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Audio Books

I have learned how to format and publish e-books, paperback books, and hardcover books. Now I am off to a new goal. Audiobooks. I am going to tackle the hardest format yet. There is a huge market for audiobooks.

I tried years ago to create my own audiobook with my voice. I purchased some software on the computer. It would take 10 CDs to complete the book. I was onto cd number 5 when everything crashed. I never tried again.

I watched a web meeting and the man who was hosting it made it sound easy. I am going to try again. All I needed was 3 things.

A microphone.

A filter for the microphone.

Over-the-ear headphones.

The hardest part was the editing. I hope I can do this. I want to do the entire book from start to finish on my own. At my age, it is unbelievable to reach a new goal.

I hope, all you authors out there, or who want to be authors will start a new goal.

My book Writer’s How To Publish Free is for formatting and publishing e-books, paperback, hardcover books.

Whatever, it is go for it.

Copyright Linda Meckler 2023

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Transferring When Can’t Walk

I went to work one morning and didn’t have any idea of what the day had in store for me. I was a caregiver. I went into people’s houses and helped them. On this particular morning, I was transporting a woman to the doctor. She was sleeping and leaped out of bed and said,” “let’s go.”

She started walking fast down the hallway with me running behind. I had never been in this house before. The next thing I remember was sitting on a step almost on the floor of a garage.

My ankles were turned backward but there wasn’t any blood. The woman put a blanket over me and we waited for the ambulance. It wasn’t long but it felt like forever. The ambulance people had me stand up and take a couple of steps to the gurney. Then I was transported to the hospital. My life had changed.

My ankles were x-rayed and to my horror, I had broken three bones in each ankle. The next day I was in surgery and my ankles were loaded with hardware. 15 screws and a plate in my left ankle and 2 screws and one plate in my right.

Not being able to walk I had to learn how to transfer myself from the bed to a chair and a portable toilet. I transferred myself from the bed to a wheelchair using my arms. I stayed in the hospital for a week and went to a rehabilitation hospital. My life was now in a wheelchair.

I worked with the physical therapist daily to straighten my arms as well as my core stomach muscles. I will never forget when the therapist and I went outside. When I graduated to a walker she said, “stand up and walk up the steps.” I stood up and put my foot on the first step. I couldn’t believe it. I was hanging on to the handrail for dear life. I couldn’t bring my weight to pull myself up one step. It takes a lot of strength to walk up and down stairs. You use your hips to walk upstairs and your knees to walk down. I flunked that test. After that, we worked for a week on strengthening my hips and knees to walk up and down stairs. I was in rehab for three months and finally went home.

Copyright Linda Meckler 2023

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Cuddling

Cuddle and Snuggle

Do you love to snuggle on the sofa with your loved one? Do you plan your time around this special romantic time? Do you sometimes wish the recliner would disappear when your loved one chooses it instead of you.

There is always the bed. In bed you can snuggle all you want.

I am speaking to the woman in this article. I want you to think deep down into your mind and tell me you love recliners. Or do you want to touch the end of your nose like Samantha on Bewitched and the recliner will disappear?

I am speaking to you and your loved one. Don’t you love to cuddle up on the sofa while watching television or a movie? Don’t you love to snuggle on the sofa and listen to music and just be happy sitting on the sofa next to each other? This is extremely romantic and it is what women crave after their long day at work or home.

When you have a recliner your loved one will usually choose the recliner to watch television. Men do not think like a woman. A woman loves to cuddle and snuggle against their loved one’s chest. They can not get close enough. If possible, they would climb right into their lover’s skin. In this way, they feel protected and special. Men love their comfort and let’s face it recliners are comfortable.

You could set some rules when watching television with your loved one. When you want to cuddle and feel close, you can send him a private signal you have set up in advance. If you are not in the mood, he can sit on the reclining chair alone.

Your loved one can always sit in the recliner during the day when the kids are running around your home. He can always sit in the recliner when you are not at home.

