Ted, Thank you for this information.  We have our Medicare and TriCare for
Life, plus the nest egg that has dwindled with *other* medical costs, so
we've had to tighten our belts some this year.  I *feel* for those without
coverage, or without adequate coverage, and am thankful for what we *do*
have.

Guy,

I think of you and Mona a lot as Jim and I encounter our own issues with the
wheel chair life (3 yrs now), plus his becoming the *woman of the house*
this year.  In addition to the physical needs mounting, the psychological
impact is unreal!!!  Right now, to treat my legs, I have to keep them
elevated at least above my waist, preferably above my heart, and with
compression socks and/or ace wraps on them at all times.  This means I am
not at liberty to be mobile about the house in my chair; I have to sit and
stare at the wall behind the couch most of the day.  The chronic infections
still rage, and they are now talking about IV antibiotics.  The diabetic
neuropathy and the Myasthenia Gravis (MG) have sapped all use of my legs but
for less than ten steps now, and those are wobbly and require a cane.

I'm not going to complain about keeping my feet/legs elevated if that is
what is needed to save them because at least the MG *can* be somewhat helped
at times, never cured, though, just like the diabetes.  There is still the
devastating neuropathy, too, though, so full walking capability will never
be mine, maybe just a few more steps.  Mine, too, is due to doctor error,
but I must choose not to hang on to it with bitterness because I need all of
that energy to fight battles I am facing each day.  Once, I made the
statement that I didn't think life could get much worse and then my son was
killed.  After that I vowed never to say that again because for sure that
was the worst thing I had ever encountered in my life.  Now I know life
**can** get worse, so I just take each day as it comes and ***try*** my best
to give it my best.  The MG *has* made it a little harder to do that
sometimes, though.  I had to go back to seeing my psychologist to deal with
it.  I am finding it, along with all of the other auto-immune diseases, much
harder to deal with than my diabetes, but that is just my own experience,
and not to belittle or lighten the diabetes load any at all.  Last week I
asked the neuro in charge of the MG if it was a factor in my extreme memory
loss, and he said it was a combination of the MG, Lupus, Prednisone,
physiological brain changes, and more.  Jim said that I have lost a
significant amount, especially of the more simple, everyday words words.
We've gotten into a groove where he just slips the correct words in whenever
I need them.  Sometimes large blanks are lost, and sometimes just simple
words.

Hang in there, Guy.  I understand your times of despair.  As I sit on six
wheels, sometimes it is hard not to despair, especially when ill with the
infections, and the impact they have on my body, too.  I've shed more than
normal my amount of tears lately, but I know this period will pass, and the
sun will shine for me again.

My thoughts and care for Mona because I know all she must do because I see
all that Jim has to do for me.  Their load is heavy.  We have to use a ramp
to load my chair every time we go any place, and I feel so guilty for Jim to
go through all of that.  Our children want us to get an electric one, but
Jim does not feel we should put out that kind of money right now.  Me.  I
worry about the impact on his body each time I watch him load and unload the
chair.  He has to move the ramp from the house to the car and back again
upon return.  Hmmmm..... I *do* think we ought to buy a second ramp, though.
See, talking with others does help us solve our own problems sometimes.  :o)

My best to you and Mona
Billie

ARRGH !!!
I am now 65, and have been unable to get enough info to chose a Medicare
plan.  Part of the problem is that this is  "roll over" time and no one
wants to take time out for all the extra info we new enrollees need NEED.

I HAVE figured out, that we probably should get a "special needs" plan,
NOT a stand alone drug plan, and probably not a standard Part "C"

Also, with the current price war on generics, it pays NOT to submit any
of the cheap generics to Medicare., but to pay for them out of pocket,
and save the drug coverage for the real expensive ones.

I can buy my Metformin for $15/ 3 month.  Medicare will pay about $120,
and  move me closer to the "donut hole" if I get it through them.  i'd
rather get my byetta and eye drops through the plan,  Medicare only pays
about 25% more than the REAL price for them