Why Everything Republicans Are Saying About The Sequester Is Wrong: pBarring a last minute Congressional compromise, $85 billion in automatic across-the-board cuts will go into effect in the next 72 hours as a result of the sequester mechanism included in the 2011 Budget Control Act. Republicans — many of whom voted for the BCA and have for years championed deep spending reductions — are hoping [...]/p
THERE WAS NO LAST MINUTE COMPROMISE, MEANING THE SEQUESTER SPENDING CUTS WILL LIKELY GO INTO EFFECT FRIDAY, MARCH 1. ... Toney Atkins
The above link is from ThinkProgress.org
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Subway Founder Fred Deluca: Minimum Wage Increase 'Will Cause Franchisees To Raise Prices'
Subway Founder Fred Deluca: Minimum Wage Increase 'Will Cause Franchisees To Raise Prices'
No more $5 11-inch Subway sandwiches if the minimum wage is raised to $9? Horror of horrors, especially because the restuarant produces my favorite subs. The above Huffington Post link makes me fear that my Social Security dollar will not be worth as much, but I would prefer that the sub makers receive a higher minimum wage than they currently do. -- Toney Atkins
No more $5 11-inch Subway sandwiches if the minimum wage is raised to $9? Horror of horrors, especially because the restuarant produces my favorite subs. The above Huffington Post link makes me fear that my Social Security dollar will not be worth as much, but I would prefer that the sub makers receive a higher minimum wage than they currently do. -- Toney Atkins
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Pimps hit social networks to recruit underage sex workers- Feb. 27, 2013
Pimps hit social networks to recruit underage sex workers- Feb. 27, 2013
Toney Atkins says: Frightening. Prostitution going high-tech on Facebook is disrupting and destroying the lives of kids who, at this time in history, are learning way too much way too early about sex and other adult issues. The Internet is wonderful, but it does have its dark side, as does everything man creates. It's sad that children and young teenagers cannot really enjoy their formative years as they did before the electronic media consumed nearly aspect of their lives.
The above link will take you to a disturbing story. It is from CNN.
Toney Atkins says: Frightening. Prostitution going high-tech on Facebook is disrupting and destroying the lives of kids who, at this time in history, are learning way too much way too early about sex and other adult issues. The Internet is wonderful, but it does have its dark side, as does everything man creates. It's sad that children and young teenagers cannot really enjoy their formative years as they did before the electronic media consumed nearly aspect of their lives.
The above link will take you to a disturbing story. It is from CNN.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
GOP Senator Launches The Most Dishonest Attack Against Obamacare You’ve Ever Heard
GOP Senator Launches The Most Dishonest Attack Against Obamacare You’ve Ever Heard: pDuring a Budget Committee Hearing on Tuesday, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) announced that the Affordable Care Act — which had been projected to reduce the deficit by billions over 10 years — would actually increase long-term debt by $6.2 trillion, undermining administration claims that the law would expand coverage to millions of Americans and help [...]/p
FROM THINKPROGRESS.ORG
FROM THINKPROGRESS.ORG
Why Everything Republicans Are Saying About The Sequester Is Wrong
Why Everything Republicans Are Saying About The Sequester Is Wrong: pBarring a last minute Congressional compromise, $85 billion in automatic across-the-board cuts will go into effect in the next 72 hours as a result of the sequester mechanism included in the 2011 Budget Control Act. Republicans — many of whom voted for the BCA and have for years championed deep spending reductions — are hoping [...]/p
FROM THINKPROGRESS.ORG
FROM THINKPROGRESS.ORG
WHAT I THINK…
By Toney Atkins
I initially began my blogs way back when to “record for posterity” my reports and commentaries for newspapers, along with personal viewpoints and experiences. In a sense, parts of my life story began to emerge as I found this particular blog to be a good outlet for opinions and emotions that most friends and acquaintances would tire of if I injected them into conversations.
Lately, my occasional readers may have noticed that I have begun to include links to authoritative sources, such as ThinkProgress.org and the Huffington Post (among major news outlets) to present stories and opinions that I believe people need to know about. I also link to stories that are weird or just plain odd or funny for a change of pace. When I was a teacher years ago, I found that injecting humor has a way of making more palatable the more serious material that needs to be learned in our ever-changing society.
I hope that you will sometimes visit the blogs and join me on the journey toward the rest of my life. Oh, yes. I will sometimes be writing completely original stuff and, once I get this blood flow thing to my brain, eyes and ears fixed, if I ever can, I will be finally completing that book I’ve talked about for years.
