Fixing Mistakes Makes a Difference

One of our indulgences is drinking bottled water – the kind in 3 or 5 gallons bottles we put on the water cooler. About three months ago, our supplier, Diamond Springs, put a new driver and our route. Since then, problem after problem with delivery. He never had enough of the 3 gallon bottles by the time he got to my house. He’d take all of the empties and leave less than a full order – and a note saying he would drop of the bottles he shorted us the next day. Sounds ok, right? Trouble is, he never came back the next day. Instead of having 7 bottles for the 2 weeks, I had 5 bottles (and that's after a special delivery of 2 bottles after an earlier complaint) … and we ran out completely over Thanksgiving weekend.

Long story short (phone calls, messages, etc). I got 7 bottles delivered on Monday and then the next problem occurred – since the driver only picked up 5 empties, he charged me a $7 deposit for each of the other two bottles. I had never gotten a credit when the guy picked up the empties before.

Resolution … the general manager I talked to was good. He defused my frustration, said all the right things, listened, gave me an immediate credit, asked for my continued business and told me what he was going to do to make sure this doesn’t happen again. I hung up happy. Later, I realized that all I got was a friendly, understanding voice and a refund on the incorrect charges. I expected to get some extra free stuff, but ended up not even thinking to request it because the general manager was that good.

See people, we know mistakes are made. Just fix them! Listening, taking action, saying the right things and being fair and timely – and you get customer satisfaction and retention and it doesn’t cost you anything.

Now I have to lie down. Bad body pain, dizziness and headache. A strong weather front pushed through today and my body doesn’t like that. Another front with strong storms is due tonight. (Or is this a reaction to day 2 of my new anti-depressant medicine?) I’ll know by tomorrow or Thursday.

Hoarding Christmas Decorations

I started sorting through the Christmas decorations yesterday. What should this year’s theme be? Do we need more lights? Do we need more ornaments? Why is it that we keep collecting more and more Christmas stuff, but never throw/give any of it away?

I spent Friday going through the boxes. I plugged in EVERY set of lights I could find. If they didn’t work, I threw them out – let’s face it, I’m never going to go through to find the one bulb that doesn’t work and replace it. I still have more than enough lights to do the tree in all white or multi-colored (plus all red or all purple – yup, Katie and I did a purple and gold tree one year back when it was trendy).

I have handmade crocheted snowflake ornaments, all colors of balls, gold chains, gold garland, antique plastic icicles and several fancy ornaments. I don’t use most of them, and know that realistically I never will, but still, I never seem able to dispose of anything. This year, I am going to really try to reduce my hoard of Christmas decorations.

It’s been a long weekend. After peeling potatoes and sweet potatoes, chopping onions, baking bread for the dressing, chopping fruit for the waldorf salad and baking dinner rolls – for the feast for just Mike on me on Thanksgiving … and then setting up the tree and putting on the lights on Friday, my back and shoulder are not working today. They probably won’t work for several days. I enjoy doing things, but my body no longer allows me to do all I want to do. Oh well, now I will spend this week recuperating and resting for the Nashville trip and Brady’s first birthday.

A week of doctor appointments done – I’m mostly normal

This week was all about the doctors.

Monday – psychiatrist. I already wrote about that. I don’t think I’m going back.

Wednesday – sleep apnea dentist. Two nights down and I’m liking my mouth piece. Mike says I’m significantly quieter and I know I’m sleeping more. I wake with a couple slightly sore teeth, but that goes away quickly and I’m thinking it’s worth it.

Thursday – orthopedist for follow-up on my shoulder pain. We’re happy that last month’s cortisone shot worked so well, but a little concerned that the pain came back (at a lower level). But, since I’m ok living with this level of pain, we are just going to let it slide for now. The doctor wrote an open order for a shoulder MRI – if the pain increases, that’s the next step. There’s a chance that the rotator cuff has a tear in it. Mike already had that surgery. I’m not going that unless/until I HAVE to.

