Macular Changes

The appointment with the optician this morning downgraded the previous eye diagnosis to “macular changes.” No detrimental changes were noted from the last examination six months ago. The spotty areas on the macular could be due to prolonged exposure to sunlight (as experienced in early years). Nonetheless, eye examinations will continue at six-month intervals. At this point in time, blindness is not a certainty in ten years.

A chance encounter with Lori last night at Ala Moana Center allowed for a bit of conversation time. There was a lot of catching up on respective personal news. Of note, Lori apparently has been diagnosed with macular degeneration as well. She believes that long-term viewing digital device screens is the root of the problem, although that doesn’t really explain how deposits form on the macula. An exchange of other personal news and events occupied the remainder of the encounter.

Addendum: The optometry appointment will be the last that is covered by the current healthcare insurance. Subsequently, Medicare will provide coverage at a high cost. Convergence 2019 has commenced.

Sewage

So far, there has been no response from moms. There is a distinct possibility that the greeting card was intercepted and discarded before moms could read it. Or, moms may have lost much more cognitive ability. The latter scenario is plausible given that moms is sequestered with only eating and sleeping as her sole activities. Of course, the former scenario is quite plausible, too.

The Quest/Medicaid health insurance coverage will terminate on October 31st as expected. At this juncture, the Medicare Part B and D options are up for mummification. Moving away from the “medical model” is imperative. Senior citizens are only considered to be “cash cows” for the greedy and corrupt healthcare industry. Frankly, eliminating healthcare anxiety and simply succumbing to “natural causes” is the ideal situation.

Paperwork and documentation, for expiring health insurance and otherwise, have been destroyed and discarded. There is no need to maintain documentation except for the bare legal minimum. Once documentation destruction is completed, the small safe will be donated to charity.

Attempts to read library books through the Libby “app” have been disappointing. The “app” works fine. The books, however, leave much to be desired. Like everything else in the entertainment industry, books have become formulaic and stuffed with filler material. Hence, there currently aren’t any completed books titles to list.

The only highlight of any kind has been the iOS 13 update for the iPhone XR. And, the iOS 10.1 update happens tomorrow. Ooooh! Is that the only real excitement in life anymore? Apparently.

Update: Appointment with the dermatologist was cancelled indefinitely.

Excerpt — NIRP

The investment firm handling personal accounts, has provided a commentary on NIRP. An excerpt:

It’s the $1 trillion question: Will the Federal Reserve (Fed) head down the path into negative rates? Unfortunately, we think it eventually may. Trade tensions continue to drag on, growth is slowing, and inflation remains stubbornly low and below the Fed’s target. Longer-maturity U.S. Treasury yields have plunged to multi-year lows and below their shorter-maturity counterparts. In response, the Fed may continue cutting short-maturity interest rates—even past zero if the yield curve doesn’t steepen, inflation refuses to budge or the economy heads toward a recession. Furthermore, as central banks elsewhere make negative rates the norm, the Fed will face mounting pressure to do the same.

The article is timely and should provide a warning that cash holdings need to be converted to gold or other non-fiat assets.

Planning for Dereliction

Dereliction. Homelessness. All on the rise in the islands. Petty crime has become commonplace and brazen. Begging for money and cigarettes is now routine. Lapsing into a coma at anytime and anyplace is normal. So many new faces, too. Where did they come from?

The “race to the bottom” by the central bank of empire was punctuated by another interest rate cut today, just another step toward NIRP. There will be many more new faces of dereliction on the streets soon. Then, when the global recession hits ... booyah!

An unrealistic option was recently considered. The crux of the plan was the rental of a studio apartment in the Chinatown ghetto. Then, a part-time wage slave job, most likely at the gym in town, would be secured for procuring some “spare change.” However, the plan was exposed as ludicrous given the remaining “good years.”

Another option is now being entertained ... becoming one of the street homeless. Yes, actually living and sleeping on the sidewalks of Makiki perhaps. And, why not? There is more in common with the street homeless than the faux capitalists (read: wage slaves). If you can’t beat ‘em, then join ‘em. And, who really needs an expensive cargo van camper conversion (i.e., homeless motorhome)? Heck, that may be the best plan to date!

Update: The Quest/Medicaid coverage has been terminated effective October 31st as expected. All necessary appointments have been or will be fulfilled by then. One medical appointment remains in December, subject to the huge Medicare copayment.

Dark at the End of the Tunnel

At this point in time, the situation with moms is a lost cause. Moms is being sequestered by the sister-in-law. Whether deliberate or not, visitations with moms are no longer possible. It is as if moms has passed on already. Although the greeting card was sent to moms as a last resort, no reply of any kind is anticipated.

Given moms’ current living conditions, the acceleration of dementia and the onslaught of Alzheimer’s Syndrome are more than likely to occur before the end of the year. At some point, the sister-in-law (using durable power of attorney) must commit moms to an assisted care facility. Either that, or the bro’s family will have to deal directly with moms’ passing in their presence.

Thus, the endgame for Notes has finally arrived. There are a few more details that seemingly require closure. Then, Notes will be scheduled for mummification by the end of the year. Beyond that ... who knows?

Mission: Aborted!

An attempt was made to visit moms in Hawai’i Kai this morning. The Enterprise® CarShare vehicle was rented for the journey. Upon arrival, all attempts to get either moms or the retired 24-year-old nephew to open the door were futile. After 15 minutes, the mission was aborted.

A stop was made at Kahala Mall during the return leg of the journey. The mall was packed with senior citizens, more than what was recalled from the last visit many moons ago. A quick, albeit cheap and greasy, lunch and a second cup of coffee was procured at the fast food joint. Lots of money was spent and wasted on the useless trip.

