When A Disability Becomes An Ability Of Sorts

 I missed a call from Social Security, likely about The Grandson's Appointment and you can never get thru to return a call... dammit!  The Phone was ringing in another Room and by the time I dug it out of my Purse, JUST hung up!  *Le Sigh*  It may have only been confirmation of our Appointment for Tomorrow, which is a Tuesday?  He's worried that since Allen is dragging at getting the Divorce finalized it might disqualify him for benefits since his Spouse is supposed to be supporting him and providing his Care, but, isn't now. 

 We'll have to see if his extenuating circumstances of escaping Domestic Violence and having Family have to even pay for him to leave the State to come to a Safe Space will give any sway to their decision to give him Benefits in Arizona.  His Benefits in New Mexico have now been terminated.  So, he has no Income, no Healthcare, no Mental Healthcare, no Nutritional Assistance and if we didn't give him a place to Be, he'd be Homeless too.  So, he is destitute and seriously Disabled and he's Grown, so Legally I'm not responsible for him anymore to cover all his expenses and extensive Needs, nor can we on our Fixed Income.

As I knock out all these lingering Appointments with various Agencies, Doctors, Specialists, Labs, etcetera it's easing the strain of a too loaded up Calendar.  The Daughter has another Cleaning Job next Sunday in Chandler so I don't mind that, it give me Four Hours of Me Time while I wait on her to finish up her Work for a Client.  And I must say the Eastside has much better Quality of Shopping Experiences and the type of places I like to actually Shop.  The Outdoor Malls they have there are very nice and replaced the Indoor Malls.  They have them Tree Lined and with loads of Shade and more like an Old Town Main Street Experience within the Cities, I really Like it.  The Outdoor Shopping Concept has made a comeback after Indoor Malls have had a Death Spiral.

The one I attended this Sunday was called San Tan Village Mall in nearby Gilbert, first time there, I was impressed and would return.  Even just walking around it was pleasant and with a nice Weather Day it was exceptionally pleasant.   The Cities of Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa and Tempe all blend together with Metro Phoenix, just on the Eastside of the Valley, we're on the Westside and have as many blended Cities that incorporate into Metro Phoenix.  You often don't know and can't tell when you're leaving one City and entering another coz the Boundaries touch each other with all of them now.  I don't get over to the Far Eastside often, it's a long commute across the Metro area and traffic is heavy usually.  With Gas prices over Five now and Diesel over Six, it's too spendy.

T-Mobile sent me a Survey and I gave them the shittiest Rating... of a Zero Highly Dissatisfied.  After Princess T's Dental Appointment I might see if there is another Store Location that has more than just One Employee trying to do it all with ridiculously long waits???  If there isn't then they won't get Paid until I get the Paper Billing Statement Mailed to me that I've been requesting since fucking January!!!  It's halfway thru April now, and I've called numerous times, tried to go in to their Store In-Person Locations, all futile and haven't Solved the Problem thus far.  I'm assuming they'd like to get Paid, but, we just found out they turned off our Phones coz they've refused to fix the Billing Problem they made!!!  So, they're not being cooperative or trying to retain Customers, clearly.

LATER: After the Grandchild's Dental Appointment, which was just a Fluoride Treatment, we went to a different T-Mobile Store which had more Employees actually working so we got helped right away.  The Young Ladies, both who helped us, were great and sympathetic, showed the Grandson that their APP is already auto loaded to his Phone and we were able to pay that way.  Plus T-Mobile had turned our Phones back on when I left that scathing review.  So, The Grandson said every Month he's willing to pay that way if we can't ever get back on Paper Billing Statements.  The Girls there said it was their understanding that the Company is discontinuing all Paper Billing involuntarily, which is upsetting a lot of Customers who wanted to Opt Out of APPS and involuntary Paperless Billing.

We did some Retail Therapy afterwards as a Threesome and Princess T paid for Lunch for all of us at "Wildflower Bread Company" too.  We had a Fun Family Day out with just me and The G-Kid Force.  The Son babysat his Dad for me since his Sister was working another Side Job all day out at some Ranch.  They pick her up and bring her back Home.  Social Security had called again and talked to us about wanting to do his Appointment/Interview TODAY instead of Tomorrow, but no way we could agree to that on such short notice.  So, they said it was Fine, we're still on for Tomorrow Morning and I got all his Paperwork from early Childhood to current day to substantiate how long he's been SMI... from Age 7 when first Diagnosed.

