Re: Re: saunas- and money woes

[Guest guest]

One of the first things I got that really helped me was a hot tub. I kept

the temp at 102*, which seemed to work out nice for me. Since I spent a lot

of time in it, I put it in the living room so it would be close by. The few

years I used it were a blessing, and when I didn't need it as much, I moved

it into an empty room.

I sold it and put in an above-ground pool so Betty and I could use it for

exercise. In the past few years, it was nice and cheap to operate. Last

week, we got the electric bill and it is double our highest bill ever! So we

pulled that plug and will either cover it again or take it apart and

store/sell it. We can't afford it any more. Today, my daughter took me to

town and I picked up a case of motor oil. It's usually about $25, but today

was $35! I won't be changing oil as often either. Now I'm going to have to

fight DHS to try to get some help with hospital bills, too. It keeps on

getting worse....

Dennis in Eastexas

" You can't always fix it with money "

[ ] Re: saunas

> That's a good question! I was wondering the same thing about hot tubs.

> I have fibro but not RA so I can use good heat.

>

> Debbie L

>

>

>

>

>>

>> Has anyone used a sauna for RA and if so does it help? It is a

>> penetrating heat so.... it seems like it should help but I have never

>> seen any posts regarding them.

[Guest guest]

Hi Dennis, I sure hope you can get help with your hospital bills. Do you

receive SSD and Medicare/Medi-part D for assistance with medical needs. Hear in

So. Cal where I live if you do receive SSD you also get Medicare and can assign

it over to an HMO which will cost you nothing to go to the hospital/emergency

room and to see your regular doctors and specialists.

Hey, I hear you about the increased cost of everything. Yesterday, I went to

Sam's Club for a few items, I could not believe it, everything I usually

purchase had increased in cost, I had to be very selective as to what I

purchased.

I just received the renewal bill for our homeowners insurance and it has

increased by 10% compared to last year, we have never submitted a claim and

still it increased. I guess they want us to help pay for Katrina. I just read

in the paper that our county tax assessor will be re-appraising all real

property because here in the county where I live in So. Cal the real estate

value has climbed through the roof in the last year and we homeowners can expect

a 2% increase in the value of our property, which means our property tax bill

will be higher. Everything increases, but our below poverty SSD/SSI income that

the feds expect us to survive on.

I coupon everything, if I don't have a coupon and it's not on sale I don't buy

it. I plan any and all shopping excursions for groceries, etc. to do all at

once so that I don't waste fuel, which is around $3.35 per gal. I have been

staying very close to home lately.

During the extremely high heat wave we just got through, temps ranging around

110 and very humid for several days, I kept the temp in our home at 82-85, Gov,

Arnold S. recommended 78, yes we baked, but we survived.

Dennis, hear in So.Cal if you have certain illnesses, such as auto-immune

deceases like RA, the utility companies, gas and electric, give you a discount

on the cost of these utilities. We are on the tier system of cost depending on

usage, the more you use the more you pay per kwt. With the discount you are kept

in the bottom tier and pay the lowest rate no matter how much you use, it does

help, but even on the bottom tier the cost is high so we are very conservative,

no lights left on when the rooms are empty, etc.

I do everything I can to make my meager income go as far as possible and it

has become more difficult than ever to make it stretch till the end of the

month.

Before Medi-part D I didn't have to pay a co-pay for my meds, but now I do

because the states, if you are on medi-cal/medicaid as well as SSD/SSI have

stopped paying your co-pay, so now I pay approx. $1 to $5 per med, per mo, yet

the feds, nor the state increased my SSD/SSI income to help defray the co-pay

cost.

I know that this doesn't sound too extreme, but when your income is so limited

and anything increases in cost or you have to pay for things you never had to

pay for before it really does take its toll on what else you can purchase to

sustain life, such as fresh veggies or fruit, etc., just can't afford these

luxuries anymore.

I don't mean to sound so negative, but sometimes it just gets to me to know

that there are so many of us in the same predicament and I pray that we can all

survive and don't become homeless or as one comedian said on " Last Comic

Standing " , residentially challenged. Thanks for letting me vent and take care.

Hugs

betnden@... wrote:

One of the first things I got that really helped me was a hot tub. I

kept

the temp at 102*, which seemed to work out nice for me. Since I spent a lot

of time in it, I put it in the living room so it would be close by. The few

years I used it were a blessing, and when I didn't need it as much, I moved

it into an empty room.

I sold it and put in an above-ground pool so Betty and I could use it for

exercise. In the past few years, it was nice and cheap to operate. Last

week, we got the electric bill and it is double our highest bill ever! So we

pulled that plug and will either cover it again or take it apart and

store/sell it. We can't afford it any more. Today, my daughter took me to

town and I picked up a case of motor oil. It's usually about $25, but today

was $35! I won't be changing oil as often either. Now I'm going to have to

fight DHS to try to get some help with hospital bills, too. It keeps on

getting worse....

