BA>RN> Yeah, I heard that was expensive.  Even my doctor wants to
BA>RN> "cure" my hypertension with medication, but I truly believe
BA>RN> all I need to do is shed a few more pounds and everything
BA>RN> will be normal -- or as normal as it can be for my age.
 
BA> That plus exercise will help a lot.
 
Absolutely!  I get my lion's share walking and bowling.
 
BA> I suspect I could probably get off my diabetes meds now that I've
BA> dropped down to 165 or thereabouts.
 
I don't know if I would if I were you, but you know your body better than
anyone else.  What are the drawbacks?
 
BA> I don't think Plavix is off patent yet, so there shouldn't be any (legal)
BA> generics of it yet.  There are similar drugs, such as coumadin, but I
BA> think that's still on patent too.  Right now - and subject to change at
BA> any whim of the government despite its expressed and implied promises
BA> - my prescription drugs are still free.
 
In that case, I could get their toll-free number for you and you could call
them before deciding on what you want to do.  Anyone who put in their 20
should get what they were promised.  The politicians get theirs.
 
BA> It's around $2.49/gallon in this area - or at least it was a bit over
BA> a week ago when I last bought some (I don't get out much and don't
BA> use nearly as much gasoline as I used to).  IIRC it was around $2.10
BA> the beginning of last year - but of course there's no inflation because
BA> the government says so.
 
Our prices rose another 2 cents for regular just yesterday.  I should have
put gas in my car Sunday when premium was $2.73.9 and didn't, so yesterday
at the same station, I paid $2.81.9 for it.  That's some bump in premium
prices in just two days, isn't it?
 
 
Regards,
 
Roger

... Change is inevitable...except from a vending machine.
--- D'Bridge 3.44