HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I am thankful I have had so many Thanksgiving Days.  From great big family get togethers with Aunts and Uncles, to just the two of us, to hosting dinners for 25+, at restaurants, to being invited over, to celebrating all on my own.  I've loved every one of them.  Traditional foods, gluten free foods, vegetarian food and seafood.

May your day be exactly as you'd like!

REPOSTING

(this was posted in error last week, together with another post ... it has not had many reads, so I'm posting on its own today)(my apologies to the 13 people who DID read it!)

WLLO Village has a dedicated staff and a main phone number for inquiries, service requests and questions about Villages in general.  We have four volunteers, 3 of whom are well trained.  I volunteer to be the office volunteer at least two days a week.

Our hours are 10:00 am til 2:00 pm although I respond up until 4:00 pm or 5:00 pm, if I'm near my computer.  I can receive the phone calls wherever I am (they are translated by Google Voice and sent to all office volunteers as an email), and return the phone call, get clarification then enter it as a service request when I get to my computer.

Google Voice does a pretty good job but there is still a lot to be desired.  Ellen sounds like Alan.  Some members leave messages that don't quite have all the pertinent details ... like "this is Hazel and I need to go to the foot doctor on Thursday."  Of course we need to ask her the doctor's name and address and what time her appointment is.  Sometimes they have forgotten that they already requested that ride.  Often they don't have the street address so we put on our detective caps while they explain it's near Home Depot near that McDonald's just off the highway and look online while talking with them.

Once we enter a service request in our Village software, we choose which Volunteer to email the request.  For instance if it is a ride to Dr Norton for an 11:00 appt, the office volunteer checks the typical time from Hazel's house to that address and asks for driver to pick her up at 10:45, wait or return when appointment is over, then drive her back home.  Sometimes one driver can do the morning part but another needs to do the return trip.  Oh yeh!  We aim to please!!

The Office Volunteer calls the member to tell them WHO is picking them up.  The driver calls the rider the day before the appointment to confirm everything is still on. Some members call to ask who is driving two or three days before.  They just need that reassurance someone IS coming.

We can enter a note for drivers ... Hazel uses a walker, is very slow and needs help opening the door to the doctor's office.  Many riders ask the driver to made additional stops ... pick up a quart of ice cream, or a prescription.   We usually ask the rider ahead of time if there will be additional stops because sometimes drivers only plan a specific amount of time.

So far we have a 100% record of accommodating each request.  One request that we did not have success filling was less than 4 days notice (one of our rules)(and we have often done next day requests).  A pretty good track record.

Best of all?  Members have no idea that I am not working in an office complex, with my own desk, equipment, assistants and file cabinets.  This is how I run my office day ...

OOOOPS on me!

I accidentally published my Thursday blog last Sunday (The Virtual Office) when my Speech Therapy was released.  Brain lapse!

So today you can go back and read that ... or just enjoy what our Christmas is starting to look like ....

Camo Christmas items?  Now you have seen everything!

SPEECH THERAPY

Since we switched Braeden to Montessori, he is no longer getting a weekly group speech therapy session to work on pronouncing hard "Rs".  I took it upon myself to find him someone new and just pay for it.

He had to do an hour-long evaluation that was pretty boring.  She took photos of his mouth, tongue and teeth.  She watched him eat a chewy protein bar.  She watched him drink water through a clear glass.  She engaged him in all kinds of conversations noting which consonant R blends were worse.  I got a copy of her evaluation and a treatment plan. 

He wasn't very impressed with the evaluation (it wasn't very much fun, Gramma) so when he learned he was going back he asked if he could bring a toy or stuffed animal to keep him company (anxious).  I reminded him the evaluator said she promised the next visit would be FUN.  Let's give Allie, the therapist, a try at being fun and if she is not, then you can ask her if you can bring something.

WOW was Allie fun!!  First they just chatted.  She asked him why he was coming to see her.  And when he said he couldn't pronounce R's very well she said Oh my gosh!  That is the easiest thing to re-learn.  She explained that she was going to give him exercises for his tongue!  She gave him an M&M to place on the tip of his tongue and he was to press it to the roof of his mouth and hold it in place while he said R five times.  Then eat it!  Big hit!

