Or is it just how life is?

After waiting for 3 years to see a specialists about my worsening knees, the public health system transferred me to a private hospital waiting list. In less than 3 months I was in seeing them just before Christmas.

After a bunch of tests the answer is all bad. My knees are totally stuffed. They should have been replaced 5 or more years ago. He reckoned I should have bitched more, back when they first started to hurt.

Then he looked at my skin, a few minor scratches & history, including my use of steroids to control polly myalgia rheumatic for the last 12 years. Apparently this also disguised how bad the knees were, by reducing the inflammation.

While it would have been simple to replace the knees 5 years ago, to day the surgeon reckoned I am a walking time bomb for a surgeon. The steroid use has caused a number of side effects, & seriously reduced my healing of wounds. He would not want to do a job on me.

He called in his boss, who said exactly the same thing. The risk of serious infection was too great for them to want to operate on me, except in an emergency.

Their advice, get off the steroids, & come back for another assessment in 6 months. The ultimate catch 22. I can't get off the steroids & still walk, or sleep at night, & the wandering pains from the polly myalgia are really bad. They tried everything 10 years ago to get me off them, & nothing else worked.

They said they would have lasted longer, if I hadn't worked them so hard. But hell, I had 10 times more fun than most people ever have, working them that hard, so you could say I've earned this pain today.

At least I can still drive my cars at the moment, so it's not all bad.

Just watch out folks, if they start prescribing steroids for you. It is worth putting up with a bit of pain, to avoid the ultimate side effect.

How old are you?

Dear Hasbeen,

I'm so sorry to learn about your knees and
trust that you'll get some good news in 6 months.

My health is taking its time. I have physio
people come to my home once a week - and I do
my exercises. But it's not easy. I'm able to
walk with a four-wheeled pusher - so that's
something. My shoulder is in dreadfully pain
as is my right leg - but I'm not giving up.

All the best to you and fingers-crossed things
will improve.

Starting to sound like the two of you should be in a nursing home.

Dear Mr Opinion,

Nursing Home?

No. I've been in hospitals for over 13 weeks
and as a result I'm now in re-hab and doing
much better. The elderly people that I met
in my physio sessions were awesome and
inspired my to change my attitude.
Not to give up.

Dear Foxy,

Hmmm, that doesn't sound good. Sounds like you and Hasbeen drew the short straws on the gene pool.

Dear Mr Opinion,

I think that I've done very well in the gene pool
so far. My accident could have been much worse.
Whilst in Physio I saw people in much worst
conditions. Amputees, stroke victims, paralysed
people and so on. I am one of the fortunate ones
it seems. Touch wood I keep on improving.

If you were indigenous or a refugee or a prisoner you would be fixed up straight away.

Mr Opinion, I will have had 19 birthdays this 29Th of February. Counting actual years that will be 76. Was I ripped off there, or does that just make me a bit special?

I was ripped off on birthdays in 76 & 80. In 76 I was riding out a cyclone in the middle of the Solomon sea, & in 80 I was up a mangrove creek near the Whitsundays, with the 7 boats I was responsible for at the time. Only remembered about birthdays, when it was all over, & I had time.

The truth is that both Foxy & I did not have poor genetics, but wore out really great bodies, [just ask any of our ex lovers], cramming more action than most people ever dream of, into the one life we get.

So there is another warning to more sedentary folk. Don't wait for retirement to have your great trip/fun or whatever, get out & do it now, while the body is fit enough to really enjoy it.

Dear Hasbeen,

I think that your best bet is to fly out and do your knees overseas - there the doctors will do whatever you tell them, so long as you pay of course. I am told that Singapore for example has good doctors who would do what you ask.

Dear Hasbeen,

I'll match your Solomon Isands cyclone with my Philippines typhoon in an ocean going ferry.

You're not that much older than me. Luckily for me I inherited good genes and the worse thing I can complain about is getting the occasional constipation if I indulge in chocolate. I've still got the same body I had when I was 26 and expect to reach 105.

No comment on your sex life. That's between you and your boyfriends.

I'm sure you are right Yuyutsu, & I'm sure I could find doctors who would do whatever they were paid to do here here. I believe also many Asian doctors are at the top of the game, particularly surgeons.

However I really want doctors who will do whatever is likely to offer me the best overall outcome. That may be to do nothing, & put up with a bit of pain. Better a few more years of active life, doing what I want independently, than a pain free invalids life in a wheelchair, because I didn't heal. I'm going to have to try to judge which doctors are giving me the best advice

That I think was Foxy's message. After 13 weeks as a bedridden invalid, she'll take a bit, or even a lot of pain, to have at least some independence back.

Good on you Foxy, you'll come & snorkel the great barrier reef with me yet.

I'm thankful that my problems are small ones and my best wishes to you Foxy and to you Hasbeen.

I have shoes to correct a bit of a foot problem, support stockings for a tendency for the blood to clot plus warfrin for the same reason, a back support belt, hearing aids for industrial deafness (switched off they make good ear plugs!),reading glasses.

Nothing much even all together and I'm very thankful that i enjoy such relatively good health.

Dear Is Mise,

Bless You, what a positive attitude you have.

It's people like you that inspire me.

Thank You. It is a question of attitude that makes
all the difference.

Now to change the subject just a little bit.

I've been asking myself all afternoon -
"Have I been had?"

My elderly mother is now in a aged care facility
that has "aging in place." The place has been
bought by another organisation. Mum has been there
for many years and suddenly even though she owns her
unit there - she's beginning to need extra care.
We are more than happy to pay for the extra services
but in addition to the extra services the facility
is asking for a $925,000 bond. (You heard right).
$925,000 bond. Who on earth can afford that kind
of money?

Can they do that? It's not like mum's a new client.
She also loves the place and does not want to move out
of her unit and a place where she knows the staff
and the people.

