Just took mom to the airport. She will be staying in Vietnam with her relative for 3 months!
Prior to going traveling I make sure she has enough medication to take along for the period. Fortunately, all the mail order prescriptions are for 3 months period.
Mom is forgetful so she often misplace the unused medication and sometime try to get me to order more than necessary. It's a good thing that the mail oder web site keep track of order history and I can use it to prove to her that she should have the medicine already! She has always been able to find her medicine after some searching around her room.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Mom wants an IPOD!
Mom has been talking about MP3 players and how they can store "hundreds" of song!
I ordered an ipod nano for mom last week and it has just arrived.
I hit a snag when installing ITune and it gave me error "invalid character" in folder path. After a few Google searches, I found that the error came from my previous Quick time install where I had set the start folder as "Accessories/QuickTime" (note the wrong slash character). A quick regedit took care of this problem.
I ordered an ipod nano for mom last week and it has just arrived.
I hit a snag when installing ITune and it gave me error "invalid character" in folder path. After a few Google searches, I found that the error came from my previous Quick time install where I had set the start folder as "Accessories/QuickTime" (note the wrong slash character). A quick regedit took care of this problem.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Mom is back
Mom is back from Vietnam after nearly 2 months!
Medical stuff:
Medical stuff:
- Took mom to dentist for checkup. She has several bad teeth. Two will need to be pulled and several will need to be patch or old cap rebuild. She does not have dental insurance so it will be expensive. She's considering going back to Vietnam to do most of the dental work.
- Made appointment for mom to visit Mayo clinic for her 1 year checkup after last year ovarian operation.
- Made appointment for mom to visit cardiologist for her 6 month pacemaker checkup
- Took mom to have blood test for calcium deficiency. Need to call family doctor for appointment to discuss result.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Mom is going to Vietnam
Tomorrow, mom is going to go to Vietnam to visit her other half of the family. She has not visit them for over 5 years now. She has planned to go back in 2005 but then my step father fell ill. She has been looking forward to this trip for quite a while.
I've had the travel agent notify the airline to help her transfer between terminals and provide wheel chair service as needed. I hope this will work out.
Check list: Medication for 1 month, visa, passport...
I've had the travel agent notify the airline to help her transfer between terminals and provide wheel chair service as needed. I hope this will work out.
Check list: Medication for 1 month, visa, passport...
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Signup for Social Security (SS) direct deposit
You would think this is pretty simple eh...
Go to http://www.socialsecurity.gov/
Hunt around a bit to find the menu Question?->Checks and Payments->Direct Deposit
Found form 1199A. It said to fill it out then take it to your financial institution.
Filled form - no problem - Took it to mom's local Credit Union and here's where it gets dicey.
The form's instruction said "Financial institution should refer to Green Book for further instructions". It also said "The financial institution should mail the completed form to the Government Agency Identified".
The lady at the credit union did neither. She filled out the bank section 3 info then handed it back to mom. She said "we don't do direct deposit request" you have to do it! She did not fill in section 2, the government agency address that mom should mail the form to.
No problem, I can do that. I searched the web for the "Green Book" and found it at http://fms.treas.gov/greenbook/enroll/enroll-d4.html
It said to verify in section 2 "federal agency name and address" because this is where most errors occur. I followed contact list link. The contact list has misspelled link back to www.socialsecurity.gov where I searched in vain for several hours for an address to send in form 1199A. I gave up.
There is the telephone alternative.
I tried it and, after navigating through complicated button, voice and more button menus, it couldn't find mom's record. I gave up again.
There is the online alternative.
I did an online request for mom. She is now waiting for a letter from the SS office with instruction to create her online account. With this, she should be able to do an online enrollment. We'll see...
This is not good.
Go to http://www.socialsecurity.gov/
Hunt around a bit to find the menu Question?->Checks and Payments->Direct Deposit
Found form 1199A. It said to fill it out then take it to your financial institution.
Filled form - no problem - Took it to mom's local Credit Union and here's where it gets dicey.
The form's instruction said "Financial institution should refer to Green Book for further instructions". It also said "The financial institution should mail the completed form to the Government Agency Identified".
The lady at the credit union did neither. She filled out the bank section 3 info then handed it back to mom. She said "we don't do direct deposit request" you have to do it! She did not fill in section 2, the government agency address that mom should mail the form to.
No problem, I can do that. I searched the web for the "Green Book" and found it at http://fms.treas.gov/greenbook/enroll/enroll-d4.html
It said to verify in section 2 "federal agency name and address" because this is where most errors occur. I followed contact list link. The contact list has misspelled link back to www.socialsecurity.gov where I searched in vain for several hours for an address to send in form 1199A. I gave up.
There is the telephone alternative.
I tried it and, after navigating through complicated button, voice and more button menus, it couldn't find mom's record. I gave up again.
There is the online alternative.
I did an online request for mom. She is now waiting for a letter from the SS office with instruction to create her online account. With this, she should be able to do an online enrollment. We'll see...
This is not good.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Preparing tax return for mom
Well, this is the first of what I hope to be many posts on taking care of elderly parents. So here goes...
I'm doing tax for mom and I thought it would be simple and easy. She has a small SS pension, interest income from the proceed of selling her home, a small IRA distribution, etc...
First, I neglected to have tax withholding on her interest income. I didn't think it would be so much! So it looks like she will own the IRS about $1000. No problem, she didn't own any taxes last year so there won't be a penalty.
