Teetering on the brink

EatingBeans

This whole phone issue has been driving me nuts now. I need to call Santander about my bank account switch but I can’t without a phone that works. Santander have set up my new account, the money and direct debits have apparently been switched over, and Natwest have closed my old account, but I still have no new card, (nor account/sort code), so I cannot register for online banking. However that hasn’t stopped Santander telling me that I need to ‘update’ my details on my online account because they apparently don’t match my existing account details?! What existing account?! I am a completely new customer to Santander so they should not be matching me to anyone! I’ve tried talking to them online but apparently if I want to speak to a person I have to enter my online account details first! 😞

So, I gave up on the bank issue for now and had another go at fixing my phone. I spoke to a guy at Lebara who proceeded to tell me my account was fine but that not being able to call through to my bank is to be expected because it is a business and I just have a ‘personal’ phone! Like !!!!!!?! Seriously, what a load of rubbish. I then asked why I also couldn’t call my family, friends or vet either and he just fobbed me off saying the settings probably needed amending on my phone and he would send a text with what to change the settings to. Needless to say the setting are already correct. Just 10minutes later my phone itself told me it detected an error and sent me down a rabbit warren of Apple support. Around and around I go until I am left with the only option as being taking the phone to be diagnosed/repaired in person, which, given the age of the phone, really means I need to replace the phone. 😞 Seriously not what I need right now.

Funnily enough I did not put a line in my super tight budget for replacing my phone, so I have been trying to come up with an alternative that will at least get me through the next few months. Half an hour of rooting through the bits and bobs/spare cables draws, I have found an old iphone 8! 😬 I cannot recall why it was originally replaced so I have no idea if it will work or not, but I am going to give it a go and I am currently trying to update the software to see if it will run. I think I also have an old iphone SE knocking around somewhere, but I am not sure if that runs either. I just need it to actually call someone. My current phone still works over wifi so if I have to carry two phones around for the time being then that works for me as a solution for now. 🤞

In other news, the key fob on the car dd1 uses needed replacing and as part of fixing that I tested my battery from my van fob in her key fob and realised that my battery is actually flat (which explains why I have such a difficult time locking/unlocking it). Now, the battery should not be flat since was replaced just a few months ago, but it clearly is, so I put a fresh new battery in again (handily I already had two spare batteries so no spending required). Joy of joy, my van doors now open and close with one press again! 🎉 Now, the question becomes, why has my key fob been through two batteries in less than six months - I suspect that is something to do with the corrosion inside the fob. The bad news is that means I really probably do need a new key, but the good news is I seem to be able to get around that if I keep replacing the batteries! 🤣 Obviously that is not a long term solution, but it is a lower cost solution that will keep me going for now. 😁

It is amazing the workarounds I am happy to live with. The problem is, what quickly becomes normal for us, is not at all normal for other people. The bathroom for instance still has no lights! 😬 My daughters don’t even complain about having to pee by the light of their phone - we all adapted so quickly I haven’t even bothered getting the camping lantern out! 🤦‍♀️ Cleaning the bathroom was rather more of a challenge but with a bit of juggling that too can be accomplished. We use the hob light to see in the kitchen and there is a lamp in the living room and dd1’s room so that works too. I’m not sure what visitors might think but we don’t have many so they will have to just hold it if they don’t fancy a phone-lit bathroom trip. 🤣The important bit is there has been no further burning smell since the electric was cut, and frankly that is what matters more!

As I keep reminding myself, this isn’t forever, it will get better again. 😁

EatingBeans

So I finally got to a point where I can call Santander about the bank switch issue today but then woke up to a boat load of mail from them which meant i shouldn’t need to. I am not sure why so many of the letters were delayed, but hey ho, I now have a card, pin, online banking details and everything all at once. Now I just need is to get it set up and check my direct debits are being paid. 🤞

But first, since there seemed to have finally been a break in the rain, I decided to wrestle the muzzle back onto Little Dog and take her for a walk as a reward. I have been trying for days to get the muzzle back on her but since the vet trip she was having none of it. She has the vets again on Wednesday but I didn’t want her to associate me wrestling the muzzle back on her with just the vet or I fear I would lose the ability to but it back on her at all! So, I bit the bullet and insisted she put it on today. She was not happy and very much threatened to bite me, but I worked out how to wrangle it on and then she was fine (chicken helped). I bundled her into the van and off we went to the park for her to run around on the longline getting the pair of us really rather muddy. But hey, she clearly had a good time and that was the plan. There were an amazing number of dogs and people about (all probably celebrating the lack of rain too no doubt), and Little Dog did amazingly well, not reacting to all but the ones who insisted on walking right beside us. The best bit about her wearing the muzzle is it makes me feel a lot safer. People take one look at it and for the most part give us more space, and god forbid she actually does get into a scuffle she is a lot less likely to do anything any harm. Not gonna lie, the huge off lead doberman that kept creeping up behind us did make me just a tad nervous, (because if she starting kicking off at it and it reacted back then I would have no chance of protecting her or me!), but thankfully Little Dog decided not to want to give it the big “I am” this time, and it’s owner eventually got it to leave us alone.

