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LYN’S LEDGER
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
May 2022
We Help You With Medicare.
AFTER 2 YEARS, I FINALLY HAD KNEE SURGERY!
Finally! That was my thought early in the morning as Kathy was driving me to Ojai Valley Community Hospital for my March 1st date with the lady with the sharp knives (that’s my nickname for ROSA, the knee replacement Robotic Surgery Assistant there). Two years late, my knee replacement surgery was first scheduled for March 2020, but the state COVID-19 shutdown hit three days before my surgery. As recounted in earlier editions of Lyn’s Ledger, a month after that surgery canceled, I was desperately ill with a bacterial blood infection (medical name, bacteremia) that had me hospitalized for several days in May and on IV antibiotics into July.
many knee replacements, mine included, are now same-day surgeries. In the hospital at 5 a.m. and home before 4 p.m.! While Oxycodone was a good friend for the first month, I’ve gladly moved on to decreasing amounts of tramadol for pain management. I am so grateful to be walking normally again! As is often the case after a major surgery, managing the swelling is the current task. Kathy Doubleday, my physical therapist at Balance Health and Wellness, is delighted with my progress. May I get an “amen” from those who have gone before
me — it is so wonderful to have a solid, stable, straight leg under me again. It’s been 25 years! Changes in the medical industry were
Time flies! It hardly seems possible that was all two years ago now! I am probably a weirdo in this regard — I actually have something good that came from COVID-19. Not getting my knee replaced just before my bloodstream was coursing with an aggressive bacterial infection was a good thing! Although I had to wait an extra two years to get my knee replaced, I’m happy that it was delayed. I truly see divine intervention. I have
bringing massive pressures upon our medical professionals before the past two years of COVID-19 chaos. Both of my major medical events have happened during COVID-19. I’m a word guy — I use words to earn my living in two professions — and I am unable to find the words to adequately express my appreciation and gratitude to all the nurses, techs, office staff, support staff, billing clerks, janitors, and doctors who have, during the past two years of COVID-19 chaos, first saved my life, then immeasurably improved the quality of my life. I am truly grateful. Words fail, I can never say enough when it comes to Kathy, my better half for 35 years. Her love and care for me all through the years, especially during these past two years, have been such a blessing. She’s had her own health events that we’ve navigated together during this time. My readers are also getting acquainted with Beth and Susan, our very capable and competent staff here at Lyndon Thomas Insurance. They all keep me sitting upright. I am blessed. You may be going through a health challenge as well. We appreciate the opportunity to walk beside you as your Medicare health agents. Contact us with any questions.
learned — or is it earned? — a bit of patience through this time. It was a 1979 skiing wipeout, or perhaps it was catching my foot on an edge as I fell through a hole in a roof in 1983. Both events put my right foot behind my right shoulder, earning me a partial tear in my right knee anterior cruciate ligament. Damaged by 40 years of extra wear and tear, my right leg was becoming so bowed that the more rude people in my life were going to start calling me “Cowboy.” Many friends and acquaintances who have had knee replacements say they wish they had done it sooner. I agree! Many of my readers who have had the same or similar surgeries with Dr. Thomas Golden speak very highly of him. I do as well. Here we are in February 2020, both looking younger. As the surgeon guides the machine and controls the surgery, the robotic surgical assistant contributes to more precise cuts and a slightly less traumatic surgery. Believe it or not,
–Lyn Thomas
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Lyndon Thomas Insurance
BEING A BETTER GRANDPARENT
Have You Adapted to Your New Role?
There are few roles as coveted as being a grandparent, but today’s grandparents do far more than slip $10 bills and hard candies to their grandchildren. While there are still opportunities for growth, new studies have found that grandparents are taking on active roles and loving it. Here are two prominent lessons on grandparenting in 2022. Positive Progress: Supporting Grandchildren The make-up of American families today isn’t cut and dry. An AARP survey found that one-third of grandparents are a different race than their grandchildren and most would support their LGBTQ+ grandchildren. While many grandparents find sharing pieces of their heritage is important with grandchildren, a 2021 Good Housekeeping article noted that many grandparents who share different ethnicities with their grandchildren welcome new cultures. In fact, many weave their traditions together. When it comes to navigating these waters, Good Housekeeping recommends talking about an approach with parents first. Some may choose to keep or remove certain traditions. Furthermore, grandparents are viewing their roles with grandchildren as active rather than passive. A 2021 Good Housekeeping survey of parents and grandparents discovered that nearly 70% said they were
“cooler” than their own grandparents and that they want to babysit, versus feeling obligated.
