Patterico's Pontifications

11/26/2013

How to Handle Organizing for America Robots Who Harangue You at the Thanksgiving Dinner Table

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 7:08 am



Barack Obama’s Organizing for America asks its mindless robots to use the Thanksgiving holidays to proselytize family members regarding health care. Some advice from their organization:

Start by asking: “Have you thought about signing up for health insurance on the new marketplace?”

Offer to walk them through it: “Would you like to take some time with me to sign up right now?”

Ask them to make a plan, and commit to it: “When do you plan on signing up?”

Don’t forget to follow up: “Have you signed up yet?”

Mark and Mollie Hemingway have an idea on how to respond to the bolded question:

Here’s a sample response you might use. “That would be great. Except that I’m going to be washing dishes and cleaning up for a bit. How about you go into the guest room and use the computer in there to sign me up. As soon as you’re done, you can have some pie.”

The key is to get them to make a commitment not to come out until they’ve finished signing you up. Remember their conversation tip — Ask them to make a plan, and commit to it. Ask them to commit to finishing the sign-up before they come out of the room.

Since nobody can actually sign up for Obamacare, they’ll be busily trying to operate the web site for the duration of your visit. And the beauty of the disaster zone that is the Obamacare website is that whether you plan to visit for hours or days, the crazy family member will be out of your hair. For added giggles with the sane portion of the family, be sure to follow the last tip — Don’t forget to follow up: “Have you signed up yet?”

Every time you pass the room, knock on the door loudly and ask them that exact question. Once your crazy uncle is holed-up with a laptop in the guest bedroom, you and your more tolerable relatives can enjoy the rest of the holiday in peace.

Heh. Ace has some talking points of his own, to respond to any arrogant OFA robots you might find at your dinner table. I don’t particularly recommend the talking points to anyone who actually wants to get along with their relatives, but they are mighty funny. Sample:

1. Hey remember when you said that Obamacare was going to work great, and then, when people asked you how it actually worked, you sort of implied they were stupid for not knowing, and yet you never provided any evidence that you had any idea of how it was supposed to work yourself? Yeah, you were wrong to do that.

2. Remember when you called me crazy for saying Obama wanted to “spread the wealth around,” based on not a scrap of evidence except for Obama himself saying he wanted to spread the wealth around? Yeah, there’s a NYT article that says that Obamacare is fundamentally a redistributive program — which means it “spreads the wealth around.” Yeah you were wrong on that, too.

There are four more — much along the same lines.

P.S. I wonder what their talking points are for this:

Almost 80 million people with employer health plans could find their coverage canceled because they are not compliant with ObamaCare, several experts predicted.

Their losses would be in addition to the millions who found their individual coverage cancelled for the same reason.

. . . .

According to projections the administration itself issued back in July 2010, it was clear officials knew the impact of ObamaCare three years ago.

In fact, according to the Federal Register, its mid-range estimate was that by the end of 2014, 76 percent of small group plans would be cancelled, along with 55 percent of large employer plans.

The reason behind the losses is that current plans don’t meet the requirements of ObamaCare, which dictate that each plan must cover a list of essential benefits, whether people want them or not.

Now that’s some fun dinner discussion.

87 Responses to “How to Handle Organizing for America Robots Who Harangue You at the Thanksgiving Dinner Table”

  1. I’m sure “Get Bent” will let them know I don’t plan on discussing politics.

    Huitzilincuatec (f7d5ba)

  2. “Essential benefits whether they want them or not”

    Yeah, I’ll get right on that.

    mer (fe4339)

  3. Or you could simply say “Thanksgiving is a time for family and connecting with one another. It’s not a time for partisan politics. I declare this dinner a Politics Free Zone.”

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  4. The problem with Ace’s advice is that to pretend to cooperate, one has to give over all of the highly personal and confidential information that the healthcare.gov website solicits, including information about taxable income, SSN, etc.

    I’m unwilling to permit that to be entered into the system even though I’m 100% confident it could not lead to a successful enrollment in Obamacare.

    The top Dem strategists in the White House and Democratic National Committee organizations who are encouraging this PR push absolutely, positively know that it won’t lead to completed Obamacare enrollments. That isn’t their goal.

    Rather, their goal is to make skeptics of the program refuse to go through this feckless and doomed exercise — precisely so they can then insist, “Well, you never gave it a chance!” and that “The reason Obamacare is failing is because of conservative/Republican/radical right-wing intransigence.”

