The Calamities are nearly defeated. One Cancer is in remission. AMD * is under control. Arthritis has been surgically removed. Walking and simply existing is now painless, easy and almost worry-free.

 What keeps me awake at night, now, is the state of our country, specifically a government that does whatever it wants and lets billionaires run everything. It’s tempting to…No! No more.

The 2024 election will be added to The Calamities List and will be looked at only in the rear-view mirror and eventually be forgotten. There are only a few good years left (details in a later paragraph) and no more “painless and easy living” time will be wasted on politics. Don’t believe me? Watch me. Bill, this mean you.

The return of a close approximation ** of good health inspired me to look for a place to volunteer. Volunteering was a part of life given up when doctors, treatments, ailments, and related issues made me unreliable. But those days are past, *** and I am now training to be a Volunteer Long Term Care Ombudsman for the State of New York. Anyone know what an “ombudsman is”?  Bet you don’t, so look it up, anyway. In the early days, as they decide if I’d be at least an okay o-man, I’ve “shadowed” mentors who get paid to do it. We visited Long Term Care Centers, Assisted Living Centers, and Rehabilitation Centers to try to get residents to let us know how things are going. Know anyone in any of these places? Ever visit one of these places? Know what they do? Know how they do it and how well they do it? I trained as a Certified Senior Advisor and Long Term Care Consultant in my past financial life and thought I knew it all. These places aren’t new to me. This will be a great opportunity to assist people in the stage of their life where the help these facilities perform is not just needed but required. It is the only option for them. My life will be fulfilled.

My visits these last two weeks revealed how ignorant I am about modern senior adult medical care.

There will be more written later, but a Long Term Care situation is not the fun you might think it is, given younger people call this the “Golden Years” for us seniors. It doesn’t help that at my age with my history it might be me in one of these facilities even as early as next week. What will be will be.

End of life care is a complicated story populated with villains, heroes, saviors, losers, and the just plain unlucky. Sadly, most stories fouetté **** and pirouette **** around money, and that sad dance only adds to the staggering heartbreak. In each and every visit there was a very fervent wish I would wake up in the morning worth $400 Billion dollars and could solve most of the problems inherent in end of life issues.

One can dream, at least for now.

*If you are a senior reading this, check yourself out using an Amsler Grid. Do it now, unless you already did. AMD sneaks up on you.

** Everyone okay with this strange phrase?

*** Ai says I need a comma here. I disagree. All in favor of a comma, raise your hand.

**** Ars gratia Artis