Then they would play a game for a few minutes then SHOUT "R" words, and resume play.  She has an iPad game that is like a casino slot machine, where there were two slots.  He would press one button to get an adjective.  The second button would eventually show a "R" word.  Happy rabbit.  Silly squirrel.  Laughing aardvark.  Then mini marshmallow on tip of tongue and R R R R R.  

Another game and in between was saying a vowel and then an R.  A-R, E-R, I-R, O-R,U-R.   

As she was doing this exercise, she signed both letters.  He noticed and asked he if that was sign language ... then proceeded to tell her he had recently seen the Helen Keller movie.

And so on until our 45 minutes were up.  He left the building skipping and shouting R words!

Just wait, Alexa ... soon he can tell you to turn on War of the Worlds!

THE VIRTUAL OFFICE

WLLO Village has a dedicated staff and a main phone number for inquiries, service requests and questions about Villages in general.  We have four volunteers, 3 of whom are well trained.  I volunteer to be the office volunteer at least two days a week.

Our hours are 10:00 am til 2:00 pm although I respond up until 4:00 pm or 5:00 pm, if I'm near my computer.  I can receive the phone calls wherever I am (they are translated by Google Voice and sent to all office volunteers as an email), and return the phone call, get clarification then enter it as a service request when I get to my computer.

Google Voice does a pretty good job but there is still a lot to be desired.  Ellen sounds like Alan.  Some members leave messages that don't quite have all the pertinent details ... like "this is Hazel and I need to go to the foot doctor on Thursday."  Of course we need to ask her the doctor's name and address and what time her appointment is.  Sometimes they have forgotten that they already requested that ride.  Often they don't have the street address so we put on our detective caps while they explain it's near Home Depot near that McDonald's just off the highway and look online while talking with them.

Once we enter a service request in our Village software, we choose which Volunteer to email the request.  For instance if it is a ride to Dr Norton for an 11:00 appt, the office volunteer checks the typical time from Hazel's house to that address and asks for driver to pick her up at 10:45, wait or return when appointment is over, then drive her back home.  Sometimes one driver can do the morning part but another needs to do the return trip.  Oh yeh!  We aim to please!!

The Office Volunteer calls the member to tell them WHO is picking them up.  The driver calls the rider the day before the appointment to confirm everything is still on. Some members call to ask who is driving two or three days before.  They just need that reassurance someone IS coming.

We can enter a note for drivers ... Hazel uses a walker, is very slow and needs help opening the door to the doctor's office.  Many riders ask the driver to made additional stops ... pick up a quart of ice cream, or a prescription.   We usually ask the rider ahead of time if there will be additional stops because sometimes drivers only plan a specific amount of time.

So far we have a 100% record of accommodating each request.  One request that we did not have success filling was less than 4 days notice (one of our rules)(and we have often done next day requests).  A pretty good track record.

Best of all?  Members have no idea that I am not working in an office complex, with my own desk, equipment, assistants and file cabinets.  This is how I run my office day ...

AT THE OREGON COAST

APPARENTLY, I'M SCREWED

The visit to the eye specialist and surgeon who did my cataract surgery was not satisfactory at all.  In fact, the worst customer service ever.

The surgeon was over an HOUR late in seeing me.  The front desk told me she was running 20-30 minutes behind.  My WLLO driver lives close so she went home to rake leaves.  After waiting and then waiting even more in the little office, I texted her that I would just take an Uber home.  Fortunately, she insisted she wanted to retrieve me to escape leaf duty.

The vision in my "new" eye is 20/50 (actually, I think it is worse than that).  The technician who checked my vision started with the excuses before the Dr even came in.  It's not an exact science, not everyone gets 20/20 vision, yada yada yada.  My high school buddy's husband just had two cataracts removed and he has 20/20.  My driver's friend just had hers done and SHE has 15/20 in one eye and 20/20 in the other.  Finally the Dr came in.  First off, she said 20/50 is "not that bad" and it qualifies to be "drivable" vision per the Department of Motor Vehicles.  I explained there is no way on earth I could drive safely with that vision.  And I didn't think she would drive with that poor of vision either.