In the meantime, continue to spread love and peace, and stay healthy.
Monday, February 25, 2013
World's Worst Tattoo vs. Porn Star Bra Size: The Weird News Top 10 (VOTE, VIDEO)
World's Worst Tattoo vs. Porn Star Bra Size: The Weird News Top 10 (VOTE, VIDEO)
TONEY ATKINS: Another edition of weekly weird news that make me feel like a normal human being. You can vote for the weirdest at the end of the column. (From The Huffington Post)
TONEY ATKINS: Another edition of weekly weird news that make me feel like a normal human being. You can vote for the weirdest at the end of the column. (From The Huffington Post)
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Fans Injured In Daytona Crash On Final Lap Of Nationwide Race (VIDEO/PHOTOS)
Fans Injured In Daytona Crash On Final Lap Of Nationwide Race (VIDEO/PHOTOS)
From The Huffington Post....video, photos, story
From The Huffington Post....video, photos, story
Saturday, February 23, 2013
5 Ways The Sequester Could Make You Sick
5 Ways The Sequester Could Make You Sick: pIn just a week, the United States will hit the deadline for the sequester — the automatic spending cuts that were negotiated during the 2011 debt ceiling deal. The spending cuts will begin going into effect on March 1 unless lawmakers broker a compromise to avert sequestration, as they did at the beginning of this [...]/p
FROM THINKPROGRESS.ORG
FROM THINKPROGRESS.ORG
Friday, February 22, 2013
A Balanced Plan to Avert the Sequester and Reduce the Deficit | The White House
A Balanced Plan to Avert the Sequester and Reduce the Deficit | The White House
TONEY ATKINS: Republicans claim that they have seen no plan from President Obama to avert the sequester, due to go into effect on Friday, March 1. Can they not Bing? Can they not Google? Can they not go to the White House's web site? Far too many people believe what Republican representatives and senators say in TV interviews and to press reporters. What is it going to take for these people to realize that they are being misled, not only on the potentially economically devastating sequester, but on other issues as well. Please feel free to read for yourself the president's proposal to avert the sequester (as well as what the sequester is) by clicking the link above.
TONEY ATKINS: Republicans claim that they have seen no plan from President Obama to avert the sequester, due to go into effect on Friday, March 1. Can they not Bing? Can they not Google? Can they not go to the White House's web site? Far too many people believe what Republican representatives and senators say in TV interviews and to press reporters. What is it going to take for these people to realize that they are being misled, not only on the potentially economically devastating sequester, but on other issues as well. Please feel free to read for yourself the president's proposal to avert the sequester (as well as what the sequester is) by clicking the link above.
RATED R: WOMAN HAS SEX WITH PIT BULL, POLICE SAY
Kara
Vandereyk, Las Vegas Woman, Had Sex With Pit Bull:
Police
From the Huffington Post
"You beast!" she screamed.
Not really. That part was made up by me, although I do understand that the pit bull had a smile on its face after the encounter. Oops, I did it again. Please pardon me for acting like Fox News and making up stuff just to add my own warped imagination to an already unbelievable, but true, story, according to police.
WARNING: Kind of gross, and some sensitive readers might find the article at the above Huffington Post link offensive. However, I see it as not as offensive as people hurting, shooting and killing people every day, as reported on the 6 o'clock news and much of the day on cable. -- Toney Atkins
From the Huffington Post
"You beast!" she screamed.
Not really. That part was made up by me, although I do understand that the pit bull had a smile on its face after the encounter. Oops, I did it again. Please pardon me for acting like Fox News and making up stuff just to add my own warped imagination to an already unbelievable, but true, story, according to police.
WARNING: Kind of gross, and some sensitive readers might find the article at the above Huffington Post link offensive. However, I see it as not as offensive as people hurting, shooting and killing people every day, as reported on the 6 o'clock news and much of the day on cable. -- Toney Atkins
Thursday, February 21, 2013
THE LATEST FINANCIAL CRISIS: HAVE YOUR SAY
Toney Atkins: You can have your say about the latest economic crisis facing the U.S. Are you as tired of these stress-inducing situations as I am? The following is an email from the Democratic Party that I received (of which I tend to agree) that can help your "representatives" in Congress know how you feel about the issue that can adversely impact many, if not all, Americans starting March 1:
Congressional Republicans have taken their partisan brinkmanship to an entirely new level.
