Saturday, March 3, 2012

The Bucket List

The caregiver is sick so my life gets even busier the next few days. Besides work, my own job, etc, I now have two additional days and nights at Mom's. I am upset with the caregiver. She refuses to get a flu shot so she gets sick every year. We would pay for the flu shot for her but I guess she would rather lose a week of work every year. I don't know what the blog schedule will be next week except there won't be an entry on Monday. No time in the morning when I am at Mom's and then have to come home to get ready for work.

Let's today start with a story about science:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46560515/displaymode/1247/?beginSlide=1

There is show on TV called Undercover Boss. I like the show a lot. Maybe there should be a new show on TV called Undercover Grandmother:

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/undercover-82-year-grandma-catches-medicare-fraud-tape/story?id=15818462

The score was the Miami Heat 107 The Portland Trailblazers 93. While the Trailblazers were on the short end of the score they didn't lose that night they won. Get the tissues out and read about a teen that will inspire you to forget about your problems and live your life to the fullest:

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2012/03/canzano_trail_blazers_help_a_f.html

What is on your bucket list?

I am sure I am going to miss a few and I am free to add things to my bucket list later but right now I will go with the following:

Save a life. I have saved a few lives during my lifetime but that was because I was good at reacting in an emergency crisis not because I risked life and limb to save someone. I want to do something heroic before I die.

Finish a book and have it published. I have published two books before but they were about football, I want to write one about life.

Give a sermon at church.

Do a standup comedy routine.

Go to the Oscars..

Go to the Super Bowl.

Conquer my fear of heights.

Learn to swim.

Live one day without pain.

Win the lottery and give it away to people that need it.

See the Grand Canyon.

Meet Sandra Bullock

Meet all five of the Satellite Sisters (three to go)

Travel to Billings, Montana and see the hospital I was born in. It is still there, I checked.

Ask a stranger for a date. Everyone once in a great while I get smiles from women when I am grocery shopping. How hard would it be to ask them to have a cup of coffee? Very hard for me. But just one time.

See a Dodger game again.

Meet a president. Preferably a Democrat but a Republican would count for the bucket list.

Spend a week in a Children's hospital helping out.

That is mine for now. I am going to be adding things everyday like young Natalie does. And today on the list it to pray that miracles happen and Natalie is cured.

Comment Away. Your bucket list interests me to no end. Please share it.

4 comments:

Pat said...

So sorry the caregiver is finking out on you. No relative available to pick up the slack? If she does this often, I'd 1) wonder if she's really sick, and 2) find an agency that could provide care on short notice. Of course there's the money there, but it might be worth it.

Great photo of the "ballute". Never heard of that one before.

I watch Undercover Boss sometimes. While it's formulaic and predictable, it's interesting to see some of the behind the scenes activities that go on in businesses.

Medicare fraud just makes me furious. I wish they would throw the book at the perpetrators and put them away for a very long time as well as revoking any licenses they may carry.

Natalie has a great bucket list there. I hope she fools them all and has time to do everything she wants to do. Kudos to the Blazers for making one of her dreams come true.

I don't really have a bucket list, but I'll try to work one up and see what I come up with. One thing I have learned is 'be careful what you wish for, you might get it."

Lady DR said...

Bummer on the caregiver. I remember this same thing happening last year. While not a fan of flu shots myself, she's in a position where I would think it would almost be required, not only to keep her healthy, but to prevent her bringing the virus/germs to her client.

Like Pat, never heard of the "ballute."

Also, like Pat, Medicare fraud infuriates me. For several reasons. First, if you look at the numbers and multiply them over just the last 5-10 years (and we know this has been going on longer than that), you're looking at a huge amount of money that belongs in the fund, to help people in need. Doctors and caregiver services who engage in fraud should be put away for half of forever, the money retrieved by whatever means possible and all licensing taken away forever. The second reason is that it makes legitimate providers very stringent in their requirements and the medicare folks very nervous. Mom is a case in point. When she began seriously losing mobility, the geriatric specialist recommended a scooter for her. It would have allowed her to get out and accompany her friends who took daily walks. It would have given her the freedom to go the short distance to Walmart for groceries and shopping, to get her hair cut, to go to a couple nearby restaurants and doc felt it was important to her physical and mental/emotional health to do these things. However, his "prescription" was denied, because she didn't need the scooter *inside* her home and because we admitted I currently took her to the store, haircut, whatever. I also can't believe Medicare approved the claim of diabetes, without any attached documentation of blood tests and results. I think it's pretty obvious the system is "broke" in a variety of ways and, in the long run, both the tax payers and the elderly are paying the price.

The story about Natalie was great. What courage she has and what compassion on the part of the Blazers. Feel good story, all the way around.

A bucket list. I guess mine is mostly mental and doesn't have a lot of big stuff on it.

*Publish my nonfiction books.
*Publish a romance (or two)
*Travel through each of the states in an RV and take the time to see and appreciate the side roads and smell the roses.
*Work with children's wards and Hospice groups with a therapy dog.
*Win the lottery and set up an agency that truly helps the elderly, with mentors, case mangers and others, who will sincerely care for and protect them.
*Create a miniature wildlife sanctuary on our property.
*Serve a holiday meal at a soup kitchen or charity.

Like you, I'll add things as I think of them (probably will need reminders to do so).

William J. said...

Hi Pat

The caregiver is really sick. My stance is she wouldn't be if she would have gotten the flu shot. But she is scared of it so doesn't get it and loses a week to two every year.

I loved the photo of ballute. I hadn't heard of it either.

Most TV shows and movies for that matter are formulaic and predictable but I still watch many of them.

Add me to the list that makes me furious. I think the should throw the perps and jail and throw away the key.

Natalie was on TV Friday night. One of the things on her buck list was be on a TV show. Grimm is filmed locally and bless the producers hearts they found a small role for her. The Blazers did good and I would like to see more stores about teams doing good things.

Bill

William J. said...

Hi DR

It has happened every year for the last six years with the caregiver. You would think by now she would be more flexible about getting the flu shot. Rememver she also works at an asssited living center so you would think they would force her to get one also.

That makes three of us that had never heard of ballute.

It is a trio of us that hate Medicare fraud. It gives what is actuall a pretty well run government program a bad name.
Some doctors even quit taking medicare patienst becuase of the fraud. That is insane that the prescription for you Mom was denied.

The Nataie story was great. It is the best column he has written and it is getting gigantic positive feedback.

Mental bucket lists counts and there are lot of common things on are bucket lists. I love the idea of therapy dogs and of traveling to each state.

Keep the list handy I may ask for an update at some point.

Bill