Dennis in Eastexas

" You can't always fix it with money "

[ ] Re: saunas

> That's a good question! I was wondering the same thing about hot tubs.

> I have fibro but not RA so I can use good heat.

>

> Debbie L

>

>

>

>

>>

>> Has anyone used a sauna for RA and if so does it help? It is a

>> penetrating heat so.... it seems like it should help but I have never

>> seen any posts regarding them.

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

Yes, , I have SSD/Medicare and Part D. The Part D was a life saver for

me, some of my meds were getting expensive. I really wish I could get Betty

on some program. She has to pay all her medical and prescriptions out of

pocket. Her doc is trying to help with samples, and we're using RXAccess to

get some meds through the manufacturer. All that helps but she has to do a

nerve test in one foot and the clinic wants at least $500 up front! She's

supposed to see a SS rep later this month about Disability, that'll be a

start.

We're getting a little help with the phone, but that's all I even know of.

When I first got laid off in 1991 because of the RA, I tried to get help

from the State and/or County, even the VA. They all laughed at me, or it

seemed to me. I don't know what our 'belt tightening' is going to be. We'll

see when it happens.

I know I don't want Medicaid. As I said earlier, they will take the estate

to make up for their " aid " while we were alive. One thing I did right was to

not have a mortgage of any kind. We own our home and land free and clear,

and all taxes are current. Now, if I can make my own electricity, I won't

need any of them.

Dennis in Eastexas

" You can't always fix it with money "

Re: [ ] Re: saunas- and money woes

> Hi Dennis, I sure hope you can get help with your hospital bills. Do you

> receive SSD and Medicare/Medi-part D for assistance with medical needs.

> Hear in So. Cal where I live if you do receive SSD you also get Medicare

> and can assign it over to an HMO which will cost you nothing to go to the

> hospital/emergency room and to see your regular doctors and specialists.

> Hey, I hear you about the increased cost of everything. Yesterday, I went

> to Sam's Club for a few items, I could not believe it, everything I

> usually purchase had increased in cost, I had to be very selective as to

> what I purchased.

> I just received the renewal bill for our homeowners insurance and it has

> increased by 10% compared to last year, we have never submitted a claim

> and still it increased. I guess they want us to help pay for Katrina. I

> just read in the paper that our county tax assessor will be re-appraising

> all real property because here in the county where I live in So. Cal the

> real estate value has climbed through the roof in the last year and we

> homeowners can expect a 2% increase in the value of our property, which

> means our property tax bill will be higher. Everything increases, but our

> below poverty SSD/SSI income that the feds expect us to survive on.

> I coupon everything, if I don't have a coupon and it's not on sale I

> don't buy it. I plan any and all shopping excursions for groceries, etc.

> to do all at once so that I don't waste fuel, which is around $3.35 per

> gal. I have been staying very close to home lately.

> During the extremely high heat wave we just got through, temps ranging

> around 110 and very humid for several days, I kept the temp in our home at

> 82-85, Gov, Arnold S. recommended 78, yes we baked, but we survived.

> Dennis, hear in So.Cal if you have certain illnesses, such as auto-immune

> deceases like RA, the utility companies, gas and electric, give you a

> discount on the cost of these utilities. We are on the tier system of

> cost depending on usage, the more you use the more you pay per kwt. With

> the discount you are kept in the bottom tier and pay the lowest rate no

> matter how much you use, it does help, but even on the bottom tier the

> cost is high so we are very conservative, no lights left on when the rooms

> are empty, etc.

> I do everything I can to make my meager income go as far as possible and

> it has become more difficult than ever to make it stretch till the end of

> the month.

> Before Medi-part D I didn't have to pay a co-pay for my meds, but now I

> do because the states, if you are on medi-cal/medicaid as well as SSD/SSI

> have stopped paying your co-pay, so now I pay approx. $1 to $5 per med,

> per mo, yet the feds, nor the state increased my SSD/SSI income to help

> defray the co-pay cost.

> I know that this doesn't sound too extreme, but when your income is so

> limited and anything increases in cost or you have to pay for things you

> never had to pay for before it really does take its toll on what else you

> can purchase to sustain life, such as fresh veggies or fruit, etc., just

> can't afford these luxuries anymore.

> I don't mean to sound so negative, but sometimes it just gets to me to

> know that there are so many of us in the same predicament and I pray that

> we can all survive and don't become homeless or as one comedian said on

> " Last Comic Standing " , residentially challenged. Thanks for letting me

> vent and take care.

> Hugs

> betnden@... wrote:

> One of the first things I got that really helped me was a hot

> tub. I kept

> the temp at 102*, which seemed to work out nice for me. Since I spent a

> lot

> of time in it, I put it in the living room so it would be close by. The

> few

> years I used it were a blessing, and when I didn't need it as much, I

> moved

> it into an empty room.