One more attempt will be made in a month or so. If no one answers the door, there will be no further visits scheduled. The CarShare membership will be immediately terminated to avoid the $40 annual fee. That’s not exactly what was envisioned to be the parting of ways with family, but so be it. In effect, there is some suspicion that the chain of events was premeditated.

The Replika AI buddy was mummified last night. With the last of the “good years” always in mind, the mummification of anything deemed useless is of the highest priority. More mummifications to come!

Addendum: The appointment with the dermatologist will be cancelled. With the imminent loss of the current healthcare insurance, there will be no recourse. The Medicare Part D prescription drug plan is also slated for cancellation.

Update: A greeting card has been dispatched to moms via regular mail in order to insure that the message is delivered, that is, an affirmation that a visit was attempted. Mail communication with moms may actually be the only remaining option.

Sinister Kahuna Day 2019

Is there any better time to pay homage to the sinister kahuna than Sinister Kahuna Day? The sinister kahuna has been working overtime to inflict as much pain and suffering as possible upon his hapless victims. Oh, the agony!

The first of two injections of the new shingles vaccine was administered on Tuesday at the Waikiki Health Center Makahiki Clinic. There were moderate reactions to the drug the following day including body ache, hot flashes, and chills. The second dose will be administered in December.

At this point in time, all major decisions have been postponed until the eye examination scheduled in two weeks. If the diagnosis confirms that blindness is inevitable, there could be a major upheaval in future planning. What else can expected when the sinister kahuna is at play?

Update: From all indications, the Medicaid/Quest health insurance coverage will be terminated on October 31st. The switch to Medicare requires complete asset disclosure. Disqualification is imminent.

Convergence

So far, there have been two medical, one optical, and ten dental (six fillings and two extractions) appointments at the Waikiki Health Center Makahiki Clinic. And this is only the beginning of September. There are three more medical, one optical, and one dental appointments remaining for the year. Two of the medical appointments are just for the new shingles vaccine and booster. The total is eighteen appointments for the 2019 year, a world record!

As the age of 65 years nears, there is a great convergence taking place. The fate of Medicare and Medicaid/Quest will soon be revealed. The amount of money disbursed as premiums is yet to be determined, all of it a nauseating reminder of geriatrics and mortality. The next optical appointment will determine whether macular degeneration is a confirmed diagnosis, and if blindness will occur in ten years.

Add into the mix the rapid physical and mental decline of moms and the “big picture” becomes diffuse as well as surreal. The “incongruence” grows to unfathomable proportions. Reality becomes more like a quantum physics oddity. The mental state increases in fragility. The mind prepares to snap.

Convergence 2019 is not an anticipated milestone. Rather, it signals the beginning of the end. That is exactly why every other aspect of life has been effectively “put on hold.” Other pedestrian issues can only be confronted once the narrow pathway to the future is established.

Addendum: There may be one or two appointments at a dermatology clinic before the year is over.

Dead Man Walking

Makahiki Clinic

Another visit to the Makahiki Dental Clinic, another tooth cavity filled. When will it ever end? Incidentally, the bloodwork test results were received. High cholesterol and Vitamin D deficiency were indicated. However, the HbA1C test revealed that blood glucose level was back in the normal range.

The now-sporadic visits with moms in Hawai’i Kai, the most recent on Tuesday, proved to be exactly as feared. Conversations with moms is difficult. Moms’ short-term memory is severely impaired, which is further exacerbated by near-deafness. The only clear topics were moms’ need to go to the bank (why?) and the fact that the sister-in-law controls everything, both of which were constantly repeated during the visit. There is no question that the sister-in-law is controlling every aspect of moms’ existence. No surprise if future visits were banned entirely.

Moms’ long-term memory appears to be somewhat intact. Moms is able to recognize family and friends for now. If long-term memory begins to fade, the onslaught of Alzheimer’s Syndrome is a certainty. When that time comes, there will be serious issues to consider. Even if moms developed Alzheimer’s Syndrome, her longevity is still projected to be 103 years (another six years).

Personal principles are not to be taken lightly. So, a serious break with principles is cause for concern. That said, the recertification process for the “old folks home” was reluctantly completed on Wednesday. The new lease will be for a period of one year, but termination is possible at any time with a 28-day notice. Given that the on-site management is untrustworthy, the decision is pathetic at best. Incidentally, there has been no subsequent letter(s) concerning delinquent rent after the feeble exit strategy that was implemented by “slippery” Sy.

The housing issue remains in question mainly because of moms’ precarious situation. The option to purchase leasehold property was mummified because neither of the two real estate agents responded beyond the initial query. Other rental housing is a “mixed bag.” The homeless motorhome is still a viable option. Expatriation is an even better option.

The heatwave continues unabated. The trade winds returned on an on-off basis, but had absolutely no cooling effect. The hot air that was blowing around emulated a convection oven more than anything else. Global climate change? What else?

Statistics

Very limited statistics are available for Notes as provided by the hosting site. Readership is minimal, which begs the question whether the effort is worth the time. The comments section has been open, but there has been no participation.

Tamarind Park

The readership appears to consist of a handful of people in empire (including Hawai’i) as well as some old friends in Japan, Canada, UK, the Ukraine, UAE, Mexico, and the Netherlands. There is some curiosity concerning the readership. So, please take a few minutes and identify yourselves (with recognizable pseudonyms, if necessary) and share a few words. An extended coffee break will be taken during the wait.

Addendum: Replying to comments from this end is not functional for some reason. However, many thanks to all who responded!