    Beldar (8ff56a)

  5. Sorry, misattributed Molly & Mark’s advice to Ace. Ace’s advice is more “in your face,” which is why I won’t be following it with people whom I want to maintain civil relationships with.

    Beldar (8ff56a)

  6. Although everyone else at the table gets their news from NYT, NPR and Jon Stewart I suspect that 404Care will not come up.

    It’s passé.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  7. A friend sent Ace’s talking points to me. Shame I won’t get to use them. No liberals invited to Thanksgiving dinner this year. My family has a broad streak of common sense.

    Mark L (c43b7e)

  8. When I discussed, on Twitter, how I didn’t want to follow political demands that I raise Obamacare or guns or immigration at Thanksgiving dinner, I was informed that I am responsible for entrenched injustice. I was also told that I am the sort of person who will not say anything if relatives interrupt my Thanksgiving dinner with anti-gay slurs.

    Ken (2e87a6)

  9. Question: Have you thought about … Answer: Yes. Thank you for volunteering to do dishes tonight. We’ll save a piece of pie for you.

    LTMG (9a1240)

  10. I think these ads, or would be ads, date back to a time when they didn’t understand there were problems with enrollment.

    And they also don’t understand the problems with the economiccs of it.

    They are not asking people for a vote, which doesn’t cost people anything, or doesn’t cost any more than what it would cost to get to the polls, or, possibly, in some states, purchase voter ID, or the prerequistes to voter ID..

    And they are not people asking for campaign money, where, if someone says no, they can ask for less, and less, and less.

    e.g. how about $5 a month? Would you commit to $3 a month??

    This is not a free flu shot.

    They are asking for people to spend (in many
    cases) whaat is for them a large sum of money.

    When people do spend, they found on the Massachusetts Rpmneycare exchange, a person visited the site – or was it did something else – an average of 18 times before they bought anything.

    Sammy Finkelman (3bb3ae)

  11. Gone Galt on this.

    Dan S (00fc90)

  12. Note that, in California, a plan has to cover acupuncture at similar rates to MDs to be compliant. No 2013 plan does. So nearly every employer plan in California will be considered non-compliant next year.

    For gatherings in California, ask them how they plan to replace their current employer plan, and if they’ve looked at this years doctor networks for the exchange plans. Assuming, you know, that they’re employed which isn’t a given for Obamacare supporters.

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  13. I would add to Mark & Molly’s plan an over/under for those remaining at the table. It would be for how long the lunatic guest would stay in the room before emerging with some excuse since if it were how long for actual sign up, the smart money would be on “over” regardless of the number and the units (minutes, hours, days). A “need not be present to win” is necessary because the rest of the guests will have to eventually get about the rest of their lives.

    This plan could also guarantee that you have a house guest at Christmas.

    gramps (c9132b)

  14. Leave it to The Onion to parody this perfectly

    Chuck Bartowski (11fb31)

  15. Another thing to add to the exercise: give them a list of your doctors and say “make sure these doctors are on the plan you pick.” Odds are they are not on any plan.

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  16. I suspect that 404Care will not come up.

    Only two groups are willing to talk about it: the Obama KoolAid crowd who cannot read the public’s mood, and us, who can.

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  17. Oh fizzle. Comment in wrong thread.

    htom (412a17)

  18. Strangle them with a drumb stick right after you shove it up their a**.

    Rodney King's Spirit (5c6cbf)

  19. Pivot to the cranberry sauce…

    Colonel Haiku (b53983)

  20. Geez, how about get the fuck out….now. You collectivist leech.

    Edward Lunny (ddc34f)

  21. It’s drastic and should be used only as a last resort—but (accidentally) knocking over a glass of red wine across the white linen tablecloth and onto them would almost certainly stop the Obot’s inanities and immediately pull the whole table’s focus in a different direction.

    elissa (4738eb)

  22. How about playing them this: Tell them the name “Mordred’s Lullabye.”
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny7NZPfl0l4
    If it hurts their feelings to darn bad.

    Catseyes (ae8723)

  23. Political issues never come up on bird day.
    Football, Food, laughter, and cribbage.

    mg (31009b)

  24. elissa #20,

    In Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film of the early 1940s “Shadow of a Doubt,” Joseph Cotten’s character (“Uncle Charlie”) did that very trick—he intentionally knocked over a drink at the dinner table, in order to distract away from a conversation he didn’t want the family to have.

