Age Pension Application

I was advised to apply for an Age Pension - more for the "supplementary medical benefit entitlements" than any income stream - so I started this morning.

Six hours later and I've just stop filling in the 76 pages of downloaded application forms (and that's not counting the copies of supporting evidence like superannuation income, bank statements, etc, etc, that I need to attach).

Called a halt for the day as, firstly, I was getting tired and cranky and, secondly, I found I needed to download another 12 page form and send it to my superannuation provider to obtain a financial statement!

Good Lord Almighty - the bureaucratic world is going mad!  Every form asked the same questions over and over again.!

Cowra Memorial Rose Garden

We took a drive up to Cowra for lunch (about 130klms away) and spent an hour or so touring the Memorial Rose Garden at the intersection of Main Road 81 (Boorowa Rd) and Higway 24 (the Mid-Western Highway) at Cowra. We had a nice luncheon at the cafe in the Gardens and also visited the Cowra Tourist Information Centre on the same site. We gathered several maps and many information leaflets on other places in the region to plan further trips.

Organised Medicine

LOL! Medicine is big business these days, particularly surgical medicine.

With a week to go before my left total knee replacement I had a call early this morning from one of the 'clinic nurses' following up on a few aspects arising from my "Pre-Admission Medical", which was really reassuring 'cos it means that they are looking at all the pathology, cardiology and radiology assessments.

This evening I was again contacted to ensure I had obtained a pair of "Canadian Crutches" for my post-op ambulation and to ascertain how I was going to arrange my post-discharge physiotherapy. Then another call to re-schedule my post-operative follow-up assessment.

I reckon for what I'm paying - around $12,000(AUS)for the titanium knee implant alone - I should be getting that attention.

Now all I have to do his deal with my own anxiety!

Seven Days to left ......

Well, it's now only seven days to go until I go into Hospital for my first total knee replacement - my left knee.  Must admit, despite my professional nursing background I am still a bit apprehensive about it all.

I know I've got a good surgeon who is a knee expert and my anaethetist is first rate - used him before and he knows my sordid medical history well - but the whole prospect is somewhat over-whelming (or is that 'overwhelming' LOL?).

I remain positive and I have a resolve to get stuck into my recovery program and get up and walking unassisted ASAP. To that end my GP and his clinic nurse have secured the assistance of a local sports physiotherapist who will give me his time for five rehab sessions after I come home (It's too far back to Canberra to visit the Orthopaedic specialist's own physio.)  I want to be back on our trips around the countryside - I spied a few old derelict farmhouses across the fields the other day that will make for some great 'charater images' of early Australian settlement in this region.

Unfortunately I am going to miss one local show and a field day as well as a country muster and I was so loking forward to attending those.

My right knee is also starting to 'cave-in' under the added burden of compensating for the left knee and my surgeon says that it will not be long before it needs doing as well - just what I need - more pain and more medical bills.

Just hope I am OK by the end of August as we are booked to fly to Hobart (almost like going overseas LOL) for  a conference - The 36th Annual International Conference of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses with the theme "Row with the team or paddle alone" . This time I'm going as an observer but my dear wife will be attending as a full participant. I have been asked to consider presenting a short paper in 2011 to introduce a session and to base that paper on my 42 years of nursing experience and the changes I have seen and experienced during that evolving period for Australian mental Health Nursing. I'll give it some thought!

Our friend 'Neen

We are fortunate to have a lovely friend named Jeannine but everyone just calls her 'Neen.

Neen is English born and migrated to Australia with her parents many decades ago. Her father is now quite frail and is in a nursing home, however her mother still lives independently. Here's a photo of my wife Rhonda with Neen's  mum and Neen (in that order left to right in the picture.)

That picture was taken at our current home, late in Spring. Neen has visited us in each of our homes - we did move around a bit after we became 'empty nesters' - but she especially loved visiting us when we lived on the Far south coast of NSW and, in particular, she really enjoyed taking our dogs for a walk on the nearby beaches.

Miss Socks, the black and white Smithfield Heeler on the left of picture is no longer with us, having passed on some years back, however, Denny, the Blue Cattle/Whippet cross is still very much with us but spends most of his days sleeping now that he's "matured".

Neen often visits us and even the cold of winter here does not deter her. Here we have Rhonda and Neen out for a bit of a walk and some 'window shopping' on one of her visits last year. We are expecting her again in two weeks so we are hoping for some milder weather.