Needs Work: Supporting Parents The 2019 AARP study shares that most grandparents surveyed believe they parent better than their grandchildren’s parents, but it may be best if that thought isn’t vocalized. In contrast to this, the Good Housekeeping survey explained that grandparents “sharing outdated advice” was among the biggest frustrations for parents. Instead, experts at Stanford Children’s Health recommend taking “grandparenting classes,” which provide new grandparents with the latest medical direction that parents are provided. And, if you feel obligated to share advice, ask first and make sure the parent knows it’s only your perspective. In all other scenarios, it’s best to keep your opinion to yourself and foster a grandparenting relationship that supports your grandchildren’s parents.
Want to be a better grandparent? Sign up for a local grandparenting class; these are typically offered through medical or community centers.
MANAGING TELEPHONE ABUSE TIME-WASTERS AND SCAMS
2 216-B E. Matilija St., Ojai, CA 93023 Our generation was taught to be respectful and that hanging up on a telephone caller is rude. Here’s my take on the matter: Our cultural Federal agencies, the IRS, the Social Security Administration, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS or “Medicare”) make any needed initial contact to taxpayers and beneficiaries by mail, not by telephone. If you take a telephone call, no matter how urgent, from anyone claiming to be from these agencies, it is a scam! There are no sudden “fines or legal cases against you” that need an immediate, over-the-phone payment. In fact, if you have not received written communication from a government agency through the mail , it is a scam. Again, these agencies send initial contacts by mail. Doesn’t it seem like the phone calls never end? Many calls are just time-wasters, like the auto warranty renewal gag or when Hilton calls congratulating you on winning a week’s stay somewhere you don’t want to go. The truly dangerous ones are more believable: IRS impersonators, Social Security imposters, or the grandparent scam, where the scammer finds the name of one of your grandchildren and calls claiming they’ve been arrested and need $4,000 for bail right now! They’ll ask for you to go to the bank for a money order, immediately …
expectations have changed dramatically over the past 50 years. We learned cultural etiquette long before the telephone became a marketing device. We were trained to be respectful to strangers. Most of our incoming telephone calls were from people we knew. Hanging up in the middle of a call felt like the epitome of rudeness. Times have changed. Telemarketing is so common now, it’s an invasion of our privacy. Many of the telemarketing callers are highly trained to manipulate you — even with rudeness — to stay on the line, to keep you talking, to wear you down.
Here’s my advice.
No. 1: Let voicemail screen your calls. If it’s a number you don’t recognize, let it go to voicemail. People who have a legitimate reason to talk with you will leave a voicemail. (Ha! But that means you should empty your voicemail box once in a while!) No. 2: Just hang up. If someone you don’t know calls you and is rushing and pressuring you, it is not legitimate. Hang up! The bottom line is that if anyone is pressuring you over the phone for money or to make an important decision, they are not helping you — they’re trying to “work you,” and it’s okay to just hang up.
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www.LT-ins.com
We Help You With Medicare.