Next, I see this 1099-R form that says mom earned $11000 from an annuity she had setup eon ago. She has just cashed it out to put into her bank to get better interest rate. This pushed her income over the $25000 limit so her SS income will be taxed! Now she own $4000 total tax! She is effectively paying 27% tax rate on that annuity income.
So the lesson here is: Watch out when your parents cash out any sort of saving. With our curious tax law, even a small amount may set off a chain reaction of tax rules that will just eat up their hard earned saving.
I'm doing tax for mom and I thought it would be simple and easy. She has a small SS pension, interest income from the proceed of selling her home, a small IRA distribution, etc...
First, I neglected to have tax withholding on her interest income. I didn't think it would be so much! So it looks like she will own the IRS about $1000. No problem, she didn't own any taxes last year so there won't be a penalty.
Next, I see this 1099-R form that says mom earned $11000 from an annuity she had setup eon ago. She has just cashed it out to put into her bank to get better interest rate. This pushed her income over the $25000 limit so her SS income will be taxed! Now she own $4000 total tax! She is effectively paying 27% tax rate on that annuity income.
So the lesson here is: Watch out when your parents cash out any sort of saving. With our curious tax law, even a small amount may set off a chain reaction of tax rules that will just eat up their hard earned saving.
Thursday, May 4, 2006
Mom took over my garden
Mom pretty much took over my back yard garden. She is planting and caring for various hot pepper and mint plants. I don't know if they will survive the 100+ Arizona summer.
Saturday, April 8, 2006
Mom first operation
I took mom to the Mayo Clinic today for her operation to remove an ovarian cyst. It has been detected back in Hawaii about 8 months ago. The doctor at the Mayo recommended removal and mom went along with this.
It was a short operation. The hospital wouldn't let mom go home until she can pee! She didn't get home until late afternoon.
She is tired but doing well.
It was a short operation. The hospital wouldn't let mom go home until she can pee! She didn't get home until late afternoon.
She is tired but doing well.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Don't depend on family doctor to refer mom to specialist
Mom's family doctor wants to administer regular PT-INR testing to adjust coumadin dosage for mom instead of referring her to a specialist. I didn't know any better and mom didn't understand what that mean.
Mom complained that the lab took too much blood and it took several days before she know what dosage to take. At first, I just thought that this old lady complains too much! Upon further research, she's right. It should be done like diabetic testing where only a drop of blood is required and the operator let you know the coumadin dosage right away.
After some searching, I found that Medicare allows you to do request referral and pick your own specialist. I made one last request to mom's family doctor to give her a referral to a cardiologist and I found her another family doctor.
My mom is please with the treatment by the cardiology office (Advanced Cardiac Specialists). They do it the right way.
Lesson learned: do more research for each condition to be treated by doctor. Specialist is probably better than family practice.
Mom complained that the lab took too much blood and it took several days before she know what dosage to take. At first, I just thought that this old lady complains too much! Upon further research, she's right. It should be done like diabetic testing where only a drop of blood is required and the operator let you know the coumadin dosage right away.
After some searching, I found that Medicare allows you to do request referral and pick your own specialist. I made one last request to mom's family doctor to give her a referral to a cardiologist and I found her another family doctor.
My mom is please with the treatment by the cardiology office (Advanced Cardiac Specialists). They do it the right way.
Lesson learned: do more research for each condition to be treated by doctor. Specialist is probably better than family practice.
Friday, March 3, 2006
Moving day
Mom is moving in with me and my wife today.
Check list:
Mom has heart / blood condition where she must take coumadin regularly to thin her blood. She must attend regular testing to adjust the level of coumadin intake as needed.
Check list:
- Appointment for new family doctor
- Change address for: Social Security, Tricare For Life DEER, Bank
- Get medical record.
- Make sure mom has prescription refill for 3 months or more
- See doctor about schedule of Coumadin testing, requirement...
Mom has heart / blood condition where she must take coumadin regularly to thin her blood. She must attend regular testing to adjust the level of coumadin intake as needed.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Visit dad
We visited National Memorial Center of the Pacific (in Punchbowl) where my step father remain is kept. We hung around for a while, doing nothing.
I still miss that old man.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Visit old high school for the last time
I've been visiting my mom once a year ever since I went to work in the main land some 20 years ago. I've gone by my old high school before but have never stopped to look around.
During the afternoon break today, I stopped by my old high school. I thought I've better give it a visit one last time before my mom moved to Arizona. I took a few pictures of the place.
Well, got to get back to help mom packing.
Home to help mom move.
I've just arrived home to help mom finalize her home selling. The couple that she sold the house to was nice enough to let her stay in the house for a week while I help her pack to move.
My mom lives on Oahu, Hawaii. My step father had just passed away last year. She was doing fine living by herself but she is increasingly having difficult time keeping up with all the medical appointments and tests. She had decided to sell the house and move to Arizona to live with or closer to me.
I'm still wonder whether this is a good decision. I wonder if it's better for me to move to Hawaii and try to find a job there. I know I won't be able to find a similar job that pay as well there.
Packing brought back lots of memories...
My mom lives on Oahu, Hawaii. My step father had just passed away last year. She was doing fine living by herself but she is increasingly having difficult time keeping up with all the medical appointments and tests. She had decided to sell the house and move to Arizona to live with or closer to me.
I'm still wonder whether this is a good decision. I wonder if it's better for me to move to Hawaii and try to find a job there. I know I won't be able to find a similar job that pay as well there.
Packing brought back lots of memories...
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