Unless they act by March 1st, billions of dollars in automatic cuts -- the so-called sequester -- will start to take effect. If it does, more than 2 million jobs could be lost, 70,000 children would be kicked off of Head Start, and 10,000 teachers' jobs would be put at risk.
With this fiscal crisis looming, what did John Boehner and Republican leadership do? They went on vacation, calling recess for the House this week even though Democrats voted to stay and work to avert this crisis.
This is no time for recess. It's time for them to do their job.
Demand Republicans in Congress come back to the table and work with the President to avoid this crisis. Sign the petition now.
The unbelievable thing is -- this crisis is completely avoidable.
The President has laid out a specific plan with detailed cuts to avoid the sequester and reduce the deficit in a balanced way, and Democrats in Congress have put forward a balanced approach as well.
But Republicans in Congress would rather see our recovery and middle-class economic security be put at risk than close one tax loophole for big corporations and the wealthiest among us.
John Boehner and House Republican leaders need to hear from thousands of Americans across the country that they must come back to the table and work with us to avoid these automatic cuts. The only way they'll do their job is if our overwhelming response leaves them no choice.
Sign the petition now:
http://my.democrats.org/
Together, we can do this.
Thanks,
Debbie
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Chair
Democratic National Committee
Congressional Republicans have taken their partisan brinkmanship to an entirely new level.
Unless they act by March 1st, billions of dollars in automatic cuts -- the so-called sequester -- will start to take effect. If it does, more than 2 million jobs could be lost, 70,000 children would be kicked off of Head Start, and 10,000 teachers' jobs would be put at risk.
With this fiscal crisis looming, what did John Boehner and Republican leadership do? They went on vacation, calling recess for the House this week even though Democrats voted to stay and work to avert this crisis.
This is no time for recess. It's time for them to do their job.
Demand Republicans in Congress come back to the table and work with the President to avoid this crisis. Sign the petition now.
The unbelievable thing is -- this crisis is completely avoidable.
The President has laid out a specific plan with detailed cuts to avoid the sequester and reduce the deficit in a balanced way, and Democrats in Congress have put forward a balanced approach as well.
But Republicans in Congress would rather see our recovery and middle-class economic security be put at risk than close one tax loophole for big corporations and the wealthiest among us.
John Boehner and House Republican leaders need to hear from thousands of Americans across the country that they must come back to the table and work with us to avoid these automatic cuts. The only way they'll do their job is if our overwhelming response leaves them no choice.
Sign the petition now:
http://my.democrats.org/
Together, we can do this.
Thanks,
Debbie
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Chair
Democratic National Committee
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE VS. PIZZA PERFUME: WEIRD NEWS
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/17/weird-news-top-10-zombie-apocalypse-pizza-perfume_n_2699813.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news
Yes, indeed. The political news is frequently strange but true, but not quite as weird as this collection of news from the Huffington Post. -- Toney Atkins
Yes, indeed. The political news is frequently strange but true, but not quite as weird as this collection of news from the Huffington Post. -- Toney Atkins
BROTHERS BLOW UP HOUSE CELEBRATING LOTTERY WIN
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/18/brothers-blow-up-house-lottery-kansas_n_2711020.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
These guys had a really big and explosive rush. (Something light for a change.)-- Toney
These guys had a really big and explosive rush. (Something light for a change.)-- Toney
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Russian meteor explosion outshone sun - Science
Russian meteor explosion outshone sun - Science
TONEY SAYS: Extraordinary event, and the asteroid passed us (darn it). The above link from NBC News has spectacular video, photos and story in text. And there are already conspiracy theories ......... Hmm. Who or what dunnit?
TONEY SAYS: Extraordinary event, and the asteroid passed us (darn it). The above link from NBC News has spectacular video, photos and story in text. And there are already conspiracy theories ......... Hmm. Who or what dunnit?
Friday, February 15, 2013
METEOR pieces fall in Russia, officials say - CBS News
Meteor pieces fall in Russia, officials say - CBS News
Note: Destruction, hundreds reported hurt. Is this part of the asteroid we have been reporting on www.toneyatkins.com/ ? -- Toney
Note: Destruction, hundreds reported hurt. Is this part of the asteroid we have been reporting on www.toneyatkins.com/ ? -- Toney
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
A NEW PERVERSION (by Toney Atkins)
|
FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE BRAIN OF TONEY ATKINS:
The following piece of "prose" was written and published on www.toneyatkins.com/ several years ago. Some people who, for some reason, remembered it but said they could not find it on the web site, asked for a repeat. For those readers, one of whom said it was one of her favorites (poor, deranged soul), I re-publish it here.
