I was forced out of my job because of Parkinson's and two back surgeries. I am now on social security disability, which is not quite enough to pay the bills. I just turned 65, so I'm now on Medicare. So, sometimes I have to decide that a doctor's visit or picking up prescriptions will have to wait till I get my next payment of soc sec dis. or my next payment of my savings. My family, the few of us who are left, are all in our late 60's or 70's now. We went to college, even grad school, but when I was looking for another job in 1996, at 46, I was too old my doctorate was too expensive in the eyes of employers. My family doesn't have any money either. So, what I would do with a windfall: split it among my brother and 3 cousins. Find a really nice assisted living facility and move in, not having to worry about losing my savings in order to get some help from Medicaid. I won't have to worry about running out of money before I run out of life. I would leave the rest to charities, including HSUS and ASPCA.