Then she said well, you do have astigmatism.  Yes, less than 1 diopter I told her.  I asked her months ago when I was deciding which kind of lens to have implanted and she said no need for a toric lens.  I reminded her of that conversation and reiterated that what I asked for was long distance vision so I could drive safely without specs.

Her next topic was "it's not an exact science" in choosing the lens.  Honestly?  I think she chose the wrong lens.  But she would not admit it.  So, I asked how do we fix this?  She "could" remove the lens and insert a different strength.  She "could" do laser surgery to correct the vision.  She "could" insert a stronger lens in the other eye.  But wearing glasses for driving is the only affordable option for me.  ALL of her "coulds" would be out of pocket procedures ... thousands of dollars.

Fortunately, my driver is a retired doctor!  She reaffirmed my thinking that the surgeon just made a mistake in choosing the lens.  She should have just fessed up.  Offered her time for free to fix it.

The good news is my eye is fine and healthy.  I have asked my Dr for a referral and my driver doctor gave me a referral.  And I'll Google my eyes out researching.

A simple apology would go a long way.

MY NEW EYE IS DETERIORIATING

I was so excited with my long distance vision after the cataract was removed from my left eye and a new monofocal lens installed.

Until about two weeks after surgery, when my eyesight in my left eye was not as powerful as it had been.  October 30 was my first month check up and there was much checking of my vision.  When the 12-year-old surgeon (with her Stanford medical degree) entered the mix, I complained about not being able to see as far as I would like.  I'd like to be able to drive without glasses.

She asked if I would like a stronger lens for my right eye (which isn't being done until December).  I don't think my brain can handle two different powers, which is why I didn't choose one eye for close up and one eye for distance.  I don't mind reading glasses or computer distance glasses.  Which is what I explained to her again.  But mostly I would like to be free of specs for the first time since third grade.

Last Monday I went to a restaurant where you order from a giant chalkboard.  I could not read the board with either eye.  As soon as I returned home, I called the eye specialist's office to ask what my vision was in my new left eye.  After a few back and forth phone calls, the surgeon would like to see me tomorrow (Veteran's day).

I wasn't expecting 20/20 (which surely is possible in the year 2020!) but I was expecting better than this.  Driving is especially difficult ... I had to get out my glasses with just one lens in for my bad right eye ... then closed my "good" eye.

It's not safe for me to drive (also hard to walk with no depth perception) so now my daughter drives me around.  I've had to put myself on leave from WLLO volunteer driving indefinitely.  She and the family are at the beach for the long weekend, so I had to ask WLLO for a ride to and from the eye clinic tomorrow.

Either the lens has moved out of place or she put in the wrong prescription lens.  We've had a huge blast of pollen this past week so maybe the pressure in my eye has changed.

IF she has to change the lens (or reposition) I'm going to BEG that she do both eyes at the same time.  

CHANGING UP!

Wow!  I missed posting on Thursday.  I think I will change my days to Sunday and Wednesday.  Keep tuned in.

I have been the Office Volunteer in the WLLO Virtual Office at least on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Often three days a week.  And I feel like I'm on duty on Wednesdays as well as our volunteer is not picking up on doing things.  (Another blog for when I'm feeling WHINEY)

It's usually not too much work but I need to have access to my computer.  Since I'm addicted to my laptop, that's an easy ask.  I can still go out on errands or lunch as long as I check my email.  IF something comes up, I'm not far from home on the days I'm on duty.

So check in tomorrow ... after you check out the school pictures!

 

Mr Deacon, 5.5 Kindergarten (yes, he picked his own outfit)

Mr. Braeden, 9 and in 3rd grade.

GIVING

We are fast approaching the time of year for charity donations and IRA withdrawals. Those who are 70½ or older will discover definite advantages to contributing money to a qualified charity directly from your IRAs. 

The IRS provided this easy way to escape paying taxes on our Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) several years ago

Such qualified charitable donations (QCDs) will also help those of us who pay taxes on a portion of their Social Security benefits. Such donations will also help those who are subject to tax on net investment income, or a phase-out of personal exemptions or itemized deductions. Perhaps this is something for you and your acquaintances to ponder. 

I'm not quite at RMD age, but believe me ... this is how I will do my giving once I hit that magic number.

STOP ME!