He just wants to get on with Living his Life without worry that he'll be on the Streets again ever, due to the extent of his Disability that limits him, makes him a Vulnerable Adult for all of his Life, and gives him few Options, that's all, it's not a Big Ask.  I want him to feel some sense of Security and have a little Money of his own to buy absolute necessities and essentials.   It gives him some sense of Independence even if he'll never be fully able to live Independently.  His Sister bought him some things while we were out on our Family Day Out Together, she's good to her Big Brother, she feels very Protective of him.   She's seen, firsthand, all her Life, how Mentally Ill he really is and how hard it's made Life for him... and how hard it's made Relationships and sustaining them, for him too.  I guess while he was at his Dad's Yesterday things went very badly, not on account of him either, but between his Dad and the New Wife, who The Young Prince really, really Adores his Dad's New Wife.

But his Dad is his Dad, and how Bobby Acts has always been very Narcissistic, it's how all his Dad's Relationships have eventually gone South... so he's worried that the New Wife may eventually not be able to Deal with it?   So, The Young Prince's Bestie, Sadie, was there with our Grandson and Witnessed the whole Drama play out too and it was very awkward for her and The Grandson.   Apparently he and Sadie have been like a Couple lately, which, isn't so surprising to me, they are good for each other.   The Grandson is rather Gender Fluid and has had no problems with Female Relationships even tho' he feels mostly attracted to Males and doesn't consider himself to be Bi.  I don't know the difference, but I realize there are some Women he's always been closer to than any Guy ever.  And they Like him coz it's like being with another Woman, he understands Women more than most Guys ever would. 

I found these Memes and liked them so much when they showed up on my Algorithm Feed that I hadda crib 'em and Share.  I completely agree with the above one especially, it's so obvious, but so many people don't understand that's what he's had a pattern of doing with all his Businesses.   And thus he is running the Country like he ran Businesses, Asset Stripping all of them and driving them into Bankruptcy and complete Insolvency while enriching himself in the process, often by illegal and immoral means, and no ethics or conscience.  I don't know how quickly he'll Bankrupt America and make every part of the Government completely dismantled, corrupted and destroyed, rendering it all non-functional for the American People, but it's well along the way now in just the short time 2.0 and his Sycophants have been Elected.   Along with the Unelected ones like Musk and Kushner, who nobody Elected and shouldn't be representing us at all and Negotiating any Deals on our behalf.

 

They are like Locusts upon the Land so this Meme was particularly accurate in a Dark Gallows Humor way.   Since, the Far Right Religious Fanatics and Extremists do fully Believe he's sent by God... so it's layered Humor.  I don't usually like Candy but I've found a new one that I do like a lot called "Nerds Gummy Clusters Candy", it's Sweet, Tangy and Crunchy and comes in Flavors.  So far I've tried the Rainbow Flavor and the Cherry Lemonade Blitz Ltd. Edition Flavor.   They also have Very Berry, Strawberry Punch, Punch Rush, Tropical, Valentine, & Frosty Flavors.

I have the Clusters, and not the Rope, in the 8 oz Bags.   I got a couple at the Discount Grocers for $1.99 for the Rainbow Flavor, which is well below the $5 for the larger size Bags.   I'm not a Fan of Sweets, so I like the Tangy and Sour Crunch NERDS Coating that this Candy has along with a Fruity Gummy Center, which, isn't too Sweet and is pleasant.  We went to "Five Below" and got the Ltd. Edition Flavor Bag of the Clusters, they had a lot of Flavors but only One left of the Cherry Lemonade Blitz that we got, Princess T bought it for me.  I found out I liked these when I found that big Easter Basket full of Candy someone left at the Park, it had Candies in it in Single Serving Easter Size Bags, that I could eat that weren't Chocolate and I'd never tried before, including this Candy.  It also happens to be The Young Prince's Favorite Candy now too, he'd had it before tho'.

Most of the Stores have Sold Out of their Easter Merch marked down.  And there's no more Holidays coming up that will have Seasonal Merch for it really.  I don't Count the 4th of July coz the Merch for that is limited and nothing I'd Buy.  And, with the condition of our Nation, I'm not even Celebrating it this Year, I'm too disgusted with America right now and what we've Become, it's shameful and embarrassing, so I am ashamed and making apologies for it to our Foreign Friends and long time Allies.   And now this Demented Loser has committed more Blasphemy doing an AI Image of himself as Jesus and threatening the Pope!!!!!!!!  Just becoz the Pope, the first American Pope BTW, is standing Christian Values Ground about promoting Peace and Love.  And this Prez, who so desperately wanted the Nobel Peace Prize only wants and promotes Hatred, Violence, Cruelty and War... not Peace or Love towards Fellow Human Beings. 