>

> I sold it and put in an above-ground pool so Betty and I could use it for

> exercise. In the past few years, it was nice and cheap to operate. Last

> week, we got the electric bill and it is double our highest bill ever! So

> we

> pulled that plug and will either cover it again or take it apart and

> store/sell it. We can't afford it any more. Today, my daughter took me to

> town and I picked up a case of motor oil. It's usually about $25, but

> today

> was $35! I won't be changing oil as often either. Now I'm going to have to

> fight DHS to try to get some help with hospital bills, too. It keeps on

> getting worse....

>

> Dennis in Eastexas

> " You can't always fix it with money "

[Guest guest]

I didn't do anything to put the hot tub in the house until I put it in the

empty room. It wouldn't fit through the door, so I took part of the wall

out. Then it fit with no problems. Just remember that every time you open it

you will let humidity into the space. Normally it's not a problem because

the heat or air will dispurse the water vapors and all will be fine. The

only leaks should happen only when cleaning the filter, and a pie pan took

care of that for me. I also used a squeegie with a handle on it to wipe the

inside of the cover when opening it. Oh, yeah, that's important, keep the

top on it when not in use. I've even left half the top in place when I just

wanted to slip in and soak. Thinnk outside the box and you might get it to

work for you. It ain't rocket surgery.

I did get the carrier rebuilt with Betty's help, and this morning I built

some new lighter ramps for it. I put the chair on the carrier but it's too

wide and I'd have to man-handle it on. It comes off easier. I already have

some of the design done for a lift to put it in the bed of the truck. Now, I

need to go through my scrap pile for the parts. I might have it working in a

week or so.

The doc I went to today was the heart specialist, and I got a green light on

that. I see the spine/pain doc on the 9th. I'm going to be prepared this

time and he will not get away with what the last one did. I'm still getting

bills from him, but I'll never pay him for not doing his job.

Dennis in Eastexas

" You can't always fix it with money "

[ ] Re: saunas- and money woes

> -Dennis,

> I thought about getting a hot tub when I move to NC in the

> fall....and then thought about getting in and out in the winter and

> how that would defeat the purpose if I got chilled to the bone every

> time I got out!!! I never thought about puting it in the house!!! ANd

> I could watch TV while I soak! Did you have to put down some kind of

> special liner to protect the floor??

> This is somehing that I am going to look into !!

> How did your Dr. Appt go...with the spine specialist??? Did you get

> there without your chair or did you get the lift for it fixed in

> time??

> Yes prices seem to get higher every time I go to the store!!! What

> would they do if we all went on strike and didn't shop for anything

> for like a week?? think they would get the message?? it has to be

> hitting ALL families, not just thoe of us old

> hobblers!!!!...................jenna

[Guest guest]

Jenna, what part of NC are you moving to? I am in the middle of the

state.

Sue

On Tuesday, August 1, 2006, at 09:45 PM, siofra520 wrote:

>

> I thought about getting a hot tub when I move to NC in the

> fall....

[Guest guest]

Dennis

There are some neat on solar and wind power. We are considering

taking our lights " off the grid " to start with ( we can't afford the

equipment to do the entire house) you might want to check some of them out

if you are serious.

Karolyn

-- Re: [ ] Re: saunas- and money woes

Yes, , I have SSD/Medicare and Part D. The Part D was a life saver for

me, some of my meds were getting expensive. I really wish I could get Betty

on some program. She has to pay all her medical and prescriptions out of

pocket. Her doc is trying to help with samples, and we're using RXAccess to

get some meds through the manufacturer. All that helps but she has to do a

nerve test in one foot and the clinic wants at least $500 up front! She's

supposed to see a SS rep later this month about Disability, that'll be a

start.

We're getting a little help with the phone, but that's all I even know of.

When I first got laid off in 1991 because of the RA, I tried to get help

from the State and/or County, even the VA. They all laughed at me, or it

seemed to me. I don't know what our 'belt tightening' is going to be. We'll

see when it happens.

I know I don't want Medicaid. As I said earlier, they will take the estate

to make up for their " aid " while we were alive. One thing I did right was to

not have a mortgage of any kind. We own our home and land free and clear,

and all taxes are current. Now, if I can make my own electricity, I won't

need any of them.

Dennis in Eastexas

" You can't always fix it with money "

Re: [ ] Re: saunas- and money woes

> Hi Dennis, I sure hope you can get help with your hospital bills. Do you

> receive SSD and Medicare/Medi-part D for assistance with medical needs.

> Hear in So. Cal where I live if you do receive SSD you also get Medicare

> and can assign it over to an HMO which will cost you nothing to go to the

> hospital/emergency room and to see your regular doctors and specialists.