There can always be a balance in your private loving time together. Keep your romance hot and alive with your special cuddle and snuggle time. Trade the recliner in for a double recliner or go to the bedroom.

Copyright 2006 Linda E. Meckler updated 2023

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New Year Bursting

New Year Bursting

This year is going to be a better year than the last few years.

I can feel it.

Can you?

I have a clean slate to make it what I want.

I for one am doing activities I haven’t been able to do since Covid hit.

I’m getting out of the house and meeting people.

I’m taking a class and will be assisting in a class.

My energy is high.

My spirit is high.

I am excited about this coming year.

I hope you are also.

Copyright Linda Meckler 2023

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Grandparents Are

Grandparents Are Important

Young grandchildren:

Stabilizers for the parents

Babysitters

Read to child

Play with child

Talk to child

Bathe and dress child

Teach child

Love child

Hold child

Family get togethers

5-10

Same as above

Art work together

Play games together

Read together

Sports together

Talk together

Work puzzles

Read bible stories

Go to their activities

Keep Good relationship with parents

Love them

Send gifts and pictures

Teenagers

Talking

Playing computer games

Sports

Talk about God

Keep communication open with parents

Family Get Togethers

Send gifts and pictures

Make an appointment to see them

Keep Good Relationship with parents

Out on their own

Phone calls

Text messages

Letters

Family Get Togethers

Love them

Send gifts and pictures

Make an appointment to see them

Keep good relationship with parents

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Medicare Attack

This is now the time of year when Medicare starts mailing out information on every HMO and PPO that Medicare covers. Everyday handfuls of information will be in your mailbox. Does it make Medicare more confusing?

If you do not understand Medicare Parts A, B, C, D, and G you will not understand Medicare.

Part A is free if you qualify and it is inpatient in the hospital.

Everybody pays for part B which is all out-patient services doctor, ambulance, lab, x-ray, etc.

Medicare Part A and B is fine but it only pays for 80% of your medical bill. You are responsible for 20%.1556.00

This is good for 60 days

After 60 days the charge is $1556.00

The truth is the best Medicare coverage you can have is Medicare Part G a supplement. This, of course, is the most expensive. But if money is no object you can sign up for Medicare Part A and B and G when you sign up for the first time.

You pay monthly for the supplemental plan plus part D drug coverage.

If you have been on other Medicare plans and want to change to a supplemental plan you will have to answer health questions and might not be approved.

Advantage Plan -C- You can change your insurance plan once a year. Each plan is different. You pick your  primary care physician, you get a referral to go to a specialist and authorizations for surgery, etc.

If you do not have extra money to spend on your Medicare plan and HMO plan is the cheapest way to go. The only thing is if you are hospitalized then it becomes expensive.

PPO is another option it costs more than an HMO but it does have some advantages.

No matter what you decide it is complicated. Medicare makes it that way to confuse the public. My book Medicare and Other Health Plans explains Medicare and it is something everybody needs to know.

Thank you for reading my article. Linda Meckler    www.lindameckler-author-artist.com

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Medicare Attack

This is now the time of year when Medicare starts mailing out information on every HMO and PPO that Medicare covers. Everyday handfuls of information will be in your mailbox. Does it make Medicare more confusing?

Part A is free if you qualify and it is inpatient in the hospital.

Everybody pays for part B which is all out patient services doctor, ambulance, lab, x-ray, etc.

Medicare Part A and B is fine but it only pays for 80% of your medical bill. You are responsible for 20%. When in the hospital you pay $1556.00 for 60 days. After 60 days you pay that amount again. 

The truth is the best Medicare coverage you can have is Medicare Part G a supplement. This, of course, is the most expensive. But if money is no object you can sign up for Medicare Part A and B and G when you sign up for the first time.

You pay monthly for the supplemental plan plus part D drug coverage.

If you have been on other Medicare plans and want to change to a supplemental plan you will have to answer health questions and might not be approved.