Anyway, looks like a Storm is moving in from the Southwest so we'll probably get some Rain and extend this nice Cooler Weather we're enjoying now for the past few Days.  It's only 76 Degrees at 6:00 p.m. with a nice Cool Breeze, I'm Loving it.  We don't need the Heat on or the Air Conditioner on when it's temperate like this.  And every bit of Savings is crucial now that the Economy is so jacked up.   The SWEET SALVAGE "Down To Earth" Themed Event is coming up within days now.  I cribbed just a couple Sneak Peek Images I liked from their Social Media preview of it.  I don't have Space for large Furniture now but I sure did Love this Old Vintage Industrial Style Desk {Below}.  If we didn't already have Two Old Vintage Industrial Workbenches on the Back Patio I'd get something like this to use as a Workbench and to Display items too back there.

We've been fortunate to get some Work Benches given to us that are Vintage Industrial from some of the Farms and Ranches that The Daughter has been Working at.   One is Selling his Property so disposing of a lot that isn't conveying with the Sale.  The more Rustic, Old and Functional it is the more I dig it, I have a fondness for Vintage Industrial Style anyway.  Wouldn't mind an entire Loft Style Living Space Decorated with that Genre of possessions and furnishings.  If we ever do get around to taking some Equity out and building a Two Story Bunkhouse out of Old Brick in the Back Pasture, I'd Decorate at least the Lower Unit in Vintage Industrial Style and move in there in my latter Years.  I'd relinquish the Main House to the Kiddos and the Upstairs Unit to whichever one would want to live there separately.   I think once I'm in my late 70's and beyond, I'll want a more simplistic smaller Living Space for myself and let the Kiddos inherit the larger Living Spaces early to live in and Maintain.

My Long-Term Care Plan involves trying to live on my own Property with Adult Kids or Adult Grandkids being my Caregiver and getting Paid to be, since you can get a Caregiver Income for Caring for a Parent or Grandparent.  A Spouse doesn't Qualify for Paid Caregiving by the Government.  But The Son has Friends already Caregiving for an Ailing, Sick or Elderly Parent and they get an Income for doing so.  The Government knows that's still Cheaper than paying for Long Term Care in a Nursing Home and most folks could never afford that.  So, keeping them at Home being Cared for is preferable and more Economic, also better for the Individual if their Caregiver is up to that level of their Care.  The Man's Caregiving, if a Paid Caregiver were to be doing it, would be around Twenty Grand or more per Month.  If they could even find anyone willing to do it coz he's requiring Extreme Caregiving now.  I'm Free so... that Saves the Government a fucking shit ton of Money per Month. 

Anyway, just musing about possibilities for the Future, as Grim as it might end up, we just never quite know, do we?   I ran into my fellow Vendor Friend John from the Antique Mall while we were out and about.  He's been in failing Health with severe Kidney damage caused by taking one of the Medications he knows I also have to take for Diabetes.  He was taking Lisinopril for something else, I think his High Blood Pressure, so had been on it for over 20 Years and it's crapped his Kidneys out coz his Doctor neglected to Monitor his Kidney Function as he should have!!!  He's having the Rarer Side Effects of Kidney Damage and High Potassium Levels from taking it.   So far I've had no adverse Side Effects from taking it, thank goodness.  And my Doc checks my Kidney and Liver Functions regularly due to the Med Regimen I have to be on to Stabilize Type II Diabetes.  I knew I hadn't seen John in a while, or his Wife, now I know Why.  I feel so badly for them, coz he looks frail now and is in constant Pain with his Kidneys.

I've had so many Friends Die recently that I don't wanna add to the List. But, when you get Older it's what ramps up, the Losses of people you know of your peer group and generation.  Even some Younger than you from other generations actually, who didn't get the privilege of growing Old, which is not afforded to many.  I always grieve terribly for anyone taken too soon and prematurely crossing over.  At least us and our peers have had a good long Run and so it's more expected and not unusual at a certain Season of Life that your Lifespan is pretty much complete.  I'm not sure how long a Run I wanna have, depending on the shape I'm in more than any specific Age achieved.  Quality of Life is more important to me than Quantity of it.   And I don't think anyone wants to suffer or see anyone suffering.