> Hey, I hear you about the increased cost of everything. Yesterday, I went

> to Sam's Club for a few items, I could not believe it, everything I

> usually purchase had increased in cost, I had to be very selective as to

> what I purchased.

> I just received the renewal bill for our homeowners insurance and it has

> increased by 10% compared to last year, we have never submitted a claim

> and still it increased. I guess they want us to help pay for Katrina. I

> just read in the paper that our county tax assessor will be re-appraising

> all real property because here in the county where I live in So. Cal the

> real estate value has climbed through the roof in the last year and we

> homeowners can expect a 2% increase in the value of our property, which

> means our property tax bill will be higher. Everything increases, but our

> below poverty SSD/SSI income that the feds expect us to survive on.

> I coupon everything, if I don't have a coupon and it's not on sale I

> don't buy it. I plan any and all shopping excursions for groceries, etc.

> to do all at once so that I don't waste fuel, which is around $3.35 per

> gal. I have been staying very close to home lately.

> During the extremely high heat wave we just got through, temps ranging

> around 110 and very humid for several days, I kept the temp in our home at

> 82-85, Gov, Arnold S. recommended 78, yes we baked, but we survived.

> Dennis, hear in So.Cal if you have certain illnesses, such as auto-immune

> deceases like RA, the utility companies, gas and electric, give you a

> discount on the cost of these utilities. We are on the tier system of

> cost depending on usage, the more you use the more you pay per kwt. With

> the discount you are kept in the bottom tier and pay the lowest rate no

> matter how much you use, it does help, but even on the bottom tier the

> cost is high so we are very conservative, no lights left on when the rooms

> are empty, etc.

> I do everything I can to make my meager income go as far as possible and

> it has become more difficult than ever to make it stretch till the end of

> the month.

> Before Medi-part D I didn't have to pay a co-pay for my meds, but now I

> do because the states, if you are on medi-cal/medicaid as well as SSD/SSI

> have stopped paying your co-pay, so now I pay approx. $1 to $5 per med,

> per mo, yet the feds, nor the state increased my SSD/SSI income to help

> defray the co-pay cost.

> I know that this doesn't sound too extreme, but when your income is so

> limited and anything increases in cost or you have to pay for things you

> never had to pay for before it really does take its toll on what else you

> can purchase to sustain life, such as fresh veggies or fruit, etc., just

> can't afford these luxuries anymore.

> I don't mean to sound so negative, but sometimes it just gets to me to

> know that there are so many of us in the same predicament and I pray that

> we can all survive and don't become homeless or as one comedian said on

> " Last Comic Standing " , residentially challenged. Thanks for letting me

> vent and take care.

> Hugs

> betnden@... wrote:

> One of the first things I got that really helped me was a hot

> tub. I kept

> the temp at 102*, which seemed to work out nice for me. Since I spent a

> lot

> of time in it, I put it in the living room so it would be close by. The

> few

> years I used it were a blessing, and when I didn't need it as much, I

> moved

> it into an empty room.

>

> I sold it and put in an above-ground pool so Betty and I could use it for

> exercise. In the past few years, it was nice and cheap to operate. Last

> week, we got the electric bill and it is double our highest bill ever! So

> we

> pulled that plug and will either cover it again or take it apart and

> store/sell it. We can't afford it any more. Today, my daughter took me to

> town and I picked up a case of motor oil. It's usually about $25, but

> today

> was $35! I won't be changing oil as often either. Now I'm going to have to

> fight DHS to try to get some help with hospital bills, too. It keeps on

> getting worse....

>

> Dennis in Eastexas

> " You can't always fix it with money "

[Guest guest]

That would be something to consider. Mine was a 3 seat 5x7 that held about

250 gallons. With water weighing 7.5 pounds per gallon, total weight was

about 2,000 pounds. That's about 60 pounds per square foot, not much of a

load, but a bigger one has a different set of values and will need more

study. That's a good point that I neglected to mention.

Dennis in Eastexas

" You can't always fix it with money "

[ ] Re: saunas- and money woes

>

>> -Dennis,

>> I thought about getting a hot tub when I move to NC in the

>> fall....and then thought about getting in and out in the winter and

>> how that would defeat the purpose if I got chilled to the bone every

>> time I got out!!! I never thought about puting it in the house!!! ANd

>> I could watch TV while I soak! Did you have to put down some kind of

>> special liner to protect the floor??

>> This is somehing that I am going to look into !!

>> How did your Dr. Appt go...with the spine specialist??? Did you get

>> there without your chair or did you get the lift for it fixed in

>> time??

>> Yes prices seem to get higher every time I go to the store!!! What

>> would they do if we all went on strike and didn't shop for anything

>> for like a week?? think they would get the message?? it has to be

>> hitting ALL families, not just thoe of us old

>> hobblers!!!!...................jenna