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Monday, December 28, 2015

What to do with the rest of the day after a 9:30 a.m. eye doctor appointment


I’ve been on Medicare these many years, plus supplemental private insurance. In the olden days, when I was under insured anyway and did not carry a vision plan, I had my eyes checked every two or three years.  The first eye doctor visit after I’d rolled through the obligatory sixty five years, and the youngster checking me in asked for my insurance cards, I demurred. “My insurance doesn’t cover that,” I explained. And in return was told Medicare would check my eyes once a year.

This year, however, the technician asked the reason for my visit, and I replied my annual visit. She responded my doctor had scheduled me annually for these several years because of my cataracts, “but you don’t have those anymore.”  We settled on dry eyes, which are the truth, and the exam proceeded.

It was still overcast and raining as I came home, so I only needed one pair of sunglasses to offset the numbing and dilating drops. Though I drive right past the town hall, I didn’t go to work. I only have two tiny jobs to get done before Wednesday’s payroll, and they can keep till then. I never like waiting for my eyes to return to normal, and less so at work.

I did decide to weave some more on the scarves. I’ve finished six seventy to ninety inch scarves since we put the new warp on the loom three weeks ago, with another almost done. After those initial painful sessions I can weave about an hour at a time. Not without hurting, but in a more weaverly fashion. I’m now convinced there’s more arthritis going on in my shoulder and arm than broken bone recuperation, and when I visit the arthritis doctor in January I will slap my disc of shoulder x-rays on his desk and say “Do something, please.”

When I see the physical therapist tomorrow, I will astound him again with progress brought about by toughing out the weaving. With my arm fully extended I have about eighty percent of all motion down pat. This morning the young technician checking me in stopped about half way through all the new computer stuff, clasped her hands behind her back at her waist, stretched her arms straight and lifted them chest high.

I got up from the chair and tried it myself. I only reached bottom of my rib cage height, but I’m making progress.

And, I’ve spend the rest of the afternoon wondering how I am going to set up an inventory accounting system so I can figure cost of goods sold for this year’s taxes. Note how brilliantly I’ve avoided it for another day.




31 comments:

  1. Procrastination,done well, is a joy to behold.
    Jane x

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  3. I didn't know Medicare paid anything for eye exams. They do pay for my retina specialist, but not my optometrist. Sounds like you're healing pretty well.

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  4. Yes progress. That is good. We were shocked when my husband went on Medicare. Didn't know you had to pay for it. Thought we'd been paying for it all along. Death and taxes. So true. They get us coming and going. I'm waiting for a breathing tax.

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  5. Medicare remains a mystery to me (despite our nearly 2 hour phone call the final day of open enrollment)... I didn't know they paid for any thing vision... except for about $15 towards new lenses when I had my cataract removed. But... so glad you are getting along okay... still sounds like you have more mental strength than physical... take care.

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  6. Never put off til tomorrow what you can put off until the day after tomorrow.

    Heal fast!

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  7. I really hate those numbing dilating eye drops. I need new glasses, but I'm putting it off. I don't drive so I'm not a danger on the roads at least.
    I haven't clasped my hands behind my back in years, and I'm sure I couldn't lift them like that. I'm not going to even try. Well, maybe I will.

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  8. I just tried the arms behind the back thingie. I am not going to admit how little movement I had. But will keep working on it. Thank you and your technician.

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  9. You are brave to be driving while your eyes are dilated. I usually can't see very well. You are progressing quickly with your arm too.

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  10. Good to get the eyes checked out; need to do so, but need to make sure hubby will be available to drive me home while waiting for those drops wear off. Glad to see you are doing a bit with range of motion with your arm; hoping the doctor will have some answers about how to help your arthritis when you see him next month.

    betty

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  11. I will be signing up for Medicare this year! But because of a really, really tight budget I will be happy with just the minimum!!

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  12. Now I know why I will see you on the first. Cost of Good. i am ready.

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  13. After getting to work at 6:30 a.m. and taking my morning break at 9:30 for 40 years, I was --upon retirement 7 years ago-- astonished to learn there are no such hours. I will accept no appointments, especially eye exams, before 10 a.m., which DOES exist. No early-rising optometrist can make an accurate assessment of eyes that have earned the right to stay closed until mid-morning.

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    1. When I retired, but began working for the township, I faithfully kept office hours for a year or so. Then I realized I was getting yesterday's mail at the post office every morning. When they began opening at 9 am, that was it for me. Now I don't even get up until 8. But I do get up at 7:30 to keep a 9:30 appointment.

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  14. I've had those wretched eye drops, and came out almost blinded.

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  15. Oh taxes...yikes. Happy New Year ;-)

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  16. My husband and I will be going on Medicare in the coming year for the first time. I am a little shocked at how much it is going to cost. Anyway - bravo to you for your determination in healing and rehab. So much of healing seems to be about attitude.

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  17. You are a pro at procrastination....

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  18. Wonderful how you recover - and that day was a bonus for working so hard although it hurts.
    I wish that you recover completely soon! (And find your way through those tax forms.

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  19. We have a saying here Joanne - never do today what you can easily put off until tomorrow. Happy New Year to you all.

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  20. dry eyes? when I had my eye exam last April, the doc told me the dame thing, that some of the glands in my eyes were clogged or blocked and did I have pain. well, yes, they felt often like I never really woke up or a little grainy. he recommended fish oil so I opted for krill oil which is supposed to be better and you don't need as much. since I can't swallow pills much bigger than my little fingernail, I got the 300 mg gel caps and take two or three a ay and it has really helped so you might think about trying that.

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  21. The american health care system frightens me

    Happy new yer btw x

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  22. I find that having three cats keeps me nimble - seriously. Stooping to change litter boxes. Getting down on, and up from, the floor where I brush them. Hauling the large bags of litter when I get groceries. Up and down the stairs to move them around (one is kept separate from the other two) several times a day. Your weaving sounds like cat ownership to me ... built-in exercise. Hah. Keep up the good work, Joanne.

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  23. Well, at least you are making progress. It's nice to have such a nice hobby like weaving. You are so creative.

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  24. Happy New year old bean , hoping 2016 will be a cracker xxxxxxx

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  25. Happy New Year : your busy and active life is an inspiration to us all. Perhaps I should take up weaving to help my hand recover!

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  26. Happy new year, hope it's wonderful.

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  27. I'm really glad you're doing so well with the arm. And a happy new year!

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  28. I'm really glad you're doing so well with the arm. And a happy new year!

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