I just realized that along with taking The Grandson to Social Security in the Morning, I also have to take The Man to see his Cardiologist, Dr. Pham, who performed his Heart Procedure, by 4:00 p.m..  He will have seen Nurse Remi that day too, so it's a busy day.  Then on Wednesday he has Lab work scheduled and I've got to Work, I'm covering for someone for a few Wednesday Night Shifts this Month and next.  Then on Thursday is the event I mentioned earlier in the Post.  The Calendar has been very full all of April and is filling up for May too.  I still have PT Dates I know they want The Man to have which aren't yet Approved by Insurance so haven't been Scheduled until they are Approved.  They want to pack quite a few of those in every Week so we'll see what happens and how effective they are at monitoring his condition or improving it some?

 

It's Tuesday Morning and I woke at 4:00 a.m. instead of 5:00 a.m., which is when we have to be up to get Princess T to Work by 6:00 a.m..  The Grandson's Social Security Interview is this Morning and Nurse Remi is coming this Morning for The Man.  Then at 4:00 p.m. I have to get him to Dr. Pham's for his Cardiac follow-up with who did his Surgical Procedure.  Dr. Pham has been very worried about the subsequent Hospitalizations and ER visits we've had since the Surgery.  It's been a LOT.  It's No Bueno if the Surgery was a Success but the Patient still Dies.  Or keeps trying NOT to!  *Le Sigh*  His Blood Pressure has been good so I haven't had to administer that Medication out of the 18 he's now taking daily, sometimes several times daily!  Every Sunday when I fill his Medication Organizer I'm almost in Tears so The Son and The Grandson have to help me to do it so I won't be overwhelmed and anxious about it.

 

I don't wanna get confused or mess up, so having a 2nd or 3rd person involved is Helpful.   Nurse Remi said she'd do it for us, but we don't know how long we'll qualify to have her coming, so it's best to get used to doing it yourself if you can manage that.  She assisted The Son on how best to Organize administering so many Medications and he's Autistic, so Order and Organizing shit that has a repetitive Routine is his Super Power.  *LOL and Whew*  Even he said, Mom, this is like being a Pharmacist, it's Crazy and no wonder you got overwhelmed doing it, especially when they keep changing Dad's Medications or dosages all of the time, it's confusing!!!   I'm sure we're not the only Clients who struggle with so much Medication and how demanding and extreme the Caregiving can get.  The Man could never do this if he didn't have us.

I think he'd even refuse to take any of it since remember how much Medication he'd hidden over 12 Years that we didn't know about until quite recently?!!!!!!!   So now he's not allowed to go get the Mail or open Packages delivered, since the VA sends all his Meds by Mail and now I told him me or the Kiddos will manage ALL Mail, since, he can't be Trusted not to hide it... or forget what he did with it or where he put it.  He'd hidden Bills too so now it's one of his numerous Safety Prompts, no more Touching of The Mail!!!  *Le Sigh*  He doesn't even know nor can he explain why he was hiding it all, or putting it in weirdo places and then forgetting about it without any of it even being opened or used by him!?!   He's hidden some of his Underwear before and I have to try to find where he's spirited it away or just go buy new ones!!!  Same with his Socks... so now The Daughter goes thru his Closet on The Regular to find any 'hidden' shit he's squirrelled away like a Packrat!!!

Other than all of that, everything is Swell.  *Bwahahahaha*  I won't go to The Gym this Morning, usually I go on Tuesday Mornings coz I'm up so early and at 6:00 a.m. attendance is real light there.  But, since I have so much on the Calendar Today it would wear me out too much to add that to the itinerary for the Day.  It might rev me up nicely to have a Workout to begin the busy Day, but I might run out of Gas before the Cardiac Appointment this Afternoon?  *LOL*  I did fill up with Gas and spent even more this time since now Gas is up to around $5 for Regular and $6 for Diesel, and the better quality Gas is in between both of those prices.  So those of you still paying around $4 are among the more fortunate in America right now actually.  The News always cites YOUR lower Prices and say how outrageous and unaffordable THAT is, but for States like Arizona, California and Hawaii, you Guys are paying WAY less than us by a Dollar or more a Gallon!!!