    Elephant Stone (6a6f37)

  25. Why, ask the following of your know-it-all, Prius-driving coastal kin:

    “As a low-information Democrat voter (but I repeat myself), do you feel that the reason you voted twice for the man was because you are extremely gullible and easily duped, or do you chalk it up to your appalling ignorance about basic American civics, and given your country-damaging irresponsibility, can you reasonably defend the notion that you should still be allowed to vote in 2014 or 2016?”

    Lightwave (781eb9)

  26. Pelosi said they needed to pass the bill so we could find out what’s in it.

    Gotta say, I don’t think finding out was worth it.

    Alan (550092)

  27. you bring up this garbage @ my house and you’ll be standing outside, on the other side of the property line, waiting for your ride home and no, i don’t care if it’s raining: you’re not welcome here.

    GTFO.

    redc1c4 (abd49e)

  28. thanksgiving should be put on hold

    cause honest to god we don’t really have all that much to be super-thankful about – nothing worth building a whole holiday around anyway

    we live in a pathetic cowardly fascist iran-appeasing jew-hating redistributionist whorestate that’s in debt up to its ass and what’s surviving solely on an obscene flood of whorenanke dollars and phony economic data

    thanks a whole effing lot

    happyfeet (c60db2)

  29. Yes, and how was that different, from this time, last year, the state is often ruthless and capricious, it’s the nature of the beast.

    narciso (3fec35)

  30. cause honest to god we don’t really have all that much to be super-thankful about – nothing worth building a whole holiday around anyway

    Nonsense! I can walk, talk, and chew gum again after 13 months of hell. If I didn’t live in the most amazing first world country, I wouldn’t have had everything available to me to get well. A healthy family, a roof over my head, and clothes on my back, and the freedom to voice my anger, frustration and disgust with this administration and actually be able to do something about it gives me all the reason on the world to be non-stop thankful. A day centered around thankfulness is a good thing, to live I thankfulness daily is better, though.

    Dana (45070c)

  31. you would make a very poor curmudgeon

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  32. A little perspective pikachu, might be helpful, as Dana has put into sharp relief,

    narciso (3fec35)

  33. I’m so glad to hear things are going well for you now, Dana. I feel much the same way. I am in a perpetual state of thankfulness and try to never forget how lucky and blessed I am. And I do weigh the luck aspect heavily. While I believe my own decisions and choices and hard work as a teen and an adult have positively affected my life and helped give it meaning and stability– where I was born and the simple but rock solid people my two parents and four grandparents were was luck, pure luck. I am very aware that not everybody has that.

    elissa (4738eb)

  34. Dana – Thanksgiving is a verb.

    I celebrated last night with my youngest son who I fetched from college late last week. We cooked all day, ate and got comatose on couch watching movies. He will be spending actual holiday at his mother’s parents out of town.

    Son 1 and son 2 both remain out of the country, but son 2 will be returning for a month in December.

    Yesterday was the second Thanksgiving feast I’ve cooked. The first was a couple of weeks back for 35-40, exact count is fuzzy, outdoors on camp stoves with two big birds deep fried successfully once again and no videos of the event appearing on youtube.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  35. A Snickers would also help. Are you still on that stupid diet? And maybe you could call the Chinese massage lady?

    nk (dbc370)

  36. i thanksgive i was born in a country where all the antibiotics worked even if none of the websites did

    and in some respects I’m still living in this same country

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  37. i have to start the new diet soon Mr. nk

    I do not have a plan exactly

    work is very taxing just now, but I haven’t gained anything back, so I thanksgiving for that too

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  38. I really hope I never make a good curmudgeon, happy!

    perspective is everything.

    Thank you, elissa. It was the hardest year of my life thus far. There were so many times I never thought I would get on other side of the pain and debilitaiton. But I have. Finally. Amazingly enough (in light of this part of the thread), I was at my sis’s today and she suggested we go to a local surf shop she frequents. While there, she introduced me to the owner who appeared very drawn and quiet. Come to find out, she’d had one of the brutal surgeries I’d had and was still in the throes of horrible pain (she had to run the shop). I was able to spend the next half hour with encouraging her with unwavering assurance that she too would eventually find herself on the other side of pain. It would take a long time, immense work, and self pep talks (this too shall pass). I can honestly tell you that my heart overflowed with thankfulness that I could finally pay it forward and help someone else especially after a very long season of being as needy as a baby. I got her phone number and gave her mine and told her I would continue to check up on her and just text her encouragement when she needed. I shared pain med info, physical therapy helps, everything I could think of to ease her suffering.

