a joint annuity, not common, indeed rare is a problem in and of itself.  So we had to do the paper work all over again because Judie is the primary and I am the secondary on the annuity.  It has got to be in the right order or the insurance company does not accept it.

Then the original annuity insurance company wanted a certain form filled out.  But they would not give it to us.  T. Rowe Price, the overlay for the variable annuity said no such form is needed.  Security Benefits, the annuity primary insurance company, said you have the form filed out, but we will not talk to you, you can only talk to T. Rowe Price.  I call that a "Catch 22."

The new annuity insurance company helped us out, they had the secretive form.  They sent it to me and I printed it out.  But not before the computer decided it could not talk to the printer any more.  I had to reload the printer to the computer (and in fact it is now loaded twice).

The form sent us was an *,xps form.  I had to save it to the computer, pull it up in Microsoft Word to print it out.  That was a task in an of itself.  But we got it done.

Boy, annuity insurance companies are worse than banks.  They just do not want to give you your money.  The are PITA.

Anatomy of a VA Claim . . .

The Veterans Department has changed again.  I suppose change is a good thing but I am not so sure.

Before current procedure, one using one's SSN and Military serial number (which is your SSN), you filed your claim with the help of a Service Volunteer Organization (SVO) with the VA.  SVO's maintain offices in the VA facility and do face to face time with the VA staff.  There are a number of them, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and so on.  I am a life member of DAV and thus use their services.  And it is all free.

Well the VA has changed again.  Now one must file a VA form 21-526EZ.  It is a ten page form, six pages of how to fill it out and even that is not enough.  Then there is four pages to filled in.  The nice thing is that most of it can be filled in on line and printed out.  That makes it neat.

But you must sign it and have two witnesses to your signature.  So that is a burden finding someone to witness your signature.  Simple yes, finding someone is another matter.  You can not use your own family as a witness.  So you have to hunt up a neighbor willing to do the chore.  That adds a day or two delay in getting that form up to speed. 

Then you have to fill out the particular form for which you are making a claim.  In my case that is VA form 21-0960A-1 and get your doctor to sign it.  That usually entails a doctors appointment (not an uncostly event) but the good news is the doctors are cooperative.  The doctors have all been beaten to death by Obamacare and VA to comply.  There are laws you know.

Then you have to collect up the supporting documents, test reports, medical reports etc.  Even though you do that and place all the cogent documents together and ship everything off to the VA, you will get a follow up letter from the VA asking for more information.  Standard procedure.

Presuming you send enough data to the VA they may or may not chose to do a Compensation and Pension examination.  Most of the time the VA uses an independent contractor to do the examination.  Sometimes it is specialized like audio examination.  And sometimes the VA elects to do the exam themselves, you never know which will occur.  And sometimes your data is in and of its self sufficient to preclude further examination.

I do not know what will happen in my case.  I have a Cardiologist that has diagnosed me with Atherosclerosis (hardening of the heart arteries).  The VA can not deny such a diagnosis.  And since I have included the Computing Tomography Angiogram report and the Cardiologist's own Nuclear Stress test, the VA may request I go off and do a further examination.  But they can not deny the facts of the present data and diagnosis.  Thank goodness I have Medicare and Tricare for Life or I would have been out of pocket a ton of money for the examinations and doctors visits.

So I will get the VA form 21-526EZ witnessed, place it and the other forms and  documents in an envelop and ship it off to the DAV at Waco VA Regional Office.  I am sure the DAV will look it over and them move it on to the VA for action.

Then we begin the count down of getting adjudication of the claim.  My hearing claim was relatively simple and took about three months.  I was given a rating of 10% for my Tinnitus but when that was added into the existing group of Service Connected Disabilities, it did not make a change to my over all rating of 90%.  I do not know the out come of the potential rating, if it is 10%, probably no change in my overall rating.  However, if the VA determines my new Service Connected Disability is 30%, them the ball game changes, I will probably be elevated to the rating of 100%.

We shall see what happens.

