Not So Silent Saturday . . the stuff of my week

This week’s been a wild ride – both personally and generally. From doing some of my best quick thinking to convince doctors to spring me from the joys of not-so-patient-patient-status three days ahead of schedule, to the renewed national health care finance reform debate and all it means for our aging, I had to step lively to stay on top of it all.

Hope the stuff of your week’s been just as interesting.

The Patient Has Left The Building

This time last week, I was deep into a drug-induced pain control stupor. Timing wasn’t the best, but that stupor thing was a total joy.

Of course, a day later, I was in true “Patient from Hell” form resorting to every trick I’d ever mastered in the “Get Out Of Hospital Early” game. And it worked! By Monday noon, I was once more a free woman.

Actually, I was a slow moving, slightly achey free woman who couldn’t quite fit back into my pants the way I had before this fun journey. And, I had  several days of backlogged work ahead of me. Why, I wonder, does it always take longer to catch up than to just ………… oh well.

I realize there’s a great deal to be said for patience, and letting go of any self-imposed “needs” to wear myself to a frazzle over things that simply aren’t worth the energy. (I know, a little contradictory. So, I’m working on it.)

I’m just glad to be home with my critters, and human friends and family. Besides, hospitals aren’t healthy places.

I’ll be the first to acknowledge, however, how very grateful I am that that little community hospital was there when I needed it. Here’s to Licking Memorial and the amazing staff that brought me back from the brink. I’ll deal with the new scar in my own good time.

. . . . . . . . . .

Why is it, do you think, that patience for feeling out of sorts has a shorter and shorter fuse the older we get? I figure I just have too much life waiting to be lived outside the health care world to waste my time unnecessarily inside.

How about you? Are you as terrible a patient as I? Come on. Spill it. How far have you gone to get out of a hospital and back to living (as long as you didn’t do it before you were ready)?

And The Health Care Finance Reform Debate Rages On

Health care reform was one of the top stories in the news this week (strangely reminiscent of 8 or so years ago). The names of some of the top players have changed, though, so it’s a whole new ball game.

And given the current state of national and personal finances, this game looks to be a very interesting one.

The major question I have as a woman who’s over 55 and aging, with several pre-existing conditions, is how are these anticipated reforms – whatever they end up being – going to take on the challenges of our aging population (i.e., Me and Thee) in an affordable, comprehensive way?

Apparently, that’s a question a lot of other people have, too – and for good reason: We have an aging population.

As more people retire and fewer are hired to take their place, we’re heading to a time when the number of workers paying the payroll taxes that support Social Security and Medicare won’t be enough to cover promised retiree benefits.

Add to that the current recession and attendant job losses, and Social Security looks to be over-burdened by 2016. The Medicare trust fund, on the other hand, probably won’t hit bottom till a year later – 2017.

The good thing is that the mega-healthcare-muckety-mucks AND the the insurance wheeler-dealers AND the pharmaceutical giant power-broking-types AND our beloved representatives in Washington are finally starting to recognize that huffing, puffing, and stomping their feet isn’t going to work any more.

That means they might just start talking. And maybe, if we’re very very lucky, that talking could even lead to some sort of action that would benefit those they serve rather than just themselves.

Anyway, that raises some interesting questions about health care, aging, and life in general for the coming years, don’t you think? Just imagine how you might fit into some of the options.

Given a limited source of finances to fund health care services and a growing population with growing needs that expects unlimited services:

Who’s going to win and who’s going to lose?

What will be covered, and what won’t?

What can each of us do to make sure our voices are heard – and paid attention to – in the bedlam that will decide our health care fate? (Gosh that sounds pessimistic. But, I did want to get your attention.)

Anyway, make your voice heard: Email, call, write your representatives in Washington. Tell your doctors what you think – not that you don’t already. Get involved locally and/or nationally if you’re able. Just DO SOMETHING!

Sun City‘s Turning 50!

Finally, I just heard this morning that that amazing experiment in segregated aging – Sun City, Arizona (i.e., the first retirement community ever!) is turning 50.

Love it or hate it, this is the plan that set the country on its ear 50 odd years ago. Would you believe encouraging old people (okay, people at least 55 years old . . people a year younger than I am) to move out the Arizona desert in a segregated “no kids wanted” community structure was thought to be the largest social experiment the country had ever seen?! It’s true.

It was advertised back then as offering affordable, age-restricted living. And people are still moving in.

Now I have to admit that I have real problems with segregating one generation from another – or all others. It just doesn’t make sense to me. From the sound of it, however, Sun City offers every possible amenity – minus everyone less than 55 years old.

So it isn’t for me. That’s fine.

What are your thoughts about age restricted living in general, and Sun City to be specific?

Have you experienced  Sun City – or someplace similar – for yourself?

Would you consider living in a community like Sun City?

What are your thoughts? I can’t wait to hear them.

Keep growing my friend!

Gail

Tagged as: age-restricted living, Aging, health care, health care finance reform, Licking Memorial, Medicare, patience, retire, retirement, retirement community, Social Security, Sun City