    I realized life is just so complex in its simplicity and simple in its complexity. I can see clearly that my year of hell and suffering was not in vain. I don’t know why what happened to me happened, but I do know that because it did, I am a different person. I hope a better person. But more importantly, I had the privilege of reassuring someone else know that eventually she too would be looking back at this mean season in her life and give another person further down the line the encouragement and reassurance that eventually everything will get better for them, too.

    Dana (45070c)

  39. daley, I agree. It is a verb. I’m so glad you got the time with your son. Isn’t the dream to have all the punks home at the same time, together, making a meal, blissfully comatose parked on the couch, shooting the breeze, watching movies, and reveling in their company? Ah, bliss.

    Dana (45070c)

  40. i’m glad you’re in a more better place Mr. Dana

    and just in time given the parlous state of health cares in failmerica

    stay healthy mister

    speaking of staying healthy my new year’s resolution, one of them, will be to finally finish a whole entire bottle of kombucha

    god help me

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  41. waitaminute am I confuzzling my Danas again?

    i almost went all year without doing that

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  42. This is the pretty Dana, happyfeet.

    Ditto, Dana.

    nk (dbc370)

  43. yes I am abjectly sorry I don’t know why I get confuzzled sometimes while other times I see my Danas arrayed before me with clarity and precision

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  44. Dana’s with the adjective, are male,

    narciso (3fec35)

  45. Dana – Glad you are coming out the other side of a horrible year and can put it behind you. The incident you describe of your sis introducing you to someone going through some of what you went through and creating an opportunity for you to be of service to somebody else and give them hope is wonderful!

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  46. I have to make a pie tomorrow to take to the Thanksgiving Feast I am attending Thursday and now wonder whether I should make two. The host family, particularly the wife, are conservative, but several of the guests are not. I could make two identical looking pies, but one of which causes gastrointestinal distress to be served to people who have the temerity to raise inappropriate or unapproved topics at the table.

    I must think on that.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  47. How about playing them this: Tell them the name “Mordred’s Lullabye.”

    Another Heather Dale fan! Are you a filker?

    Milhouse (b95258)

  48. Personally, I’d conclude the conversation by saying that studies indicate that left-leaning people are no more humane, compassionate, generous and tolerant than anyone else, including — or particularly — their political opposites—and, in fact, may even display fewer of those traits than generally presumed by the general public.

    Actually, when I was debating Obamacare with a liberal a few months ago, after he had extolled its virtues to me, I said if the cost and benefits are going to be so great, how about you paying for the healthcare of your employees (he owns and manages a small business). He said he couldn’t afford it.

    Mark (58ea35)

  49. hey mr feets: would you be thankful for a turkey?

    we has a spare here, & it needs a good home where it will be appreciated.

    redc1c4 (abd49e)

  50. that’s really nice Mr. red but I’m no cook

    I want to say yes just to meet you but let’s just put tacos on a for reals calendar for January

    FOR REALS

    I’m cereal

    you name the day I have no travel plans that whole damn month

    weekday or weekend is fine – I’ll just put it on the calendar as a THING

    why it has to be January I will explain over the aforesaid tacos

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  51. If you are attending Thanksgivukkah and this comes up, you can always talk about that Iran deal.

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  52. I don’t know why what happened to me happened, but I do know that because it did, I am a different person.

    “In my weakness, HE is made strong!” Been going thru a lot myself this past year. Three fingers on my right hand (middle, ring, and pinky) became paralyzed due to a viral infection of the nerves, thumb and index work but very weak (I was right handed). No hope of recovery. Had to give up playing guitar, bass, banjo, and was just learning mandolin. Had to leave Gospel group that I was a member of.

    Going in for heart cath on Dec. 5th, had to have stint 4.5 years ago for 95% blocked artery, praying they can fix this time with stint and not have to have bypass. Dr gave me nitro to help with chest pain in the meanwhile.

    Several other med problems, but these are the two major ones. Can’t afford to retire and lose half of my income and health insurance, so I just keep chugging along and learning to do everything left handed.

    peedoffamerican (c1890a)

  53. poa, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll keep you in my prayers.

    Unfortunately there’s quite a list of folks here that have developed or revealed health problems in the last year or two.

    Dustin (f2c2e0)

  54. poa, thoughts and prayers to you.

    mg (31009b)

  55. So sorry to hear that poa,

    narciso (3fec35)

  56. It’s good to be thankful. And family is everything. My mother died last year and my father has dementia (and thinks his sons are conspiring against him; he will not speak to us or his grandchildren). Thus my brother, nephew, and my own little family will share Thanksgiving here. And politics won’t come up. I’ll see to that.

