They want to monitor with an EKG so they proceed to shave any body hair in the sensor positions and then sand paper those spots. I have never been sandpapered before. One nurse actually asked me if I was allergic to something because my skin was a little red in those positions. I had to laugh because I probably am allergic to being sandpapered.

So I get on the treadmill and start a leisurely walk; as best as I could with the hospital gown attempting to fall off and wires all over me. I thought “maybe I’m in trouble” when the nurse looked at my heart rate and said “heart rate is low, this will take a while”. That’s good but I knew I was going through the wringer at that.

Eleven minutes later the speed is up and the ramp is up and I’m sweating like a pig. My legs are going as fast as they can when she said “going up in ten seconds”. Two nurses move in either side of me as if they could catch me if I fall. Fat chance with that. I would be in a heap on the floor behind them ever before they could react.

The speed goes up and the ramp gets steeper; I have to run. Have you ever tried running with all that stuff hanging off you? What a pain. Anyway, that did the trick and heart rate went to their trigger point. If I had known I would be running up a hill I would have done some stretching beforehand. At least I didn’t pull a muscle but it would have been easy. The old codger in the bay next to me was preparing for his test. I thought “if they do this to him he is not going to make it out of this hospital”

Fortunately the nurses were kind in ripping the sensors from my skin afterwards. That could have been worse than the treadmill. Well I survived it and the fact they had to push me hard to get my heart rate up I take as a positive. I’ll prepare better the next time.

The more imminent problem with Medicare has been created by runaway health care costs that we all know about. There are some interesting numbers put out by Paulson; Medicare payroll taxes will have to increase by 3.54% to maintain the current Medicare system for the next 75 years. The payroll tax will have to increase by 1.7% to maintain the current level of Social Security benefits for the next 75 years, or reduce benefits by 12%. Combined that is a 5.24% increase in taxes or a 5.24% pay cut, depending on your point of view. That is political suicide so it isn’t going to happen. With the current inflation rate running at 2-3%, meaning Social Security increases going up by that amount each year, we would need to work 4-6 years longer to offset that 12% decrease in pension benefits. Thats not going to happen either.

The numbers will get worse as each year goes by and Washington does nothing.  Ultimately they will act and probably go for some tax increase and some benefit reduction. I’m guessing they will stagger the benefit reduction so that current retirees are grandfathered into the current payment scheme and the youngest workers will get the maximum benefit cut. The logic will be ‘younger people have more time to plan for the changes’. The income tax increase will be shared by all, but the exact percentages will be determined by who has the power in Washington. In my opinion Democrats will tax people higher up the food chain and Republicans will lean towards benefit cuts. You can pick your poison but it is clear this year’s Presidential election is extremely important to anyone who cares about these issues.

P.S. This is not a paid review. I have no connection with the site or people running it.

Research shows that a majority did not take advantage of that access but for those that did, world travel is a possibility. Those that didn’t take advantage of it may move in with their kids. The difference is going to be those that looked ahead, planned and saved will end up having freedom to choose. Freedom to be where they wish, whenever they wish, doing whatever they choose to do. Freedom comes from looking ahead and making a plan work. This freedom has two edges to it. There is your freedom but there is also the freedom your kids enjoy by not having to look after you because you couldn’t do it yourself. Not planning ahead, not planning for your own freedom will ultimately take freedoms away from our children. They have enough to worry about; they don’t need us on their backs.

I do think it would be a great way for older folks to get in tune with technology and be in touch with other older folks around the world. As one gets older we get less active and may in the end be tied to the house. AARP is progressing towards community interaction on it’s new website, which will offer a ready-made approach to blogging, like MySpace, but where older folks would congregate. That makes sense, but replacing face to face relationships? No way! Of course, some people will replace real relationships with those in cyber space, ultimately creating an unreal, unhealthy way of life.

Members – 718

Funded members with Suspended Animation Contracts – 47

Human Patients in Cryostasis – 86

Pets in Cryostasis – 52

So people are actually doing this and I was bowled over by the pet numbers. This is pretty expensive but I guess some people have nothing to lose. Whether it works or not is anyone’s guess. I think if anyone had been brought back from the dead we would have heard about it. To me this is a real long shot but clearly some folks have paid big bucks to ‘give it a try’.

I found on Wikipedia a precursor term “Mild Cognitive Impairment” or MCI for short.  MCI is considered a boundary condition between normal aging and something more serious. MCI is considered a precursor to more serious issues like Alzheimers Disease. So I setout to find information about MCI but it seems to be in the same arena of vagueness as full blown Alzheimers. In fact the same tests can be run as doctors might for Alzheimers. The difference between the two is severity, which makes sense if it’s a precursor. The University of California, San Francisco has a website with latest information. Go here if you want to look through it.

Clearly there isn’t a good, easily available test, anymore than there is for Alzheimers. I suspect that family and friends will know long before a doctor will, although I have no real grounds for saying that. Hold on, I’m going to ask my wife about my cognitive abilities……… What’s her name?

I don’t know how others feel but I’m not ready to leave my health records with what is basically an advertising company. Somehow that just doesn’t seem to fit. I understand WebMD also has a program which seems to make more sense. I think Google has an uphill struggle here to make anyone want to use their system. I can’t help wondering why a Cleveland hospital is getting into this unless Google is paying them to.

It will be years before programs like this will be trusted. Doesn’t it seem more likely that a large healthcare player will move into this space? A company that already keeps some of our records, with a level of trust already built in, is much more likely to succeed than either Microsoft or Google. A company that already has infrastructure and healthcare connections will probably wipe them both out.  This is not a technology issue and these are technology/advertising companies. It’s not for me.