I'm glad I am getting 5 days off starting after work Friday.  I am not going to Arizona.  I likely am not going anywhere.  Of all the things that have happened this week, finding out today, just a while ago actually, that my dad has full blown Alzeheimer's was a blow that I wasn't prepared for.  Not only that but he has a heart problem that causes his heart rate to go abnormally high - it was at 180 a few weeks ago and he ended up in the hospital.

I wrote up an email for extended family members.  My dad just disappeared a couple of years ago to most everyone, though I was still receiving cards from him and then....that just disappeared.  Anyway, I'm copying and pasting what I wrote to them earlier instead of writing all that again here:

"After a year and a half of not hearing from dad (David), I finally got to talk to him on the phone today.
It was a pleasant conversation and from his side of things, he is doing well, still likes to do his writing, gets around with a cane but still mobile.  They finally found a church that they like.  He sounded good, just like old times.  

However, when he handed the phone back to Millie, a much different story surfaced.  The last time I had talked to dad, he said the doctor had told him he had some form of dementia.  Unfortunately and sadly, he has full blown Alzheimer's, which kinda shocked me after having that conversation with him.  Millie stated that his short term memory is basically non-existent and that he likely has already forgotten about talking to you (me).  

That was a bit hard to take.  Dad no longer does email or Facebook or even uses a computer apparently.  Millie is taking care of him and they have 2 ladies that come and help with doing house keeping and some outside work.  3 weeks ago, his heart rate escalated to 180 beats per minute and they have him on some sort of medication to deal with it, which has brought it down.  

That's the gist of dad's health, but still, he sounded good on the phone at least. (last paragraph cut out, had his phone number and address info)."


 It's only Wednesday.  What else might be coming down the pike?  Hey, I got some good news this week so it's not all bad.  I mean, at least my dad is being well taken care of even though his wife got testy with me right off the bat when I called.  She is not a fan of our side of the family and said "everyone has our number and address".  Uh, no, Millie, we don't.  I only had dad's cell phone number and now I know that he just doesn't use his phone, doesn't do emails anymore and doesn't get on Facebook.  I lost your address and everyone is wondering how dad is doing.  

Well, I've had that number for 35 years and our address hasn't changed!  Sorry, Millie, no-one has that phone number, we all had dad's cell phone number and no one knows your address, either.  She handed the phone to dad and the after talking for quite a while with him - it was good to hear his voice but while I was having that conversation with him, I did not know he had Alzheimer's and he sounded remarkably good to me so there is that - and, at least his long term memory is still intact so he remembers who I am.  I know, we all have to go somehow, but some ways of going, I think, are better than others.  Just get killed instantly.  No suffering, just gone.  

I guess we don't get to choose that now do we?  

I don't believe I discussed the home loan modification. I was going to yesterday but something overwhelmed me about my uncle's death and I just quit writing.  I didn't know home very well so not a lot of grieving, just kinda sad that our family lines are so disjointed and separated.  

Anyway, I sent in docs last week to start the evaluation for a home loan modification.  I figured, why not?  Not going to cost me anything and can't hurt to try.  I'm pretty much into getting costs reduced to whatever I can.  I figured  if I do a modification, I'm going to lose 5 years worth of payments - but - if the reduction in the monthly payment is enough, I will do it anyway. I would be 77 years old by the time I paid off that house and I am not even sure I will be around that long.  I just want to keep the setup I have over there with the landlords and get enough paid off that maybe eventually I can sell it and get some equity out of it.  

So, they sent me multiple emails: please call us, yada  yada yada.  I was on my way back from Alexandria, a near 2 hour drive so I figured to get the misery over with. I absolutely abhor calling my mortgage company for a variety of reasons.  I had to go through a question and answer session that went on for 45 minutes.  I had to give my expenses.  They listed off my credit expenses - apparently ran a credit report, which sucks because my credit is already bad but once this gets the payments current, my credit rating will go back up after a year or so.

Anyway, after all of that, I waited - and waited for this lady to go through all the screens she had to go through on her computer to come up with any kind of offer. Yes, we have an offer. It's HAMP - Home Affordable Modification Program. You have a hardship, you can qualify.  My hardship has always been my work playing games with my hours, starting in 2008 during the housing bubble and fluctuating since then. I want my credit up there again, I would really like to get a decent pickup truck and yes, I wouldn't mind making the payments if they aren't too high. You can only do that with a good credit rating.  It takes at least a year for it to come up.  I've heard anyway.

Whatever the case, she quoted a greatly reduced interest rate, much lower than what I have now.  I wondered, wow, what is that going to do for my monthly payment?  $300 bucks per month, that's what.  I'm all in for that.  If I had been paying 15 years on the loan, different story.  Would have had to be better than that to give up that much.  I took it. Still have paperwork to fill out and a "trial" period, but I make the payment every month, just that it's behind.  Not to mention I don't have to make a payment in June, it starts in July and the payment has to be received by or on the 1st.  

My starter  for the Polaris came in today and hopefully the other parts show up in the next day or two so i can take the thing apart, install the parts and hopefully, walaah, have a good unit again.  

It's some strange stuff. What's going on that is.  

I may just stay home this vacation.  I'm just not sure yet.  I'm one of those kinds of people that I can make last minute decisions on vacation time and alter my plans on a moment's notice.  I could just drive down the road, go to a hotel and just spend some time alone.  

Time up for today's writings.