Being able to laugh is a sign we have not entirely gone around the bend. Here's a new wrinkle on the art of the scam. In a previous post, I mentioned a weasel who almost got me. After leaving a msg with the VA looking for benefits for respite care and caregiver assistance in the house, the phone rang. In my weakened condition, I assumed it was the VA. However, it was a scam artist with timing on his side. As I relayed my sad story, he listened attentively. He must have thought he hit the jackpot. He said he would call back about approval, and he did so three days later. Then, he asked for banking information for direct deposit. In all the extra flurry of a nurse and a bath aide, the additional workload from a catheter in addition to a colostomy, plus more doctor appointments, it never entered my mind that the sympathetic guy with the consoling voice had ill intentions. Fortunately, people in this line of work are not always the brightest bulbs. He called back three weeks later for more info. That's when the light bulb in my head went on. A call to the bank and the VA proved I had been duped. While closing the accounts at the bank, I discovered the scammer had tried to get into my account through online banking using only partially correct information. In my favor, 1) I do not do online banking, and 2) he was inept. The added work of closing the accounts and informing institutions that do direct deposit has been a doozy, as has the paperwork from the real VA to get us into the system. I have been tested, and I was almost broken. We all have a limit, no matter how much we would like to believe we are the exception. -- After almost three months, that catheter seems like a permanent item in our lives, and YES, it sometimes leaks. The carpet cleaner is on permanent call. The better news is the VA was terrific and timely. We have been approved for respite care (30 days a year in a VA care facility if I chose to take advantage) and 16 hrs per week for in-home care. Those who have read my previous posts know I am 87, and my dear boy is 93. I can't tell you what relief it is to know that additional help is coming. It seems the assistance from Jen and Kayla, who clean and do odd jobs, is insufficient. I can now prepare for the next phase of this journey. -- When we were at the VA, the urine in the bag was "Deep Purple," which promoted some jolly references to the song. At the moment, there was amusement, but I'm not sure how much amusement will be in the future. One day at a time. Find those moments that bring humor into your lives. And for those to whom it may apply, contact the VA. The paperwork is worth it. GloRo