Christmas And Cataracts

Still concentrating on the season, I assembled, wrapped,  and packed the gifts for older daughter and grandson and his family, adding a check for the latter. Walked to the P.O. and mailed the packages, went home to lunch, then prepared a deposit slip for daughter-in-law's check. Speaking of Paula, she sent three pretty jars, to which you add rosemary, a clementine (I'll use a tangerine), and water, then simmer and it makes a lovely scent. I had added one to A.'s package and will give one to Ellen.
Niece Carolyn called and said she was taking Betty to the ophthalmologist to see if she can be persuaded to have her cataracts removed. I called Nancy, who said it was mental telepathy, as she was just about to call me. She asked if we could meet for lunch (well, is the Pope...you know) and naturally, I agreed. We decided on The Cave today at 1:00, as Friday I'm going to be busy preparing for Saturday.
That settled, I walked down Victoria to BOA and deposited Paula's check. Got twenty bucks worth of fives and ones, as I like to have these handy, although I rarely use cash anymore. I gave two dollars to a homeless person--a youngish woman who asked me for bus fare.
Took the number 6 to the transit center/mall and went to Target for blueberries. As I often do, stopped at Trader Joe's for a sample of something or other and a sample coffee. Also picked up some rosemary for the scent thing.
Betty called to say she was having her cataracts removed, although she had resisted it before. However, she said it would cost fifteen hundred dollars for each eye, as Medicare didn't pay it. What?! I had a co-pay of a hundred bucks and that was all for both eyes. However, I looked it up on this blog and here's what I wrote about the eye drops on February 7, 2014:

Leslie went with me to Wal-Mart, so I could pick up the three eye drops I must use before the cataract procedure.  I was floored when I learned that the cost totaled over three hundred dollars!
Following my habit--a conscious one--of always at least trying to remedy an unpleasant situation, I asked if there was anything I could do to reduce the cost.  A very pleasant and courteous young pharmacist--"Jessica," I think--offered to call the ophthalmologist's office to see if a generic could be substituted.  I drove home, left Leslie off, and later, received a call from that office, saying they would provide the drops; I just needed to pick up one of them today.  I thought that was a wonderful thing for them to do.  It also reinforces my belief that you should try always to alter what needs to be altered. In my experience, it works about eighty percent of the time.

Of course, that was more than five years ago in Jersey, so maybe it's different here and now.