Wellness

[LilacTree]

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@shoesnbagswrote:

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@Abrowneyegirlwrote:

Are they ending all Long Term Care benefits for everyone or just you?

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@Abrowneyegirl

Don't worry, she's talking about her OWN long term care. Should have put the word "my" in the title. Reading it, it does sound as if all LTC is going away in 2025, lol. 

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@shoesnbags

Yes, sorry.  It was misleading.  I don't even know if this company offers the plan anymore.  I understand LTC insurance was not a moneymaker for insurance companies.

I guess if you get sick relatively young with a chronic disease that takes years to kill you, that's probably not an advantage for the insurance company.  I doubt I will make 87, as these autoimmune diseases multiply and accelerate with time.  I have aged ten years in this past year, both externally and internally. 

[Evie2004]

I just paid $600. for a direct cremation for my brother..it included everything, the funeral home owns it's own crematory. Of course, there was no visitation, for that price, but other items, such as special decorative urns were available for a very reasonable cost.

That cost is available at various funeral homes in our metropolitan area.

[Trinity11]

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@LilacTreewrote:

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@shoesnbagswrote:

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@Abrowneyegirlwrote:

Are they ending all Long Term Care benefits for everyone or just you?

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@Abrowneyegirl

Don't worry, she's talking about her OWN long term care. Should have put the word "my" in the title. Reading it, it does sound as if all LTC is going away in 2025, lol. 

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@shoesnbags

Yes, sorry.  It was misleading.  I don't even know if this company offers the plan anymore.  I understand LTC insurance was not a moneymaker for insurance companies.

I guess if you get sick relatively young with a chronic disease that takes years to kill you, that's probably not an advantage for the insurance company.  I doubt I will make 87, as these autoimmune diseases multiply and accelerate with time.  I have aged ten years in this past year, both externally and internally. 

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O/T. @LilacTree, how did your doctor visit go today? I have been thinking of you. I hope he can resolve your inability to eat. The gastroparesis seems to be a very large part of your discomfort. Please know that I understand how hard this is for you.

As far as aging, you will always be pretty.... Let me know when you can how you are feeling.

[LilacTree]

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@Trinity11wrote:

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@LilacTreewrote:

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@shoesnbagswrote:

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@Abrowneyegirlwrote:

Are they ending all Long Term Care benefits for everyone or just you?

---

@Abrowneyegirl

Don't worry, she's talking about her OWN long term care. Should have put the word "my" in the title. Reading it, it does sound as if all LTC is going away in 2025, lol. 

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@shoesnbags

Yes, sorry.  It was misleading.  I don't even know if this company offers the plan anymore.  I understand LTC insurance was not a moneymaker for insurance companies.

I guess if you get sick relatively young with a chronic disease that takes years to kill you, that's probably not an advantage for the insurance company.  I doubt I will make 87, as these autoimmune diseases multiply and accelerate with time.  I have aged ten years in this past year, both externally and internally. 

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O/T. @LilacTree, how did your doctor visit go today? I have been thinking of you. I hope he can resolve your inability to eat. The gastroparesis seems to be a very large part of your discomfort. Please know that I understand how hard this is for you.

As far as aging, you will always be pretty.... Let me know when you can how you are feeling.

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@Trinity11

Thank you Trin.  I am going to try Linzess, and he wants me to double the Zantac.  If that doesn't work, we are going to do some kind of barium test next month.  Can't do endoscopies anymore because I had a bad reaction to propofol last time and I probably can't be anesthetized anymore.  They had to wake me during the procedure and I felt everything.  Not a good experience.

I have to accept that my chronic conditions are not going to improve anymore, the most I'm hoping for is a little less here and there.  Thanks again . . . you are a sweetheart.

[Trinity11]

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@LilacTreewrote:

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@Trinity11wrote:

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@LilacTreewrote:

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@shoesnbagswrote:

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@Abrowneyegirlwrote:

Are they ending all Long Term Care benefits for everyone or just you?

---

@Abrowneyegirl

Don't worry, she's talking about her OWN long term care. Should have put the word "my" in the title. Reading it, it does sound as if all LTC is going away in 2025, lol. 

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@shoesnbags

Yes, sorry.  It was misleading.  I don't even know if this company offers the plan anymore.  I understand LTC insurance was not a moneymaker for insurance companies.

I guess if you get sick relatively young with a chronic disease that takes years to kill you, that's probably not an advantage for the insurance company.  I doubt I will make 87, as these autoimmune diseases multiply and accelerate with time.  I have aged ten years in this past year, both externally and internally. 

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O/T. @LilacTree, how did your doctor visit go today? I have been thinking of you. I hope he can resolve your inability to eat. The gastroparesis seems to be a very large part of your discomfort. Please know that I understand how hard this is for you.

As far as aging, you will always be pretty.... Let me know when you can how you are feeling.

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@Trinity11

Thank you Trin.  I am going to try Linzess, and he wants me to double the Zantac.  If that doesn't work, we are going to do some kind of barium test next month.  Can't do endoscopies anymore because I had a bad reaction to propofol last time and I probably can't be anesthetized anymore.  They had to wake me during the procedure and I felt everything.  Not a good experience.

I have to accept that my chronic conditions are not going to improve anymore, the most I'm hoping for is a little less here and there.  Thanks again . . . you are a sweetheart.

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@LilacTreeJust wondering what he said about your being unable to eat anything? If you are unable to eat perhaps some kind of a supplemental form of nutrition?

