Kate's Journey

Kate_fixing_it · 5 April 2014 at 11:43AM

Happy news for a change! The good times are on the way!

First off I got another call from HSBC with a rather shirty woman who firstly blamed step change for everything (including the fact that they didn't receive letters sent directly to them!) I had to tell her SC are a non-profit charity as according to her they aren't doing what I pay them for?!? Eventually she decided it was a system error and the computer had called me. End result is all action on HSBC accounts halted for 60 days and I was wide awake by 8.30am.

Now the really good news. Virgin. Our DD didn't get moved over to new account, I called and paid immediately and all was good - or so I thought. Turns out a bar was put on the service but I wasn't told and we've still made calls, used Internet and watched TV. The only thing that stopped was the (free) catch up service. I called again and got that fixed and asked for a gesture of goodwill. I wanted £25 off my next bill as an apology (working for a utility company means I know this is easily done) what I got was a foully mannered and poorly trained call centre worker who talked over me and refused point blank. I'd done a little research and knew I could get similar packages elsewhere so in frustration I demanded to be put through to disconnection team. I have ended up with an extra 20meg of broadband, new wireless router being installed, TIVO, all day free calls to landlines (previously was evening and weekend calls) and 1000 minutes to mobiles...all £33 a month cheaper than I'm paying now! I've agreed free installation (apparently it's usually £50) as a gesture of goodwill AND jumped the queue for the 15 day wait for installation so it'll all be up and running before my surgery :j

I'm feeling rather proud of myself! In all reality changing provider was a hassle I could do without but I'm so stubborn I'd have done it just out of anger at the terrible service.

£30 a month will make a difference to us financially and whilst I feel a little bit "played" as I'm tied to this for 12 months I'm pleased that it's minimal aggravation (waiting for an engineer on Friday afternoon in a 5 hour slot) for an annual gain of £396 - more than half one of my debts! The discount will continue for 6 months after the contract ends so a total saving of £594

I'm very happy with that and it feels like a real success.

And in other news DH and I are making progress. His couple of days away seem to have given him a bit of perspective and the eggshells we were walking on are a lot more stable. He even offered to pay for me to go out with him last night as I said the dreaded "NO" because I don't have the money.

I didn't go as both teens went out so no childcare (although DS1 offered to cancel his plans for me - blerdy love that boy's maturity!) I made it clear I appreciated the offer and told him I'm incredibly proud of the man he's becoming - not just in this case.

Not even lunchtime and the weekend is going pretty well from a DFW perspective and life around that is ticking over nicely too. Being a DFW has really helped me become more assertive, I may not be proud of my situation but in a weird way I'm grateful for it. I'm sure you understand what I mean but I really don't know how to explain it!

Kate x

eco_farmer · 5 April 2014 at 12:55PM

top job Kate my admiration grows by the day. perhaps you should give yourself a treat of a night out before your Operation and rehab begins? only a thought.

eco

Kate_fixing_it · 5 April 2014 at 1:15PM

eco_farmer wrote: »

top job Kate my admiration grows by the day. perhaps you should give yourself a treat of a night out before your Operation and rehab begins? only a thought.

eco

Bless you and thank you. DH has his most tenacious friend here working on my car now. It's just a matter of getting all the jigsaw pieces back into place and I'm hoping and praying it'll happen today so I can get a bit more independence for the next week. That in itself will feel like a treat!

In addition, I've planned a family day out next weekend, to a farm where we can feed the animals if it's dry or the transport museum if it's wet are my planned, out-of-the-house, pre-op treats (I was thinking along a similar wavelength

) both will involve a fair bit of walking but these are the things that'll give me the most pleasure and both can involve minimal spending and maybe a nice cup of coffee and a slice of cake

The TiVo will negate the need for any future TV/DVD purchases, DH pays for Netflix too so that and the heap of free e-books I've downloaded to my kindle should keep me occupied for a while

The free calls will help too as I'm always mindful of the costs.

I feel like I'm really in control now which makes the future much less scary.

Kate x

Kate_fixing_it · 5 April 2014 at 2:44PM

AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!! CAR IS FIXED!!!! I am ridiculously happy, this will make such a massive difference. I can wear my air cast all the time now and no more painful driving as I won't need my left foot to work a clutch

Kate_fixing_it · 5 April 2014 at 7:27PM

Wow. There is no other way to put how I feel right now.

I can't believe how much my feelings have changed in just a week. Admittedly it's been the longest week EVER but still... wow.

Just driven (my own car

) to the chip shop and whilst this is totally un-MSE it was the best meal I've had in weeks. DH paid as I didn't go out last night and £7.95 fed the four of us (teens are out). Spent a few hours at my parents' this afternoon and I'm feeling very relaxed and dare I say happy?

Just getting myself comfy for a couple of episodes of Dexter and maybe a little slice of cheesecake.

Feel like I've climbed mountains today and I've really not done that much. Pain levels are relatively low and I'm so grateful for such a good day.

Thank you all again for your support to get me through the last week, don't know where I'd be without you all.

Kate x

beanielou · 5 April 2014 at 8:25PM

Hurrah for car :j
Pleased things now seem so much better :j

Skinnylatte · 6 April 2014 at 11:44AM

Delighted that things have taken an upward direction for you in so many ways too, you totally deserve it :T

Muser1 · 6 April 2014 at 3:23PM

Good work with Virgin! Make sure you use the Netflix app on TiVo. X

Kate_fixing_it · 10 April 2014 at 8:29PM

Hi all,

All quiet on the debt front but then... Answer phone message left. Op has been cancelled because of an emergency NEXT WEEK. I feel physically sick. I have been struggling to get through each day for weeks and now this. No idea when it'll now be. Just don't know what I can do or how to get through the next however long it'll be.

I know this is a routine surgery but it was agreed that I needed it last September. And what kind of emergency can be planned for 5 days in advance?

I'm barely coping with the pain on the painkillers I'm taking and the next step is morphine which I'm told I can't have on prescription.

The temp covering me started yesterday, work are likely to seek legal advice on recovering the costs.

I feel absolutely devastated and have a nagging feeling that I've been bumped for a private case (this surgeon does NHS and private work).

I'm going to call tomorrow to see what I can do but how much clout can one 35 year old have against the mighty system. I just feel so broken and lost.

Kate x

in_need_of_direction · 10 April 2014 at 8:45PM

MP enquiry or ministerial enquiry. You can email them directly. You can also go the freedom of information request. I would be asking what criteria were used to inform the prioritisation of someone else's treatment over yours. I would set out the adverse impact that the delay is having and ask how a duty of care to you, the patient, is being discharged. I agree that fighting the system is daunting but there are a lot of people earning a lot more than you who can be more easily heard. Email a chronology to one of them NOW and ask for them to investigate.