Gonna Get Hot . . .

It  hit 101 degrees yesterday and is gonna do it again today.  We picked today to cut the grass.  That includes cutting with a riding mower, not to bad in and of itself, edging and blowing with some hand sweeping.  Those are the sweat makers.  Gotta be done.

We had a nice visit from Judie's niece, Joan and her husband Dale from Pearland, TX.  They were on there way to pick son Jonathan from Boy Scout camp in the local area.  We had a nice four day stay and visit.  Really enjoyed them and later Jonathan too.

They headed out yesterday in all that heat for Houston and home.  They were looking for a Burger King, apparently Jonathan had a bad hankering for their food.  Burger King for some reason has gone broke in the Fort Worth area.  All their places are closed and morfed into something different now.  Lots of Jack-in-the-Boxes, McDonalds and others but no Burger Kings here.  One Burger King I know of is now an Emergency Clinic.  Even Chic-fe-let is going strong but no Burger Kings.

Getting ready for the next cutting stage.  That would be weed eating around trees and spots the lawn mower can not get to.

Drip, drip, wipe, drip.

CTA . . .

CTA means Computed Tomography Angiography.  A fancy term or name for a very fancy X-ray machine that looks at your heart or other parts of your body like lungs.  In my case it was looking at the heart and the arteries that service the heart.

The out come of the test is a Calcium Score.  A Radiologist must examine the X-rays and do their thing.  It is not a single picture, it may be several thousand shots of the heart and computer joins them up.  This makes a precise picture so the Radiologist can assess the situation.  And the machine circles your torso, so they can see the backsides, the sides and the front of the heart.

I had one of these done about a year ago here in Fort Worth.  The precision in this case was 1/64th of an inch.  That is how small the slices are that go into the picture.  While I do not know the Calcium Score from that test it prompted my Cardiologist to do a Nuclear Stress test.  But I blew through the Nuclear Stress test with no apparent restrictions to my heart or its servicing arteries.

He said, "Well maybe that is just one of those things.  See me next year."  And I did, and he immediately he had me do another Nuclear Stress test. 

Again I blew through the test peaking at a METs of 7.  I was asked by the nurse conducting the test if I wanted to go higher and I replied, "No, if 7 METs was good enough."

So now they sent me off to another CTA except this time the Siemens X-ray machine can achieve a precision of 1/256th of an inch.  This allows the Cardiologist and Radiologist to see down into the Lumen of the artery and into the inner artery.  They can then somewhat measure the stenosis.  That means the amount of restriction, if there is one.

I did a bit of research and the Calcium build up increases with age and I am of age.  All the reading material was talking about men that were between 50 and 60 years of age and I am well beyond that age.

But if one has a Calcium Score of less than a 100 that seems to be okay.  The maximum score is 400.  Those persons that have a score between 100 and 300 are the target group.  It is said that if you have plaque build up from Calcium (the CTA can not measure plaque formed from Lipids only Calcium) then they treat you.

The treatment is a Statin, a Beta Blocker, an ACE Inhibitor and a baby or full sized Aspirin.  I have been taking the treatment for years.

If the Calcium build up is on your heart valves the valves can be removed and replaced taking care of that problem.

Of interest I am of high risk because I am Diabetic, family has a history of heart problems and I am treated for high blood pressure.  Couple that with age things can get worse.

The out come of the CTA is a non-invasive Angiogram.  The next step may be a regular Angiography and Angioplasty where they can install a stent if necessary.  That is an invasive procedure.  The procedure is more risky.

Finally, I exercise regularly with walking and I am asymptomatic, meaning I do not have an symptoms like Angina.  I do not have heart burn or other chest pains or pains across my shoulders.  Blood pressure is treated and under control

So now we wait the results.  Could be that I do indeed have Coronary Artery Disease (the VA calls that Ischemic Heart Disease or IHD).  So if things are positive for the disease, then I will file with the VA for another Service Connected disability related to Agent Orange.  I would rather not have the disease but . . .