Advantage Plan -C- You can change your insurance plan once a year. Each plan is different. You pick your primary care physician, you get a referral to go to a specialist and authorizations for surgery, etc.

If you do not have extra money to spend on your Medicare plan and HMO plan is the cheapest way to go. The only thing is if you are hospitalized then it becomes expensive.

PPO is another option it costs more than an HMO but it does have some advantages.

No matter what you decide it is complicated. Medicare makes it that way to confuse the public. My book Medicare and Other Health Plans explains Medicare and it is something everybody needs to know.

Thank you for reading my article. Linda Meckler  www.lindameckler-author-artist.com

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Dental Insurance Screwups

In this article, I will give you an example of what can go wrong when you make a dental appointment and when you have HMO medical insurance.

I was in a dental office recently and watched this drama play out in front of my eyes. That is when I knew I had to write this article and add it to my Medicare and Other Health Insurances book.

This man had an appointment in this dental office. He was in pain. He checked in his list of Dentist’s that were contracted with his medical insurance. He called the Dentist and made an appointment.

What is wrong with this. Can you tell me?

Everything in medical or dental insurance works by contract. Yes, his medical insurance was contracted with this Dentist. But the man never called his insurance company and said, “I want his Dentist and I need an appointment immediately I am in pain.”

So, what happened? He didn’t make a contract with his medical insurance to plug him into this Dentist. He showed up and said, “I have an appointment and I’m in pain.”

The receptionist said, “I am sorry sir the Dentist can’t see you because you are not contracted with this office.”

“But you are on the list of dentists I was given that is on my plan”

“Sir, you did not call your insurance company and tell them you chose this Dentist and since you did it today the insurance company should have called us and we would have seen you.”

Whose fault was this mix-up?

It was both the Dental receptionist’s fault and the man’s. The receptionist should have called the insurance company when she didn’t see his name on the computer as being this Dentist’s patient.

The man should have realized how his insurance works.

In most cases, this is how we learn by doing.

Thank you for reading my article. Copyright Linda Meckler 2022

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Medicare HMO Horrors

www.lindameckler-author-artist.com

I have worked in medical insurance billing for almost thirty years. I have said repeatedly that the insurance companies practice medicine.

In an article in the AARP June Bulletin 2022, there is an article that does indeed prove what I have said.

This article states that when Medical Providers see their patients and require pre-authorization for testing, or surgery Medicare denies it.

Federal Investigators reviewed a week of these inquiries in 2019 and found that those denied 13% should have been authorized under the original Medicare rules. 85,000 requests that year were wrongfully denied.

What about the years before and after 2019?

Do not take for granted when something is denied that is denied permanently.

A medical appeal can always be sent to Medicare. If a medical provider requests pre-authorization for a test, surgery, etc. that means the patient needs it. If the patient does not receive the care needed, you can use your imagination as to the result.

Thank you for reading my article. My books Medicare and Other Health Insurance and Appeal and Collection Letters for Medical Providers are on www.amazon.com

Copyright Linda Meckler 2022

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Prescription Drugs Goodrx.com and Singlecare.com

If you have medical insurance or do not have insurance it can become a horror story when the medicine you need costs out in space.

You need the medicine, otherwise, the doctor would not have prescribed it in the first place.

Sometimes, the medication can be replaced with another medication the same thing but costs less.

One medication can have many names and with each name a different charge.

But I have found out recently that there is hope. Two websites can help people like me and you that are on a small social security income.

The two websites are www.rx.com and www.singleacare.com

Now, these two websites need a little work. They can be downloaded to your cell phone.

On their website, you can find your medication and then you can scroll through the different pharmacies that take this website. You can print a coupon or use the one on your cell phone app.

This is a great option for you to know where to go and how much it is going to last.

I truly recommend these two websites when you get hit in the wallet for a ridiculous charge for your medication.

Thank you for reading my article. Let me hear from you.

Copyright Linda Meckler 2022