WARNING: RATED PG-13.
A NEW PERVERSION by Toney Atkins
A new perversion has suddenly entered my life as I
weave my way into my early 60s: I've lost interest in sex.
I tried one of those 36-hour male enhancement drugs. but ended up with nothing but a backache. I'm probably one of the few men in the world who will turn his eyes away from a steamy sex scene in a movie, much as most would close their eyes as a screaming victim is hacked to death by an ax murderer. It even embarrasses me to watch animals copulating on nature shows. I don't deny that age possibly has something to do with this, but this perversion seemed to hit me overnight not too long ago. It's not that I'm falling apart. Some have told me that I look "hot" and that I apprear to be a lot younger. Then I'm brought down to earth when the clerk at Kentucky Fried Chicken automatically gives me a senior discount without a second look. But the mirror still shows a certain distinction and not extinction. I woke this morning, so I'm still alive. The thrill is gone, but I don't miss it. If that's not perversion, what is? Although I rarely analyze it or dwell on what I once believed was one of the most important things in my life, it sometimes occurs to me that I indeed must be an oddball. I even went to an adult chat room on the Internet to see if stimulation lay in some unknown person who could live anywhere in the world. One of the room's inhabitants sent me an instant message, and the profile information displayed what had to be a human being with the most sexually attractive body in the world, if not the Universe. That unseen being that I believed to be a she saw me as being an object of perfection. However, my mental image of the writer was of a 500-pound creature whose major orgasms came from ingesting five Whoppers and four Slurpees at one sitting. My sexual stirrings remained dormant. My eyes still find pleasure in looking at a beautiful person, but I'm finding that many more people have a certain special outer and inner beauty if I look at them long enough, and that is wonderful. I believe in love, but where is the lust? Am I missing something? Am I any different than I was before, when I believed that proving sexual prowess was one of the most essential things in life? Is low-T devastating my future? Now I'm out of the closet with this perversion, I hope you don't think less of me. It's certainly not that you are not sexy. It's simply that I'd rather just love you, and it's sad if that's considered to be perverted in this day and age. |
 |
|
Saturday, February 09, 2013
SCARED POOPLESS (Toney Atkins)
UPDATE: THE DAY AFTER follows the original:
Hi friends and wonderful acquaintances,
I hope this finds you doing well and enjoying life.
Some of you have inquired about the results of the tests on my eyes, one of which recently went totally blind for a couple of days (and still isn't working too great at times). I truly appreciate your prayers and positive energy. It has helped.
The specialist managed to scare me poopless today. A bilateral cartoid ultrasound, performed utilizing 8.0 MHz transducer (bet you didn't know I could talk doctor, did you?), pne of the major results indicated Intimal hyperplasia, the thickening of the tunica intima of a blood vessel as a complication of a reconstruction procedure or endarterectomy. Intimal hyperplasia is the universal response of a vessel to injury and is an important reason of late bypass graft failure, particularly in vein and synthetic vascular grafts.
I must be honest. I stole wording for that paragraph from the doctor's report and Wikipedia, and it's Greek to me. My case has something to do with the flow of blood to (or from?) the brain. The way the doc described it, I gather that it means that I have a blockage somewhere which could result in a stroke. I nearly had one just listening to him, but I managed to keep my panic attack at bay. Introspectively and aside from the eyes, even now I have several symptoms of the aftermath of a stroke, but doctors don't seem to believe that's the case. I should stop watching "House" reruns. Hypochonriac that I tend to be, I sometimes feel I have the same symptoms as every patient in every episode. With the size of my belly, I have been accused of being pregnant, but so far, no baby, no National Enquirer, no millions of dollars, so my hypochondria does have lines it won't cross.
I have to see my primary physician Monday, who will refer me to two more specialists. Getting old is indeed an adventure (and sometimes a bitch, so please continue to remember me in prayer or think something positive.
Obviously, the urgency isn't too great. I'm not in the hospital yet. The tests were conducted more than a month ago, I don't know if my condition is the same or worse. I'm sure the specialist, whom I trust, considered the evaluations that were done today. But that scares the poop out of me, too. It's good to know
Chalk this email up to another moaning and groaning rambling of a reluctantly aging old man who doesn't have the patience to deal with failing body parts. Feel free to get back at me any time by writing to me about any problem YOU might have. It helps to vent, even if only God knows the answers.