    Thanksgiving is a verb, indeed. Hold your family and friends close, and revel in the warmth of what is most important in our world.

    Simon Jester (84d58f)

  57. hey Feets: if you need one, i’ll cook it for ya too. once the oven is going, it’s just a matter of timing.

    our host has my phone number (or should) and can share it with you if you ask off line.

    redc1c4 (abd49e)

  58. I think I may have found your answer, happyfeet. You need to find a girl named Susan. Click. http://translate.google.com/#en/la/a%20feast%20for%20all

    nk (dbc370)

  59. The real target – which probably shows how stupid or out of touch they all are – I mean never they mention price – is directed toward parents to get their children to enroll:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/26/business/new-pitch-for-health-initiative-mind-your-mom-get-insured.html

    This is being done by the AARP:

    http://www.aarp.org/ws/affordable-care-act/mom-means-it/

    NUDGE YOUR KID ABOUT GETTING HEALTH INSURANCE

    Send an e-card today. En español

    Starting Oct. 1, your big kid(s) will have new health insurance options. Remind them to check out their choices. And they’ll make Mom, Dad, even Grammy oh so proud!

    Ready to nudge? Please select an e-card below.

    The whole campaign was planned before they knew, or before the people who designed it knew, that the web site would have troubles. They still don’t know about sticker shock.

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  60. Of course, as November 30th approaches, the White House has put out a yellow light:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/27/us/politics/white-house-urges-caution-on-health-site.html?hp&_r=0

    White House officials, fearful that the federal health care website may again be overwhelmed this weekend, have urged their allies to hold back enrollment efforts so the insurance marketplace does not collapse under a crush of new users.

    At the same time, administration officials said Tuesday that they had decided not to inaugurate a big health care marketing campaign planned for December out of concern that it might drive too many people to the still-fragile HealthCare.gov.

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  61. 57. Comment by Simon Jester (84d58f) — 11/27/2013 @ 5:35 am

    my father has dementia (and thinks his sons are conspiring against him;

    To do what?

    Take control of his money away from him? Prevent him from driving? Remove him from his house?

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  62. Mr. red that’s the nicest thing ever I’m very tempted but I should let you find a more worthy turkey person

    I’m just not in a festive place this year I’m mostly going to just go through the motions for just a few hours tomorrow

    it might be fun we’ll see but i’m mostly eager to get a start on the 3-day weekend

    time off has been sparse this year

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  63. Yes, Sammy. And none of it is true.

    Simon Jester (84d58f)

  64. 53. Comment by peedoffamerican (c1890a) — 11/27/2013 @ 1:29 am

    Three fingers on my right hand (middle, ring, and pinky) became paralyzed due to a viral infection of the nerves, thumb and index work but very weak (I was right handed). No hope of recovery.

    Sounds like polio. Or some unidentified virus that does the same thing as polio. If so, it needs a better press agent.

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  65. 64. Comment by Simon Jester (84d58f) — 11/27/2013 @ 8:45 am

    Yes, Sammy. And none of it is true.

    Somebody must have said something that indicated that maybe they are thinking along these directions. Or talked about planning for long term care – that maybe he should give away money in order to qualify for Medicaid. (there’s a 36 month look back period or something like that)

    Or talked about inheritance. Or asked for a power of attorney. Or worried he will make some mistakes about pills, or do something incredibly stupid about a practical matter, or maybe money.

    Or suddenly brought up a subject they never had before. Maybe suggested some improvements to the house that he wasn’t interested in, that showed some unfamiliarity with the way he does things.

    And some loss of memory could lose explanations.

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  66. He’s probably got nobody to trust.

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  67. Good Allah, Sammy. Dementia is not logical. Or explainable.

    JD (06dacf)

  68. And you just insulted his family that cares for him.

    JD (06dacf)

  69. Sammy, stop. This is a common part of dementia. My close friend who is a doctor took care of an in-law with dementia and as it advanced the in-law became highly paranoid and was convinced that my friend and her doctor was stealing bacon and her shoes from her.

    Dana (793c27)

  70. Simon Jester, my prayers for you and especially your father. Whether dementia or Alzheimer’s, both are just heartbreaking and awful. Especially for the grown children.

    Dana (793c27)

  71. whatever happened to all those yummy stem cells we were gonna get to slather on the alzheimer’s and fix people right up?

