Surgery done before City cuts me off!

[jt1]

This summer, my annual eye checkup had doc saying my cataracts were begining to be noticable, and to think about surgical removal. Yeah, yeah, I thought....put that off for a few years if I can.

Then comes the news that the City of Detroit in its bankruptcy quest is cutting off my retirees' healthcare. Soo......since my excellent BC/BS coverage is good until January 1, I opted this month to have the cataracts taken care of. And y'know what? I can't believe the difference in my sight! It was barely 20-40 before, and it's 20-20 now. I noticed things seemed blurry somewhat when driving, but all is sharp as a tack now.

Anyway, I'm urging all my fellow C of D retirees to NOT put off any elective surgery. Do it now; get it done; get it paid......and not by your bank account!!!

[[Those of you who think this bankruptcy mess will soon be resolved.....you're dead wrong. This is going to go on for a decade or longer what with all the injunctions and suits that lie ahead.)

I am soooo relieved that your visions went from slighly bad to perfect. I would certainly forgo additional PD and FD in the community if I knew it would require you to occasionally require reading glasses.

The horror!!

I made it a big font in case someone is living the tragedy of having slightly below perfect vision!!

[Scottathew]

I am soooo relieved that your visions went from slighly bad to perfect. I would certainly forgo additional PD and FD in the community if I knew it would require you to occasionally require reading glasses.

The horror!!

I made it a big font in case someone is living the tragedy of having slightly below perfect vision!!

K, that was more than a little funny!

But seriously Ray, I wish you well. I'm glad to hear it worked out for you.

[sumas]

Ray, delighted to hear your surgeries went so well. I am very sensitive to vision as my folks were legally blind.

[Wesley Mouch]

I am soooo relieved that your visions went from slighly bad to perfect. I would certainly forgo additional PD and FD in the community if I knew it would require you to occasionally require reading glasses....

Cataracts are not simply aging eyes. They are a medical condition that can and should be treated. Naturally, who covers this cost is a valid social issue -- but this isn't just a case of elective surgery to eliminate need for reading glasses. This is to prevent future blindness and thus significant social [[and of course personal) costs.

Glad it turned out well, Ray!

[Honky Tonk]

I am soooo relieved that your visions went from slighly bad to perfect. I would certainly forgo additional PD and FD in the community if I knew it would require you to occasionally require reading glasses.

The horror!!

I made it a big font in case someone is living the tragedy of having slightly below perfect vision!!

I'm posting a picture of this, in case someone's a total ass.....

[Johnnny5]

I am soooo relieved that your visions went from slighly bad to perfect. I would certainly forgo additional PD and FD in the community if I knew it would require you to occasionally require reading glasses.

So you think Ray should have waited a few years until his vision worsened to the point where he was unable to drive or normally function? You think it would have been better to wait until then when he may be relying on Medicare and without the full pension income he was promised?......................................... .................................................. .................... Good luck in getting anyone worthwhile to sign up for that task of providing "Additional PD and FD" in Detroit if Detroit's not willing to keep their promises to those individuals that have already spent their lifetimes doing so! I don't think people realize how bad the pushback is going to be if there are significant cuts to the benefits of current and retired Detroit Police and Fire.

[hhockey]

There is nothing cheap about Obama Care. Sue you can get a policy for $200 bucks but it comes with a deductible of $12,700 dollars. The government fails to tell you that these cheap policies come with very high deductibles which must be met first before coverage begins. I know I am one of those city employees tossed from my health care and have been on line and on the phone for a week. In order to have a decent health policy with a manageable deductible you have to pay at least $800 bucks a month. Forget about good prescription coverage it doesn't exist. Anyone who doesn't believe me check out the Michigan Health Exchange sights.

[hhockey]

The $800 bucks that i mention is after my subsidy.

[erikd]

So you think Ray should have waited a few years until his vision worsened to the point where he was unable to drive or normally function? You think it would have been better to wait until then when he may be relying on Medicare and without the full pension income he was promised?......................................... .................................................. .................... Good luck in getting anyone worthwhile to sign up for that task of providing "Additional PD and FD" in Detroit if Detroit's not willing to keep their promises to those individuals that have already spent their lifetimes doing so! I don't think people realize how bad the pushback is going to be if there are significant cuts to the benefits of current and retired Detroit Police and Fire.

I am sick of hearing this bullshit about "Detroit" not keeping it's promises. Detroit is not some kind of evil empire withholding benefits from poor pensioners. Detroit is a city of citizens and taxpayers who are stuck in a shit situation because 60% of our former neighbors left and stuck the remaining 40% of us with the full bill.

I have no problem with paying my fair share of taxes to provide benefits for retirees, but I do have a problem with picking up the slack for a million people who used to live in the city, and have since moved out and now have no responsibility to help pay for the legacy costs that THEY agreed to.

I am a Detroiter, but I did not agree to pay for lifetime pensions and benefits that were negotiated and agreed to by a million+ people who actually benefited from the work of these public servants, but then left the city and shirked the bill.

I don't want retired city workers to have their pensions or benefits cut. Nobody in Detroit wants that. The problem we have is due to the million former Detroiters who left the city, and feel that they are are no longer responsible for the debts that they incurred and agreed to.

Every former Detroiter, who now lives in Warren, Sterling Heights, Oscoda, Tampa Bay, Scottsdale, and every other place that they have left Detroit for, feels like they have no responsibility to help pay for the contracts that they supported and the agreements that they made. They just shirk their debts, and then vilify their former neighbors when we can't cover our share of the debt AND THEIRS as well.