My Debt-Free Plan...HOOS and the Case of the Incredible Exploding Oven!! :-o

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Ta Jayss, I may do the sling thing, although I've done quite well today not using it.

WELL finally some (potentially) positive news on the injury front, I got a copy of the report from the OH physician, and it really backs me up. States that on the evidence he would assume that the injury is caused by work, is a WRULD and that there is nothing sgnificant in my history that would suggest any other cause. He also states that I need new duties which do not involve writing and heavy PC use, and that in his opinion I am covered by the DDA.

Although it's a bit depressing to read, it gives me a lot of ammunition should anyone in work either make it hard for me or fail to make provisions for me. Just gives me a bit more in the way of protection really.

I've been very good today as well, walked to and from work, saving the bus fare AND getting 2hrs 25 mins exercise to boot!! May regret that later during dance...thank god I'm off tomorrow!!

tasha-debt

Hey,

How is the arm feeling today, are you still having teh physio sessions?

You are doing so well with your debt.

xxx

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Hiya hun, arm's kinda sore not able to go to dance tonight as it was too painful on monday & had to sit out half of the class. Boo!

Work's ok just really, reaaaally dull. There is no plan for what I'm going to be doing. After I've got through the pile of mail I'm not sure I'll have anything to do at all. Rubbish!

tasha-debt

Hey Hon,

How is the mail sorting going, have they given you anything interesting to do?

Hope you ok and arm is no worse.

xxx

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Hi Tasha,

Still mail-sorting no idea what they're going to find for me. Saw the OH doctor again yesterday. She's said realistically it can take up to 2 years for full recovery from the beginning of treatment. Meh. So that's possibly December 2010!!! Sheesh. And I thought my debt-payment plan was going to take a long time!!

Arm's been kinda sore since I've been back, mainly my shoulder, which i think is due to my chair. My shoulder problem is helped loads by keeping good posture, but my chair is awful and makes me sit awkwardly. Waiting on a workstation assessment at the moment.

Sent some stuff to the solicitor today. I just hope something comes of that. It's not about how much I get (although if I do get any it would be well received) but I just feel like this is all such an injustice. And they're still doing it to people!!! Processes are exactly the same as when I started, there are so many people with problems now, but cause it's a large organisation they're getting away with it. Even a small payment would just be an acknowledgment that this should not have happened.

In house news, I'm barely able to conceal my disdain for the gobsh*te any more. He spent 5 mins (LITERALLY 5 mins, I'm not exaggerating) fannying about with the back door trying to lock it while I was washing up. I swear I nearly smashed my plates listening to him. The guy is an utter moron. It's not hard...lift handle, turn key!! I have a knackered arm and I can do it!!

Then I went up to have a shower, he followed me up the stairs, and I was like "I'm in the bathroom mate" and he went "yeh I'm just going to get a quick shower" "I'm actually in the bathroom now" "Yeh, but I'm just going to have a quick shower" "Yeh, I'm actually in the bathroom now and going to get in the shower myself." "OH. Right. I see." Then waited at the bottom of the stairs!!! Freak.

If only work had been sorted out sooner, he'd be moving out at the end of next week!!! But, only a month of him left after this week, I can handle that.

My moneysaving's gone a bit awry over the last two weeks, work has thrown me I think. BUT I'm taking control of it again, I've applied for a season ticket loan for the bus, so I don't have to get money out (once a tenner's out of the bank, it's spent, let's face it!), I'm leaving some stuff in work as a back up if I don't get round to taking packed lunch in, e.g. cereal, noodles etc. I'll get back on track!

Head-Out-Of-Sand

I've applied for a balance transfer card with Natwest (as an existing customer) and been accepted in principal for £1850 at 15.9% - that's almost half of my monument rate, so if it does go through I'll transfer the maximum over to that one and start paying the remaining balance off the monument.

Fingers crossed!! It should let me pay the debt a month sooner and save £114.

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Had a chat with the solicitor dealing with my PI claim against work this morning. Feeling a bit low. She's really nice & very understanding, but I just got the feeling that what is obviously caused by work as far as the lay-person is concerned is not necessarily obvious to a court.

I have this horrible feeling that they're going to get away with this. Yet another person got signed off yesterday, she had an MRI scan which showed nerve damage and degeration to the cervical vertebrae, which the specialist attributed directly to the awkward position we're required to adopt whilst writing for hours on end. How, in the 21st century, are they allowed to get away with this?

I've now put in an anonymous complaint to the HSE explaining the full extent of the problem and the number of people being put at risk here. It's outrageous that no one seems to care what they're doing to us. And of course, they don't make you aware of the risk before you start the job, so it's not like you know what you're getting yourself into.

She also said that although it's totally demoralising that they've taken my entire role away from me and given me the work of a role 4 grades below mine, which basically destroys any hope of me getting transfered or promoted, they don't legally HAVE to help me any more than taking me out of harm's way (bit late for that) and legally they could get away with dismissing me if they can't find anything for me to do!!!

I just feel so let down, I can't believe I'm in this position. It's so upsetting as I'm the victim (I hate that word) in this yet I'M the one who's going to end up penalised for this, while nothing will happen to them! They've stopped me doing what I love, they've wrecked my chances at promotion/career progression, they've caused me what will end up being years of pain and difficulty, and nothing will happen to them about it!

It makes me sick. The world really is a sh*tty place sometimes.

jayss

Sorry you're feeling so low. It really is pants.

Can all of you affected push a group claim?

Yay to being close to getting rid of the moron.

Hope things start too look up soon.

Head-Out-Of-Sand

GAAAH!! It really does just keep getting better...the company I booked my holiday through has gone bust!!! Is there a candid camera on me or something?!?!

Bumholes.

My dad has booked same hotel through same company earlier in the year so he's trying to sort something out (flights booked separately) so fingers crossed we'll still be able to go. Really had my heart set on it.

Thanks Jayss, I'm alright, just having a world-class grump at the moment. I'll pull my head out of my bum soon, I promise!

In other news, got the pin number through for my Natwest credit card, so I'm guessing it must have gone through?! So hopefully I'll get that soon and can do a BT to save a bit of money.

And will learn my lesson, keep that shiny new card when it's done with to PAY FOR MY HOLIDAYS. Grrr. At least I hadn't paid the full balance yet so not a total disaster...will be contacting the bank to make sure they don't try to take it out...

With the group claim - might be worth a try if we don't get anywhere. I don't know why the union arent' doing it that way anyway really, strength in numbers and all that?

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Not been on for a few days as my arm's been a bit worse since I've been in work. I need a new chair as mine is awful and forces me into really bad posture (which I've been working so hard on!). Had someone from RBLI in yesterday (who I had to arrange for!) who did a work station assessment for me and reccommended a load of new equipment (including chair) for me. Remains to be seen whether I get it or not...

Well, counting down to D-Day for the light-fingered annoying one. Have to give him his notice by Sunday. Not looking forward to it at all. But very much looking forward to getting rid of him. I just can't bear being in the same room as him any more, he makes my skin crawl. Plus, there seems to be strong evidence that he's doing something unpleasant in my shower on a daily basis. Makes me feel really quite sick. Horrid boy. Shall be getting the place thoroughly disinfected when he moves out.

Credit card came today (who'd give me credit?? Crazy b*****ds!) so will sort out the BT today, something kind of constructive there! Also have great plans of tidying my room today, if I get done early enough I'll throw some stuff on ebay, must keep on with the debt busting!!