When The Son was applying for that part-time Work at the Dollar Store the Manageress was telling him they're having to raise all their Prices again!!!!!  *Le Sigh*   Since Pandemic the Dollar Stores have almost Doubled Prices already, went from 99 Cents to $1.25, to $1.50 currently... and now I'm sure it will go to $1.75 or $2.00 next?  Still cheaper than most other Stores, so, whaddya gonna do?  I Shop the Discount Grocer and the Dollar Stores for a lot of our Essentials now.  And for Clothing we always buy from the Chazzas and get secondhand Wardrobe, have for Years.  It was the only way Custodial Grandparents not being compensated for Raising a 2nd Generation could afford to keep The Grandkids in Clothing and Shoes as they grew so frickin' fast!!!  So they were used to wearing secondhand Clothes and still do to this day.  It gave them their own Fashion Sensibilities since they weren't buying or wearing New Clothes and following Retail Trends like their Friends.

Princess T and The Young Prince are Fearless about Fashion anyway and said Kids and Adult Peers who were Buying Full Retail all looked so "Copy & Paste" anyway, they didn't wanna look so Pedestrian and so Boring and Unoriginal!   *LOL*  We often go Chazza Shopping together and did on our day out Yesterday, doing some Goodwill Hunting.  My Friend John ran into us at a "Goodwill" and let me take a screen shot of the April 20% Off Coupon coz I no longer have an E-Mail to receive it.   John trawls the Chazzas for Inventory for his Spaces at the Antique Mall, unlike me, who is downsizing, he has to Buy what he's reselling.  He and his Dear Wife Downsized Years ago when they moved into a Retirement Community at Pebble Creek near the "Goodwill" I almost always run into them at.  I think they must go there daily?  *LOL*  I've never dropped in at that location and not seen them.  *Smiles* 

John always has his Coupon on his Phone so I take a Screen Shot of it since he knows I no longer have an E-Mail to receive it.  I Wish that the "Goodwill" just had what SAVERS has, various Discount Days where you don't need a Coupon Online.  Yes, they do have Military Day and Senior Day too, but, the 20% Off requires their Coupon on other days.  SAVERS has Coupons but has more Discount Days for Customer Appreciation and Half Off Day.  So, there's very few Days you have to even have the Hard Copy Coupons they give you for Donations and I've not had to get sent one Online to perpetually have to Save.   "Goodwill" did away with their regular 50% Off Days and now makes it a Big Deal if they have One Day a Month half off.  I no longer Donate to them ever... and don't shop there as often either anymore until they treat their Customers and their Donations better than they currently do.

But, Princess T wanted to see what the 'competition' was like, she likes to gloat over how much better Customer Service and better they Showcase and treat their Merch is at SAVERS, and, it's the Truth.  *Smiles*   Her Store is exceptional, all the Employees and how they treat their Donations respectfully and keep their Stores Organized and Clean.  It's a well oiled Machine and I like shopping there and did even before they wanted to hire my Grandchild and urged her to apply after High School was a wrap for her.  She won't always wanna Work there but it was a good First Job to get.  She's been working alongside me in either unpaid Ministry work or the Antique Mall Spaces for Years so she already had an excellent Work Ethic and Experience beyond her Years.  That Kid has liked Working since she could Walk.  I was like that too.  We were those Toddlers Working our Hustle!   Born to do it I suppose?  *LOL* 

I don't remember ever NOT Working actually and was Earning Money from the time I could remember and working my Hustle even when I had no Money to Negotiate with!!!  *LOL*   Princess T was identical, so she's a Chip off the ole Block.  When she had no Money she'd still manage to Negotiate Deals and get Free Stuff!!!  *Smiles*   Handy, since, that was less I hadda come up with the Money to Buy for her.  If she REALLY wanted something and I couldn't afford it, that Kid would find a way to get it with her own Negotiating prowess or Hustle!!!   The Son was always like that too, he was an expert Hustler by Age Two.  He'd Hustle Grown Men at Arcades just to be able to play the Video Games for Free!  *LOL*  And he'd Hustle the Carnies at the State Fairs and Carnivals to be able to play the Midway Games for Free too.  As most Autistics, he could figure out Angles and Trajectories and shit to Ace almost any Game they had, effortlessly.  Basketball was no Challenge for him, or hitting Targets with anything, a Dart, a Gun, a Ball, a Rock.  That's when a Disability becomes an Ability, of sorts... *Winks*

 

*******

Blessings, Love and Light from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian