Here’s a brief update for the lovely wife and I.

Saw her eye specialist yesterday. It looks like her retina problems are under control for now. No further work needed.

We are still pushing Binder and Binder about her Social Security Disability. Trying to get our local Congresscritter involved as well.

I continue to heal. I continue to use my right arm more than I should. I have not had any PT due to the lack of money for the co-pay and the medical insurance running out today.

Today is a very special day. It is the last day the lovely wife and I will have health insurance.

The insurance from my last employer, through COBRA, expires September 30, 2008. I swallowed my pride and called them and asked if they would consider keeping me on. I’ve been paying the last 18 months, so they know I’m good for it.

Nope.

I make $405 a week on unemployment. That’s too much for Medicaid.

New York has two programs intended to bridge the gap between corporate and Medicaid health coverage. I make too much money on unemployment for Family Health Plus.

Healthy New York is what’s left. Except you have to have been employed in the last twelve months. So, I am taking the position that a temp job that ended in early September 2007 and the few dollars I make here and with a column sold to the Examiner qualify me. We shall see.

I am joining the local Chamber of Commerce. I am informed that they have insurance available.

Silly Chuck, why on earth did you wait so long?

I honest to God thought that over twenty years of solid experience as a senior level accountant would get me a job before I would need to worry about losing my insurance.

Silly Chuck.

So, look at the advertisements. Consider making a donation. Say a prayer for us.

If you want a look at my qualifications, click here. I would make a great addition to your team at an inexpensive price, as long as health insurance is available immediately.

I’ll have a 3-4 inch scar on my right shoulder from the surgery. But… being an inventive sort, I thought I might embellish the tale a bit. Take the poll and let me know what you think.

As we make our way through life, we find ourselves at turning points. These are times and places where we can make a choice that will affect the rest of our life. Sometimes we choose well, and sometimes not, and sometimes we believe we are at a turning point when we are not.

People do not run their lives all that well. Bad choices, limiting choices and refusing to make a choice all play a part in our travels through time from birth to death.

One such turning point is the decision we make about what we do when we leave school. It may be in the eighth grade, after high school, after college but there is a point where we make a choice.

Another choice and another turning point is that moment when we decide to make permanent a relationship. We may marry, we may just commit, but it is a turning point for our lives.

Retirement is still another place where we make choices. Early, late or never, at a certain age or a particular place in our life story we choose how we will finish our life.

We always have a choice when it comes to making a decision about our life. We have many choices. Free will does that. All those choices can be overwhelming and, curiously, not making a choice is actually a choice.

The results of some choices are clear immediately. Other may never reveal their results. Giving a child up for adoption would be an example of the latter category. For most choices, the result becomes clear sooner or later.

I am 53 years old. During my life, my choices have taken me to this place. I am married. I have no children. I am unemployed. I spend time taking care of my disabled wife. I have a small career on the Internet.

I am wearing a sling today, because I chose to have shoulder surgery 9 days ago. I have no health insurance as of October 1 because I chose to believe that I would find a job before my COBRA benefits ran out. I have no retirement savings because I have chosen to spend that money to support my wife and I.

I understand that I will continue to have life turning points, and choices to make. Some of my choices may make my family’s life better. I do not know what choices I will have nor which decisions I will make but I know that I will have them.

And so, we continue traveling in time from our births to our deaths.

Well, Dr Greg House has the lovely wife convinced that I am shortly to become addicted to vicodan. I get snapped at every time I take a pill.

Took 1 vicodan and 1 motrin last night before bed. Just took 2 of each, max dose, as pain became annoying.

Took sling off in middle of night due to inability to sleep. Slept some but arm sore when I woke up.

Wife is struggling to handle all the little things I do when I have 2 hands.

Tried to find e-mail to Highland Hospital to discuss bad points of my stay privately. No such access available. Guess I will do expose of stay here, just because.

BTW, no more topless pics unless scar turns out to be spectacular. Then, maybe.

That ought to attract some odd people.
One motrin overnight, led to two dreams where I punched someone, bad idea for arm. And very detailed dream where I worked with a cop to locate a cannibal. Cannibal was masquerading as his own hot girlfriend and his entire extended family were also cannibals, including the cop. Dream did not end well for yours truly.

Here’s what I look like this morning.

I like the sling. Took 2 vicodan and 1 motrin this am to offset any damage done during punching dreams last night.

This is what the right side of my neck looks like right now. You can see the several places that the MD put the needle to assure the nerve block in my shoulder during surgery. It’s about 2 cm or 1 inch long and raised, like a welt.

I managed to dress myself this morning. All but socks. They seem to require two hands.

1 vicodan and 1 motrin before sleep. Slept like a baby. Should have started motrin from the beginning, I guess.

Fighting thru pain.

Scheduled for 11:45 am surgery yesterday. In at 3:30 pm, “preceding case took longer”. Think old lady arrested on table.

Nerve block for shoulder. V painful to do but produced numb shoulder and arm for 18 hrs. Felt asleep and had no motor control. Wore off gradually. Imagine MD sticking needle into neck and id nerves by pain or twitching. Did that 6-10 times. If it had not hurt so bad would have been v cool.

Don’t you hate it when v hot nurse helps you when you’re near nude? Not my best side showing.

Dr Dean was anesthes. Jovial and concerned. Told him my history with general. Told him I was a puker. General went well. Puked after first vicodan, tho.

Little sis took us to hosp. Buddy - Skip, to home.

Ate a little Rice Krispies then to bed. Pain not too bad but IV went thru me all night. Kitties concerned and comforting.

Block worn off this morning. Bad pain. Orthopod used medical dremel tool to grind spurs down. Feels like it. Now have 2 vicodan on board and pain dropped from steady 9 to steady 4-5. Using ice pack.

Lovely wife discovering all I do for her. She’s pushing herself. Hope she’s gonna be ok.

I am scheduled for shoulder surgery at 11:45. Next few days will be very slow posting. I will need to learn how to work one armed.

I entertain the hope that I will be able to post pics from my shoulder, if they record the surgery.

Curiously, the shoulder is pain free for the first time in weeks this morning.