Friday – 2^nd half of my physical with my primary care. Pap, etc. No big deal. Got a print out of all my test results. Just about everything is normal and good. Being somewhat overweight and taking the medicines I do and not eating as healthy as I should, positive test results always surprise me. THANKS, MOM AND DAD! Mammogram – normal. We also discussed that if I decide to take the anti-depressant, I could get refills and monitoring here and not have to return to the psychiatrist. That’s good by me.

The only (small) negative was the bone density scan showed a slight amount of reduction in density. We aren’t going to do anything about it right now, but I will get another scan in one year (instead of two) and keep checking. Still don’t want to break any more bones!

I’m tired of doctor appointments. Next week, a dental check-up and cleaning, but then, a much needed break from being healthy! Time to think turkey, dressing, pie, etc.

A Night of More Sleep

Yesterday, I picked up my SomnoMed Mandibular Advancement Splint (MAS) … translated, my mouthpiece that is supposed to help me sleep with sleep apnea. Skeptical me – it worked! I actually woke up almost refreshed.

It’s bulky, hard plastic (doesn’t bother me while I’m sleeping) and has a funny plastic taste (the dentist said that would go away soon). No mouth pain; no gasping or CPAP noise; no air in my stomach or air blowing on Mike. So far, so good.

I wore it ALL night. Mike said I didn’t gasp and that I slept a lot quieter. I feel more refreshed. It didn’t stop the need to change positions during the night to combat back pain, BUT it did eliminate the waking up from sleep apnea and CPAP issues. So, on the first night, I reduced my awake time by 2/3. I think that’s a good first night.

Without getting my expectations too high, I really, really, really want this to work in the long run. It may look funny, but sleep is so much more important than vanity.

Tired of Doctors

Yesterday, I went to a psychiatrist. Her end result – she said I was depressed and wrote a prescription for an anti-depressant. Of course she did. What else would she do? She gets paid when people come see her and as long as I go back regularly for medication review, she gets paid. My end result might be different. Since I’m going to see my primary care anyway this week, I will see what she thinks – and ask if she can simply write the prescription (if I decide to take it).

How did the psychiatrist get to the depression diagnosis (other than my somewhat sarcastic take that it has to do with $$)? I don’t think I agree with most of her analysis. She thinks that since we were doing something stupid when I broke my back (non-professionals cutting a big tree without safety glasses/equipment); I am punishing myself with the pain. Really? You think I want to hurt? That I feel I deserve to hurt? I agree with the stupid part but not the punishment part. She had other thesis, but who cares?

She did hit one on the head – suck it up. She thinks that I’m a person who sucks it up and deals with it rather than admit the pain, the hurt, the emotions, etc. Totally right. For her that’s a problem. Me? I think that’s a good thing. What’s the point of complaining or making a big deal of stuff that is out of my control. It is what it is. Get over it. She tried to talk me into believing that I shouldn’t suck it up and instead get help (in the form of another pill). We’ll see.

Finally, she said the WORST thing anyone can say to a person with pain. She wanted me to understand that “It’s all in your head.” She really said that … and I called her on it. Told her although I understood what she was TRYING to say, she should never use those words. She tried to weasel her way out of it. “I didn’t say it was all in your head.” YES, you did. “Well, what I meant, it’s biology …” Yes, I know what you meant – the brain controls the pain receptors and so while there is a physical deformity in your spine and your back hurts, we can possibly make a difference by taking a pill that interacts with the brain’s pain receptors.

Not sure I’ll go back to her … or what I’ll do. I’m just so tired of doctors … and tomorrow I go to the sleep apnea dentist to get my mouthpiece (hopefully that will allow me to sleep better); Thursday I go to the orthopedist for a follow-up on my shoulder pain (it’s at 50% and maybe that’s good enough); and Friday to my primary care for the 2^nd part of my physical.