Love somebody today.
**********************************************
THE DAY AFTER:
I have always had the terrible habit of writing and publishing things before I have really thought them out, and they ultimately resulted in regret.
After sending the above email to friends and contacts, some who care and many who likely do not, I realized how selfish it sounds. I try not to be whiny, but sometimes I put personal thoughts into writing partly because there are few people that I can actually talk to in order to get fears, frustrations and, on the other hand, positive thoughts and energy out of my system.
The email likely came across as self-centered, and today it appears as such, even to me.
As a neighborhood man in his 30s pointed out today, I am fortunate. "You've lived a long life, and you should be proud and expect problems like this," he said.
Thinking back on my 50th year high school senior class reunion two years ago, I know that he is right. I am 70 years old, and I have outlived some of my classmates and friends who possibly suffered much more than I will ever suffer. I thank God that I am as healthy as I am, and I should thank Him every day for that. I wish those classmates and friends were alive today and that they could have enjoyed our reunion and the days, months and years afterward. I would like to think the rest of us lucky ones will be around to celebrate our 100th year of graduating into society and the real world, in which we would grow and age, mix successes with failures as we grew older.
I apologize for seemingly feeling sorry for myself, because I really don't. I will face this problem as I have done when the situations seemed dire in the past. There are many, many people who are in worse shape than I, but I guess I do selfishly enjoy life, whatever the pains, disappointments and frustrations. I hope to spend my golden years relishing the moments and days.
If I offended anyone by my blowing off steam, which would have been more appropriate, I suppose, in a personal journal, I am sorry. However, I do thank you for reading, listening, praying and caring.
******************************************************
LIFE GOES ON
A followup, this one on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013
Someday I'll look back on these posts and laugh -- or at least I hope I will.
A nervous visit to my primary doctor Tuesday was rather anticlimactic. His response provided no real solutions to the problem previously discussed and no sense of compassion or even concern could be noted.
He did not refer me to a specialist, as my eye surgeon had indicated probably should be necessary. Instead, my doctor said the tests indicated that the artery was "only" 50 percent blocked and "at this time" did not necessitate surgery. Instead, he suggested continuation of a blood thinner, which I have taken for a couple of years and what he said could keep the blockage from growing and therefore possibly preventing a stroke.
The blood flow to my brain, therefore, will continue to be disrupted. (That's my personal diagnosis based on his.) In other words, the eye problems and issues concerning memory and such will continue and be problems that I with which I will have to learn to contend.
I actually feel pretty good for my age, the above inconveniences not withstanding. If I die, I die. No need to worry about it. It's something we all do eventually, but it's nothing to dwell on. Life is depressing enough without worrying about the end and when it will come.
My late father's philosophy, as he aged, was that doctors in particular didn't care all that much about a person once he or she hits 70 or so. He believed physicians did what little they could to appease an elderly patient, preferring to deal with younger people who have more money than Social Security provides and than Medicare pays. The more attention I pay to the way doctors and others act toward senior citizens, the more I have to believe Dad might have been on to something, although when I was younger, I thought he was over-reacting.
Now that I know that only 50 percent of an artery or veins to my brain are blocked and that nothing apparently needs to be done to correct the situation, I'm going to try to forget it, be fearless and continue enjoying what has often seemed like a roller coaster, but what has been a pretty good life. I can guarantee you: I'm going to make it last as long as possible. There's a lot of living and loving left to do.
Hi friends and wonderful acquaintances,
I hope this finds you doing well and enjoying life.
Some of you have inquired about the results of the tests on my eyes, one of which recently went totally blind for a couple of days (and still isn't working too great at times). I truly appreciate your prayers and positive energy. It has helped.
The specialist managed to scare me poopless today. A bilateral cartoid ultrasound, performed utilizing 8.0 MHz transducer (bet you didn't know I could talk doctor, did you?), pne of the major results indicated Intimal hyperplasia, the thickening of the tunica intima of a blood vessel as a complication of a reconstruction procedure or endarterectomy. Intimal hyperplasia is the universal response of a vessel to injury and is an important reason of late bypass graft failure, particularly in vein and synthetic vascular grafts.
