I would tell you I'm getting better, If I could Tell.

One time I was discussing my medications with my Doctor and he asked me how it was going with my current medications.  I told him that the only time I could tell was when I forgot to take it.  He told me that is exactly what they are aiming at.  That is a lot like I feel right now.  I am on a blood thinner Xerelto and I can't feel the effects at all.  What I can tell is that every day I feel a little better and am returning to normal - What ever the Hell Normal is. 

I have to tell myself that this is one of those times I need to find courage, bravery and intelligence.  I do need to have the courage to get up now and then and do something.  I want to control my bravery so I don't hurt anything and it helps if I can find the intelligence to know when to apply each.   A good example is that there is a broken branch that I would describe as a dead man hanging in a tree right outside the dinning room door.  I even hauled my rope up to hook it to the tree and help the branch fall.  My better half told me to get away from there and leave it to fall where it might.  Great advice but not what I would have done a short couple of months ago.  Dang, I hate to get old.

I called my brother in Oklahoma the other day and told him about this little adventure that put me in the hospital for a week,  He said that just the day before he told one of his co-workers that I was still out driving the tractor and doing all the mowing.  Sure wish I was up to that.  Not today.

Brothers MUD and Rick

Just how much trouble can I get into with a tractor? Lots!

My mother for years had an irregular heart beat and was on warfarin.  For a long while I would have to take her into the Lab and have weekly tests run to see how it was doing.  Now, I am on Xerelto and there is no lab test needed.  I guess the newer medicine is pretty darned good, But I can't tell.  Kind of like the blood clots in the lungs, it was not the disease that I could tell, but the symptoms.  I guess I'll find out Monday when I go to see my Doctor.   The Health Care system has notified me that the results of all the tests are available on line but then doesn't tell me squat about the results.  Oh well, Monday.

Mom and her brother in the Good Old Days

Here is a few of the lesser known facts that I have read this week.  Of the total income to our government, 71% goes to pay entitlements.  That is about the amount they really take in and it as to borrow the rest.  Somehow, as little as I like Chris Christy from New Jersey, He is right that we need to address income and outgo.  For years, everyone has hollered, Not in My Back Yard and has made even the discussion hard. 

Specifically, Governor Christy has challenged that Social Security is one program that has no, if any needs testing for the majority of you out there.  Clearly, what he is proposing will have little effect on people like our parents that  have SSOC Sec  it as their main source of income.  He wouldn't suggest that it even gets looked at until the person makes $80,000 a year.  It wouldn't get eliminated until the person makes $180,000.  

Just so you will remember, the Legislators in Washington raided the Social Security Trust fund years ago and what we all thought was our savings were spent.  Today the income to the fund just barely exceeds the outgo.  This just highlights my level of trust in the government.

Have I told you about my Social Security payments?  I paid in the 7% each year I worked in the Private sector.  I had the necessary number of quarters to qualify prior to joining the Civil Service system. After I was retired from there, I also worked in the Private sector and paid the full amount to Social Security.   I sat down with one of the Social Security workers and was told that my Civil Service and Military retirement (from the Guard) almost eliminates any payment I should get from Soc Security. I sure as heck didn't have a discounted rate on what I paid.  Doesn't seem fair but who said life was fair.

I guess, one of the problems I would make Congress face is the old question of a balanced budget.  Not the fake kind that the Clinton's touted where the income and outgo were equal, but one that takes steps to start reducing the deficit we have run up over the years.  Oh well. 

MUD