Good evening, y'all. Spent the afternoon, in the basement, I'm breaking down the remaining Kato track, organizing it, and placing it in a storage container for future use. It's perfect for around the Christmas Tree, for instance. I also wrapped eleven Bowser and Mantua steam locos in bubble wrap, and boxed them for my son to mess with. They were my FIL's and have sat in a display cabinet unused, for at least 18 years. Some have corrosion on the drivers and side rods. Several still run somewhat, while others are frozen in time. They mow belong to my son, and he will get them the next time he's home on leave. The T-1 didn't fit into the box, so it's still sitting on a section of Code 70 flex. Since Mother Nature is going to welcome Spring with a snowstorm, I plan on spending more time down in the basement tomorrow.
DSD: Take care of that cold.
Eric: Got to hand it to you, buddy. You lead an interesting life. That Baldwin you just got is one of my favorites, for a lot of reasons. 1. My grandfather worked for Baldwin Locomotive, 2. First diesel I ever ran was a DS 4-4-1000 (PRR BS10). They had big Westinghouse traction motors, and could out pull anything in their class. The Bowser-Stewart model is excellent. Enjoy yours.
Curt: That Colorado isn't broken in yet.
I like the signal bridge. They say that Patience is the key with projects of that nature.
Sherrel: Don't tell Phil that I want the leaves, I have enough of my own. At least I now have something I can use to take 'em to the recycle center and be rid of them.
Ken: Is that meet in Malvern or King of Prussia?
Terry: My wife has medical insurance through a "bridge" plan offered by the Railroad Unions, which covers her medical expenses at 60% after a $750 deductable. After we spend 10K out of pocket/year, the plan covers at 100%. We have a year to go until she is covered by Medicare. This plan does not cover drugs. She has Rheumatoid Arthritis as well as Osteoarthritis. Some of the RA meds are outrageously priced (30K/year for one type, 3K/month for another). However her Rheumatologist, has her on a mix of generic medications that have reversed (for now), the inflammation. She uses a discount card, that we obtained at the doctor's office, that gets her 60% to 70% discounts on her Rx. Without that, we would be up the creek w/o paddle. For what it's worth, her cost right now is lower than what I pay out in co-pays under my Part D plan.
Diabetes is a serious condition, that requires a lot of different treatment options depending on the patient's condition. However, there are a lot of less expensive treatment options. Has she consulted with a Diabetes Specialist? If she goes to one, and makes her financial condition known, the specialist can generally come up with an effective treatment plan that is less costly, rather than just prescribing the newest, most expensive medication. If your income is limited, there are also assistance programs available through the state. Don't assume that you have to be indigent to apply. Often, only her income is considered in these programs. (Being involved with my MIL and her various conditions - her biggest problem, incidentally, is a complication of Diabetes - has been an eye opener into how this works. It's not what I assumed it was. What ever you do, Don't give up. That goes for both of y'all.