I must be honest. I stole wording for that paragraph from the doctor's report and Wikipedia, and it's Greek to me. My case has something to do with the flow of blood to (or from?) the brain. The way the doc described it, I gather that it means that I have a blockage somewhere which could result in a stroke. I nearly had one just listening to him, but I managed to keep my panic attack at bay. Introspectively and aside from the eyes, even now I have several symptoms of the aftermath of a stroke, but doctors don't seem to believe that's the case. I should stop watching "House" reruns. Hypochonriac that I tend to be, I sometimes feel I have the same symptoms as every patient in every episode. With the size of my belly, I have been accused of being pregnant, but so far, no baby, no National Enquirer, no millions of dollars, so my hypochondria does have lines it won't cross.
I have to see my primary physician Monday, who will refer me to two more specialists. Getting old is indeed an adventure (and sometimes a bitch, so please continue to remember me in prayer or think something positive.
Obviously, the urgency isn't too great. I'm not in the hospital yet. The tests were conducted more than a month ago, I don't know if my condition is the same or worse. I'm sure the specialist, whom I trust, considered the evaluations that were done today. But that scares the poop out of me, too. It's good to know
Chalk this email up to another moaning and groaning rambling of a reluctantly aging old man who doesn't have the patience to deal with failing body parts. Feel free to get back at me any time by writing to me about any problem YOU might have. It helps to vent, even if only God knows the answers.
Love somebody today.
**********************************************
THE DAY AFTER:
I have always had the terrible habit of writing and publishing things before I have really thought them out, and they ultimately resulted in regret.
After sending the above email to friends and contacts, some who care and many who likely do not, I realized how selfish it sounds. I try not to be whiny, but sometimes I put personal thoughts into writing partly because there are few people that I can actually talk to in order to get fears, frustrations and, on the other hand, positive thoughts and energy out of my system.
The email likely came across as self-centered, and today it appears as such, even to me.
As a neighborhood man in his 30s pointed out today, I am fortunate. "You've lived a long life, and you should be proud and expect problems like this," he said.
Thinking back on my 50th year high school senior class reunion two years ago, I know that he is right. I am 70 years old, and I have outlived some of my classmates and friends who possibly suffered much more than I will ever suffer. I thank God that I am as healthy as I am, and I should thank Him every day for that. I wish those classmates and friends were alive today and that they could have enjoyed our reunion and the days, months and years afterward. I would like to think the rest of us lucky ones will be around to celebrate our 100th year of graduating into society and the real world, in which we would grow and age, mix successes with failures as we grew older.
I apologize for seemingly feeling sorry for myself, because I really don't. I will face this problem as I have done when the situations seemed dire in the past. There are many, many people who are in worse shape than I, but I guess I do selfishly enjoy life, whatever the pains, disappointments and frustrations. I hope to spend my golden years relishing the moments and days.
If I offended anyone by my blowing off steam, which would have been more appropriate, I suppose, in a personal journal, I am sorry. However, I do thank you for reading, listening, praying and caring.
******************************************************
LIFE GOES ON
A followup, this one on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013
Someday I'll look back on these posts and laugh -- or at least I hope I will.
A nervous visit to my primary doctor Tuesday was rather anticlimactic. His response provided no real solutions to the problem previously discussed and no sense of compassion or even concern could be noted.
He did not refer me to a specialist, as my eye surgeon had indicated probably should be necessary. Instead, my doctor said the tests indicated that the artery was "only" 50 percent blocked and "at this time" did not necessitate surgery. Instead, he suggested continuation of a blood thinner, which I have taken for a couple of years and what he said could keep the blockage from growing and therefore possibly preventing a stroke.
The blood flow to my brain, therefore, will continue to be disrupted. (That's my personal diagnosis based on his.) In other words, the eye problems and issues concerning memory and such will continue and be problems that I with which I will have to learn to contend.
I actually feel pretty good for my age, the above inconveniences not withstanding. If I die, I die. No need to worry about it. It's something we all do eventually, but it's nothing to dwell on. Life is depressing enough without worrying about the end and when it will come.
My late father's philosophy, as he aged, was that doctors in particular didn't care all that much about a person once he or she hits 70 or so. He believed physicians did what little they could to appease an elderly patient, preferring to deal with younger people who have more money than Social Security provides and than Medicare pays. The more attention I pay to the way doctors and others act toward senior citizens, the more I have to believe Dad might have been on to something, although when I was younger, I thought he was over-reacting.
Now that I know that only 50 percent of an artery or veins to my brain are blocked and that nothing apparently needs to be done to correct the situation, I'm going to try to forget it, be fearless and continue enjoying what has often seemed like a roller coaster, but what has been a pretty good life. I can guarantee you: I'm going to make it last as long as possible. There's a lot of living and loving left to do.
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