Please don't give up and think that chronic conditions always have to get worse. A lot of the time they can be stabilized. I have had gastroparesis now for more than twenty years and never got worse. Considering all the auto-immune illnesses I have that is really a miracle in some ways. I was told by some doctor in my 20's I would never live to see my 40th birthday. Well, here I am about to turn 65 in just a few months. LOL

[LilacTree]

@Trinity11

When I told the doc I had to force myself to eat, he seemed concerned.  I also told him about the choking when I lose my breath.  This happens mostly with just plain water.  So the combination makes it hard for me to eat.

He wants me to eat more calories because of the weight I have lost.  He wants me to drink several protein drinks a day.  I already drink ProNourish once a day, but he said that is not enough.  So my daughter is going to pick up some Boost and Ensure.  I haven't eaten meat in so long, I doubt my stomach could handle it.

Despite what I say, I am a fighter, Trin.  But I'm hopeful all of this stuff will not be bad for my chronic illnesses and inflammation.  I guess we will see.

You have a wonderful attitude.  I can't imagine a doctor telling you in your 20s that you would only live to your 40s.  I think that's a horrible thing to do and I hope you never went back to him again.

I was told by a rheumatologist early in the game that I would only live about seven more years . . . but I was already in my sixties then!  Not my twenties!!  Well, we both proved them wrong, didn't we!!

[Trinity11]

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@LilacTreewrote:

@Trinity11

When I told the doc I had to force myself to eat, he seemed concerned.  I also told him about the choking when I lose my breath.  This happens mostly with just plain water.  So the combination makes it hard for me to eat.

He wants me to eat more calories because of the weight I have lost.  He wants me to drink several protein drinks a day.  I already drink ProNourish once a day, but he said that is not enough.  So my daughter is going to pick up some Boost and Ensure.  I haven't eaten meat in so long, I doubt my stomach could handle it.

Despite what I say, I am a fighter, Trin.  But I'm hopeful all of this stuff will not be bad for my chronic illnesses and inflammation.  I guess we will see.

You have a wonderful attitude.  I can't imagine a doctor telling you in your 20s that you would only live to your 40s.  I think that's a horrible thing to do and I hope you never went back to him again.

I was told by a rheumatologist early in the game that I would only live about seven more years . . . but I was already in my sixties then!  Not my twenties!!  Well, we both proved them wrong, didn't we!!

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@LilacTreeBack in the day I had to deal with male endocrinologists who had the doom and gloom attitude about diabetes. I wanted a baby and was told I would go blind or lose a limb or my kidneys would shut down. Well, I proved them wrong because I used to weigh my food during pregnancies and ate very healthy. Granted both children had some health issues but they are well and thriving now. I did lose one baby in a pregnancy but I just think of her as my little angel in heaven, waiting for me.

Hope you have a wonderful time this afternoon and you are feeling a bit better to go out...

[LilacTree]

@Trinity11

It was a woman RA doc who told me that.  She was wretched.  I then went to another woman RA doc in Philly at Jefferson and she examined me head to foot, and took measurements, and then looked at me with the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen and said "you will never have another day without pain for the rest of your life."

I finally went to another woman RA doc at Penn, who was wonderful.  Young, kind and so very gentle.  I thought "finally!"  Unfortunately she left her practice to go into research.

The others I went to were all male and had no interest in examining me at all, never even looked at my joints.  They just wanted to put me on the biologics, which I would not take.  They lost interest immediately.

So I was finally put on prednisone and I have forgotten who prescribed that.  Started on 15 mg and went to 10 mg, now down to 8 mg, which takes the edge off the pain, but I won't take more because of its side effects.

As I said before, doctors don't like to treat chronic diseases.  They don't really know what to do and they know it.  And, like you, I have accumulated more AI diseases along the way.  I don't even bother to go to RA docs anymore.

"And thas whut ah like about the South," said by Nick Nolte to Barbra Streisand in the movie "Prince of Tides."  That has nothing to do with our health, but I've always considered it a great line to end a battle.  LOL

[LilacTree]

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@Trinity11wrote:

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@LilacTreewrote:

@Trinity11

When I told the doc I had to force myself to eat, he seemed concerned.  I also told him about the choking when I lose my breath.  This happens mostly with just plain water.  So the combination makes it hard for me to eat.

He wants me to eat more calories because of the weight I have lost.  He wants me to drink several protein drinks a day.  I already drink ProNourish once a day, but he said that is not enough.  So my daughter is going to pick up some Boost and Ensure.  I haven't eaten meat in so long, I doubt my stomach could handle it.

Despite what I say, I am a fighter, Trin.  But I'm hopeful all of this stuff will not be bad for my chronic illnesses and inflammation.  I guess we will see.

You have a wonderful attitude.  I can't imagine a doctor telling you in your 20s that you would only live to your 40s.  I think that's a horrible thing to do and I hope you never went back to him again.

I was told by a rheumatologist early in the game that I would only live about seven more years . . . but I was already in my sixties then!  Not my twenties!!  Well, we both proved them wrong, didn't we!!

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@LilacTreeBack in the day I had to deal with male endocrinologists who had the doom and gloom attitude about diabetes. I wanted a baby and was told I would go blind or lose a limb or my kidneys would shut down. Well, I proved them wrong because I used to weigh my food during pregnancies and ate very healthy. Granted both children had some health issues but they are well and thriving now. I did lose one baby in a pregnancy but I just think of her as my little angel in heaven, waiting for me.

Hope you have a wonderful time this afternoon and you are feeling a bit better to go out...

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@Trinity11

My LBI daughter lost four, Trin.  She wound up with two, thank God.  But like you, she still considers them as babies she will see again some day.