I do feel bad that Big Dog has missed out today but now he’s getting lots of one-to-one cuddle time before I have to disappear again to go for a blood test. I only have so much energy in a day and I still very much need to ration it. Hopefully I will be up to another walk tomorrow and he will get his turn. 🤞

ellenvan

Nice to hear you have been able to get out for a walk. The relentless rain has eased off here today too.

Plus not having to phone Santander was a bonus.

Celebrate the small wins!

Humdinger1

Handsome compensation is due @EatingBeans re phone conversation! Put in a complaint please. You're doing brilliantly love Humdinger xx

EatingBeans

Well, as much as I enjoyed my walk with Little Dog yesterday, I ain’t half paying for it today! Despite wrapping up as best as I could the cold obviously got in to my face because the pain from the TN is super sharp today. It’s just exhausting. Roll on Thursday when I am expecting a call from the GP who requested the appointment give me an ‘update’. Not sure what that means but fingers crossed it is good news. 🤞

Frustratingly, I am still waiting for an answer about the leavers request. After my last meeting with HR I felt pretty confident they would come back to me quickly with a positive response but the longer this drags on the more nervous I am getting that they will decline the request. I am not sure if I mentioned this before but at the my meal with my work bestie I realised things have been changing in my absence and the new structure could give them a really good reason to consider me as redundant but at the same time they are taking on people to fill the roles in the new structure (my bestie included) without mentioning it to me. If fact, they have given her the work they were about to give to me (I hadn’t had a chance to tell her about it so she was as surprised as I was), and the team members I was working with have all been moved on to other things. Now, that’s good if they are just going to say yes and accept my application, but if they don’t I am being left in an awful position. It is making me very anxious.

satchmo1

Keep notes about the work situation because if they declare your role redundant you might be able to claim constructive dismissal due to: no consultation period; no putting you forward for suitable alternative roles (and probably more other reasons). You needing your health considerations does not allow them to circumvent possible redundancy.

Would redundancy be better for you financially? Just a thought.

EatingBeans

Thanks. It’s probably just me overthinking as I feel like I have been waiting for an answer for eternity. I just need to remember that universities are always super slow at making decisions so it is probably just sitting on some desk somewhere.

However, I do suspect the reorg of the team was possibly set in motion by my reaction to them suggesting my line management would be changing. It seems that my would-be manager did indeed keep fighting for me in my absence and a lot has changed since the idea was presented to me. I am probably hated by management for digging my heels in and pushing back so strongly whilst also pointing out to my colleagues how them doing this to me also had implications for them. But, sometimes you have to stand up for what is right.

Anyway, fingers crossed they come back with a decision soon and put me out of my misery!

I’ve not managed a great deal today thanks to being in pain, but I have at least been chatting with Ch@tgpt to work out the best approach to getting a couple of days a week contracting work. It appears that jobs do exist and I have the skills and experience to get the roles but that I am much more likely to get them if I set up a Ltd company and go via recruiters rather that direct. Who knew? 🤷‍♀️ So, more research needed but AI at least thinks I can earn the equivalent of my current take home pay from doing a similar job to what I do now but working just 3days a week. Ironically it tells me the job should not be done more than 3days a week as it is a high risk for burnout if anyone tried to work in the cross functional way I am asked to as a full time role! 🤔 You have got to love AI. Someone should introduce it to the real world sometimes! 🤣

EatingBeans

Little dog had all her high dose sedatives as instructed and off we went to the vet today. I would like to report that all was nice and calm and she had her ear checked as planned, but no. Despite being obviously drowsy at home she fought that all off and was actually worse this time around. There were a few other clearly anxious dogs in the waiting room which probably didn’t help but this time she turned up a notch from just barking to proper growling and snapping. All they were trying to do was say hello! 😬 They tried taking her away again but she was having none of it and they concluded it was better to keep her with me. Decision was made to book her in for full sedation as they need to be able to see down inside her ear and flush it and they asked that I be with her until unconscious and stay around so I could be there as soon as she woke up to take her straight home (I am not sure how much of that is for Little Dog and how much is for their safety!😬).

I am so glad she is insured as it is going to cost over £600 for just the ear flushing! Then there is the small issue of putting her on prescription meds to help her behaviour. The tablets for that are £83pm! I suppose if it works it will be worth it but that meant I had to find another £85 excess to pay today. 😞

ellenvan

As a non dog owner I had no idea treatments were that expensive.

Soon only the rich will be able to afford a pet.

EatingBeans

Yes indeed, the cost of vet treatments really has rocketed over the past few years. Though, tbf, most dogs would have probably just let the vet look in their ear and it would have come to about a tenth of what it is now costing but that’s the price of getting a highly anxious dog. Any hope of breeding from either of my two has gone completely out of the window as there is no way I would risk this kind of temperament being passed on as even though Big Dog is as friendly as anything, he does occasionally show signs of anxiety too (like with fireworks). None of my other labs have ever been anxious so I’m not ruling out a genetic element. Frankly I am just super glad we ended up with Little Dog as the other family that were interested in her had small children. 😳 Honestly, I dread to think what would have happened if she had ended up with them. She may be a Labrador but I am still certain she could do a lot of damage if she wanted too. 😢 Fingers crossed the drugs help with the training and she improves. 🤞