Richard, suffice it to say that if anyone officially inquires, there's "nothing to see here; move along". Like when the magician does his thing... it's GONE! Or, is it...?

Yes, not only following up on the free-surgery option, but also going to a family friend who is an eye surgeon to determine what needs to be done and when. I was not eligible to see him on my state insurance until just recently; he doesn't accept Medicaid for surgery, because his EXAM practice is his own, but the surgical practice is with others and they do not allow Medicaid patients. He's a good Christian who opened his own examination/eyeglass practice in a poor neighborhood so people on Medicaid could have a REALLY excellent eye professional to go to.

olddude, God bless you as well. Trust me when I tell you that there are friends who are making all of this easier to deal with and are taking the finality out of it, if you catch my drift.