What do you advise us to do?

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Foxy

I don't quite understand why the new owners of the facility require an increased bond. What do they want to cover ? If she owns the unit in which she lives she would have signed a contract with the original management and that should still be honoured by subsequent managers.

They do not have to honour "aging in place."
That is, they do not have to provide extra care unless
we pay the bond. Only then they will provide the
care - otherwise they cannot stay in the unite under
the current circumstances because they will not
provide the necessary care unless you pay the bond.
And mum needs the extra care. Mum needs extra care
full time. She can no longer look after herself. She
needs care full time 24/7.

Yes you're being had Foxy. Some of these aged care business are preying on aged with assets & little understanding or help from family.

We had a great centre in Beaudesert. Mum could no longer walk or help herself, so was a high care patient. They received 85% of her pension, & I paid either $350 a fortnight or a month extra. I think it was a fortnight, but can't believe it was that little.

There was no bond, while I paid the extra. Mum had little money, as when dad died she had sold their retirement house before such places were worth much.

I doubt your mother will continue to be given good treatment by the new owners, with that behaviour.

Best idea is to stay in your own home until the very last minute. I think it is degrading to the human spirit to waste away in a nursing home. I see myself going to bed one night just after my 105th birthday and passing away in my sleep.

Foxy

The figure that you mention does seem excessively high and while I am not familiar with "aging in place" perhaps the first people to contact, if you haven't already, might be the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. This is a government department and they have a web site here.

http://www.aihw.gov.au/ageing-in-place/

At least they would be able to advise you of your rights.

"the facility is asking for a $925,000 bond"

While you appear certain that is the amount there could be a lot going on in your life and it is easy at times like that to misunderstand. It wouldn't hurt for someone independent who understands numbers to have a look.

Also, get the paperwork and trot along to DSS, or ring the 1800number given here,

http://www.myagedcare.gov.au/financial-and-legal/aged-care-homes-costs-explained

Dear snake and otb,

Thank You both for your advice. I'll do as you suggest.

My husband and I were quite shocked at the
price of the bond we were quoted.

When "Allity" purchased the facility it
consisted of 2 room suites, purchased in
a retirement facility, which were at that
time valued at about $260,000 dollars and
included one bedroom, ensuite, living room,
kitchenette, and so on.

"Allity" set about upgrading one floor of
the suites, making them into "high-care."

Now for these suites the asking price has
been set at $925,000 (refundable bond) in addition to government
regulated service fees. For those who can't afford the
full bond - the cost of the excess will be taken as a
monthly fee deducted from the bond payed. The equivalent of
paying rent. Calculated on interest lost of the unpaid
balance.

Apparently this company is following the law which only
stipulates the cost of the service fees and not the cost
of the accommodation.

There is a facility in the area run by
"Tender Loving Care," that for similar
accommodation is charging a million dollars - which we were
told. Having spoken to many of the existing residents -
not many can afford these prices.

Of course with time they possibly may have to reduce the
prices because very few will be able to afford them.
However, in the meantime, we are investigating other
facilities for my mother that appear to be more
reasonable.

Foxy

Thanks for the explanation. It's a real problem that the whole country faces as we get older. It makes me think that not only that, but we already have over 800,000 on the Disability Support Pension and the money has to come from somewhere to pay for all this social security. As part of the older generation which always criticises the younger of course (!) I often wonder about the way they tend to compromise their health with drugs, excess alcohol and junk food. They don't seem to comprehend the long term effect this might have mentally and physically in later life when sheer numbers may preclude government help. Sadly the unfortunate elderly, who for no fault of their own, also get caught up in this maelstrom and I should imagine that your mother might be one of them.

Hasbeen, are you still in Queensland?

There is a prioritising system put in place by the Libationals (in an effort to delay effective treatments that might cost non-administrative money) that controls which cases are referred to the appropriate hospitals. Your referring Doctor must specify the appropriate hospital (and ideally the consulting surgeon/specialist), and document the condition. A simple referral hinging on the referrers judgement as a doctor will be overridden (by someone who failed grade twelve but sure knows how to maximise their metrics) and you will be sent to a lesser hospital and confuse their triage process. Get a specific referral to P.A (I'm biased) that specifies your condition in terms that emphasise the complexity and severity (the twit who normally interferes is rightfully afraid of medico-legal jargon).

Basically, make it clear to the clearing house that you cannot be "plausibly misinterpreted" as "easy to deprioritise".

Your GP has to do this. My mother-in-law accepted her GP's assurance that he had written, but he had not specified anything, simply requested. A more detailed and assertive referral got her in. ....Yes, a couple of meetings to actually assess your condition, and anaesthetic risk for surgery, but properly processed by people committed to doing the work, rather than the gate-keepers committed to preventing it.

Good luck.

Rusty.

NB: a major private hospital in Brisbane refused the same mother-in-law because of her "anaesthetic risk". Turns out from the records they grudgingly handed over to P.A that they had totally stuffed up a previous surgery's anaesthetic in any case. Her "risk" was actually their own mistake. Upon review by P.A it was straightforward to proceed.

Many private hospitals decline some surgeries because they are liable for mistakes. The same surgeries are routine at P.A and routinely successful. My partner is a surgical nurse at P.A now and sees no reason to leave, there being no more competent hospital in queensland.

Again, good luck.

Rusty.

I've got a prescription for all you hypochondriacs:

Take two teaspoons of cement with your breakfast cereal and HARDEN THE FCUK UP.

Worse things happen at sea.

What a nasty thing to say! Wait until you get sick Toni Lavis. I bet it will be all "Oh God why me!" and "What did I do to deserve this!" and "I'll give away all my money to get back my health!". Yes Toni Lavis, It's always the nastiest people who feel the pain the most.