Keep medical documents handy
DEAR HELOISE » My wife had the neurological disease progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and in the last year of her life, she lost her ability to communicate, which is the case with many neurological diseases. I realized that if I had a medical emergency, she was unable to tell first responders my medical information. The CurePSP Foundation has a “Grab and Go” document, and on it I have listed my key contacts, doctors, medications, and medical conditions, as well as added copies of my Medicare and health insurance cards, healthcare directive and power of attorney. I put this into an envelope marked with a big red cross, and it is taped to my refrigerator, as you recommended, so it can be easily found by first responders. I also have an identical envelope in my car glove compartment and another I take with me on out-oftown trips. I hope this information helps.
— Allen Nixon, CurePSP volunteer, Farmington,
Connecticut
DEAR HELOISE
» I had a check washed for $2,000. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the crooks are really lazy; they're too lazy to steal the checks from individual mailboxes. They prefer to steal them from the blue Postal Service mailboxes. They have the key to the mailbox and steal armloads of mail in one stop. It seems as though the same key fits many mailboxes. And they don't use bleach or acetone to wash the check; it's all done on computers and smartphones. They scan the check into the computer, then Photoshop the check. They even use a bank phone app to deposit the check or try to cash it. They buddy up to someone who has an actual bank account and use that bank account to cash and move the money around. Fortunately for me, my bank made it good.
— Joseph Smith, Baton
Rouge, Louisiana
DEAR HELOISE » I read your advice in our paper to the lady who wondered what to do with greeting cards that were sent to her by charities. You recommended that she donate them to nursing homes. I worked in a nursing home for 32 years, and I would say, even better yet, volunteer to sit down with some of the residents and send the cards out at Christmas time for them. Many can no longer write or afford stamps.
— Deb Neugebauer
DEAR HELOISE » I read your column every day. I have a great idea about recycling the big plastic bags we get from stores for things we buy. I use them as kitchen garbage-bin liners. Even a dry cleaners' clear plastic bags will work. Tie a double knot where the hanger sticks out. Use it in your kitchen garbage bins.
— Thanking you, Yasmeen Alam, Houston, Texas
Write to Heloise at P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; Fax 210-HELOISE; or email Heloise@Heloise.com.