    Michael J. Fox ppppppppppromised

    happyfeet (c60db2)

  72. and was convinced that my friend and her doctor was stealing bacon and her shoes from her.

    Ugh… Should read: and was convinced that my friend – who was also her doctor – was stealing her bacon and shoes.

    Dana (793c27)

  73. coffee helps prevent the dementia Mr. instapundit says

    happyfeet (c60db2)

  74. 74. Unless, of course, you’re Norwegian and the dementia is congenital.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  75. whaaaa???? nobody tells me anything

    i have no idea what my background is cause of the circumstances of my adoption are shadowy and mysterious

    brb I’m a go get a cup of coffee

    happyfeet (c60db2)

  76. 68. “Dementia is not logical. Or explainable.”

    I believe you meant the noetic phenomena expressed in psychosis.

    I also believe multiple sources of origin are implicated, like auto-immune disorders, and prion-like levorotation of proteins catalyzed by the enantiomers themselves.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  77. 76. Not to worry, you have a well-developed sense of humor.

    No Scandi blood at all.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  78. Dana and JD, thank you for your kind words. I want to say that, clearly. It has been a challenging couple of years for my family (though everyone has burdens, of course, and mine are not heavier than those of many others). Regardless, thank you both.

    And Sammy clearly has deep, deep issues that lead him to say thoughtless and often hurtful things that probably earned him a couple of punches to the nose, growing up.

    It’s not a big deal, given his history. Such statements (and he made two in a row) just takes away from the seriousness with which he wants to be taken. As nk would remind us all, Nemesis waits.

    Here is a hint, Sammy F: sometimes it is best to let people dealing with problems alone, rather than stick your nose into it. You surely know the Sufi metaphor (since you are so well read and all): once you let the nose of a camel into your tent, the other end soon follows.

    Regardless, I hope that everyone has a nice Thanksgiving.

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  79. peedoffamerican and Simon Jester,

    I’m so sorry. I know you are both strong, and I’m praying for your continued strength during these very difficult times.

    Dana,

    I’m glad you are feeling a little better, and bless you for helping others at a time when it would be easy to focus only on yourself.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  80. Aspergers and autism are very similar to dementia, Simon. We have both in our family and they are often indistinguishable, except people with dementia have associated medical issues that generally lead to their death while autistics don’t, so they have a normal lifespan. Instead, they are more likely to die from accidents because of poor judgment.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  81. Specifically, for those who aren’t familiar with autism or dementia, one of the symptoms is a loss of empathy. People with these conditions simply don’t understand the impact of their words on others.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  82. I should probably tell you the whole story privately, DRJ. This has been very unexpected, and has caused so much hurt. At the same time, it has functioned to bring other relatives closer together for this first time in decades.

    It kind of sucks to be a grownup. But what else is there?

    Thanks as always, and I want to reiterate that many, many people deal with far worse than I do. In all the ways that deeply matter, I am very lucky.

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  83. My prayers and well-wishes, too, Simon, peedoffAmerican, and Dana.

    My Mom’s death has flipped my Dad’s mind; he used to be out of reality for a minute or two an hour, now it’s a minute or two an hour that he’s here. He’s 96, has both dementia and Alzheimer’s. He’s convinced I’ve stolen all of his cars (he hasn’t owned any for five years, and only one for the decade before that), … so many things. The worst was probably that he fell into a money-draining scam, but fortunately Mom found out about it and we were able actually get some of those evil folk arrested and sent to prison. He’s in a Memory Care unit now, and seems much happier when I see him, until he recognizes me and wants the cars back.

    htom (412a17)

  84. Oh htom. There are such cruel seasons in life. I pray strength for you to get through each day with Grace.

    Simon, judging from history here, I don’t believe Sammy intentionally wanted to hurt you. Grace and mercy help us with these situations. May you rise above.

    DRJ, I was talking with a colleague who is facing double knee replacement and she said she comforted herself by reminding herself that there is always someone worse off…then she said she thought of me. I had become ‘that’ person. Oh my!

    Dana (793c27)

  85. I had a slightly different problem. My brother-in-law, no Obama bot, thinks that Obamacare is whatever we want it to be as opposed to a law that locks particular policy requirements into place. He thus thinks that the American tendency for ingenuity will turn this lemon into lemonade for the public. I asked him to read a synopsis of the law, and to check out what some of the health care consultants are saying. We still had a great Thanksgiving. My sister makes an awesome Thanksgiving dinner.

    Dirty Old Man (a5ff5a)


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