YOUR SAFETY IS IMPORTANT! 4 TIPS TO HELP PREVENT FALLS
As you age, your body won’t work the same as it used to. As a result, you have to be careful while going through daily activities. One of the leading causes of accidents among older adults is falling. About 36 million falls are reported among older adults each year, and 1 out of 5 falls causes injuries and joint pains. Here are some tips that prevent falling and reduce your risk of suffering an injury. 1. Add exercise to your daily routine. The most effective method to decrease the rate of falls is physical activity. You can do several indoor activities to improve balance and strength, such as chair yoga, sit-to-stand exercises, and single-leg standing exercises. These activities will help you go up and down stairs, stand up and sit down on chairs, and improve muscle movements overall. 2. Add more lighting to your home . Your vision may start to decrease as you get older, so it’s important to have enough lighting in your household to see items in your home. With dim lighting, it’s challenging to see tables, chairs, and rugs, which increases your likelihood of falling. Be sure to open your blinds during the day to let sunlight in and turn on your lamps at night to see everything around you. 3. Be careful getting in and out of vehicles . Trying to enter or exit your car can be difficult — especially during bad weather. For example, if it rained, the ground might be slippery, which will
make it challenging to balance while entering and exiting your vehicle. Be sure to lift one leg, then the other, when entering or leaving the car. Also, have a firm hold on your door, car handles, or another person to ensure proper balance. 4. Take your time while walking. If there are handrails nearby while you’re walking, use those to help stabilize your body. Focus on placing each foot flat on the ground with each step and wear proper footwear that provides a nice grip when walking outside or on slick surfaces. If it’s wet outside, some of that moisture can follow you inside your home; watch out for any wet surfaces as you’re walking around. Falls are not 100% preventable. That’s why it’s essential to be prepared and take precautions while going through your daily routine. If
you or a loved one has fallen and suffered an injury, allow Lyndon Thomas Insurance to assist you. We can see if your insurance will cover your injuries if you need medical assistance.
SUDOKU
ONE-PAN BAKED SALMON AND VEGGIES
Ingredients
• • • •
1 lb spring potatoes, halved 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
• • •
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 5-oz salmon fillets 1 handful fresh basil
8 asparagus spears, trimmed and halved
2 handfuls cherry tomatoes
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 2. In an oven-proof dish, combine the potatoes and 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes. 3. Remove the dish from the oven and add the asparagus. Toss, and bake for 15 more minutes.
4. Remove the dish from the oven and add the cherry tomatoes. Toss. Drizzle with balsamic, then nestle the salmon fillets into the vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining oil, and bake for 10–15 minutes. 5. Remove the dish from the oven, garnish with basil leaves, and serve!
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805-646-6409
Inspired by BBCGoodFood.com
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
PO Box 207 Ojai, CA 93024
INSIDE
CA# 0D96309 | www.LT-ins.com | 805-646-6409
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Unexpected Discomfort From Surgery
Grandparenthood Has Changed — Have You!?
Managing Telephone Abuse
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36 Million Older Adults Fall Each Year
One-Pan Baked Salmon and Veggies
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Remembering the Space Race
AMERICA’S JOURNEY TO ORBIT EARTH On May 5, 1961, Alan B. Shepard became the first American to enter space on a Mercury capsule named Freedom 7. It was an incredibly momentous event, but what all had to occur for it to even happen? Let’s take a look at what led up to Shepard’s launch into space.
THE FIRST AMERICAN IN SPACE
After going through numerous simulations, NASA decided that Shepard would be making the first flight. He began his mission on May 5 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and over half a million Americans watched the launch on nearby beaches. Shepard took his orbit around the Earth and made a successful return. He then received NASA’s highest reward, the Distinguished Service Medal, from President John F. Kennedy on May 8, 1961.
During the 1960s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union found themselves in a space race. The United States first began their space mission in 1958 with Project Mercury. Project Mercury had three goals in mind: orbiting a crewed spacecraft, investigating
Although the Soviet Union sent the first human into orbit in April 1961, this didn’t stop the U.S. from pushing forward. Instead, the bravery of these men inspired the U.S. to go to new heights and have the first man on the moon in 1969.
the ability to function in space, and safely recovering the spacecraft and the crew.
Before the first American took flight, the U.S. conducted several test launches to see what they needed to adjust and modify to be safely
launched into space. The first successful launch of Mercury without an astronaut occurred in December 1960. But before they attempted to launch an American
There are still ongoing debates about whether the U.S. or the USSR won the space race. Either way, this race allowed the world to conduct more research on our galaxy. As a whole, this event led to tremendous efforts to push the limits of human capabilities, create new technology to explore outer space, and see what our universe holds.
into space, NASA tested the Mercury capsule in January 1961 with a chimpanzee named Ham, who took a route that was similar to the one Shepard would eventually take.
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216-B E. Matilija St., Ojai, CA 93023
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
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