Sunday 8.30am Time to go to the loo. Sit up in bed. Damn and blast!!! (or as my mum used to say Jam and Plaster!!). Oh hell! Not again!!! Make it to bathroom and then find Stemitel and take one and manage to get back to bed without falling over and waking my other half. Well it is Sunday and a sleep in is always great.
Finally ended up lying in bed with eyes shut for nearly 3 hours as opening eyes immediately produced merry-go-round effect of walls spinning round and round.
Tried massaging all my neck and back of head. Did this help this time or was it a mere coincidence on Wednesday that I seemed to come good almost straight away? As these attacks seem to take up to 3 hours to abate and last time I didn't do the neck/head massage until that time there is no answer to that question. Maybe it is my ear after all that is causing the problem.
After I eventually get back to near normal it then takes at least 3-4 hours to feel 'right' so a full day almost totally wasted. My co-ordination etc. is out of whack for some time afterwards. At my age you just can't afford to 'waste' full days!!
I am making an appointment to see my GP this week and will insist he please refer me to someone who can perhaps either tell me exactly what is causing this awful vertigo or at least be capable of treating it in some way.
It is not only distressing for me but I know it is very upsetting for MOH who feels so helpless and he can do without this extra stress in his life. He has to worry about me enough now without this added burden.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Saturday, October 27, 2012
THE WISDOM FOUND IN MY KITCHEN
I am sure many people today have magnets on their fridge or plaques on their walls and I am no exception or am I just hanging on to things we did in the past? Anyway today I decided I should remove the magnets so I could clean the fridge door properly and I was amused and quite delighted by some of the sayings on them. I thought I'd share a few words of wisdom with you:
"When everything is upside down, rest if you must but don't quit." (Never give up)
"Cultivate your sense of humour. Laughter hides in strange places." (It surely does)
"Before you borrow money from a friend, decide which you need more." (Great advice there)
"You have achieved success if you have lived well, laughed often, and loved much." (Oh, yes!!)
"A true friend is the greatest of all blessings." (I am fortunate to have had some wonderful friends)
These are probably more about me:
"I may not always be perfect, but I'm always me." (at least I always try to be me)
"I thrive on chaos." ( You will never know how true that is.)
"This is a self-cleaning kitchen. You eat...you clean." (Wish that were always true)
These next two were given me by a dear friend who has since left this mortal coil. I think they are self-explanatory, especially the first one:
"You'll always be my friend - you know too much." (Yes we did confide a lot in each other)
"Annoying the cook will result in smaller portions." (That is actually a small mirror with the words written on it. I think my friend bought it at a Paddy's Market on her way to visit me one day.)
This final one is on a plaque and is something my other half and I try to live by every day if we possibly can:
To be in love is to help out and share;
To listen and care;
To give and receive;
To trust.....and believe that the someone you love, loves you.
"When everything is upside down, rest if you must but don't quit." (Never give up)
"Cultivate your sense of humour. Laughter hides in strange places." (It surely does)
"Before you borrow money from a friend, decide which you need more." (Great advice there)
"You have achieved success if you have lived well, laughed often, and loved much." (Oh, yes!!)
"A true friend is the greatest of all blessings." (I am fortunate to have had some wonderful friends)
These are probably more about me:
"I may not always be perfect, but I'm always me." (at least I always try to be me)
"I thrive on chaos." ( You will never know how true that is.)
"This is a self-cleaning kitchen. You eat...you clean." (Wish that were always true)
These next two were given me by a dear friend who has since left this mortal coil. I think they are self-explanatory, especially the first one:
"You'll always be my friend - you know too much." (Yes we did confide a lot in each other)
"Annoying the cook will result in smaller portions." (That is actually a small mirror with the words written on it. I think my friend bought it at a Paddy's Market on her way to visit me one day.)
This final one is on a plaque and is something my other half and I try to live by every day if we possibly can:
To be in love is to help out and share;
To listen and care;
To give and receive;
To trust.....and believe that the someone you love, loves you.
A MOST UNPREDICTABLE DISEASE
I was first diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic back in mid-1996 and for a year or two managed quite well by changing my diet a little and doing some mild exercise which I fortunately could do back then...I could actually walk still.
Over the years I've gone from taking tablets to recently using insulin as well as tablets, still watching my eating habits reasonably carefully but the exercise has dwindled to a minimum for the simple reason I can only walk very short distances and can't stand for more than a few minutes.
Since I began using insulin my weight has gone up 5kg which I can ill afford to have happen as I was quite a hefty person to begin with. My other half has actually put on about 8kg since he began using insulin last year and unfortunately the insulin for some reason causes the weight gain to be around one's mid section which has happened to both of us.
"OK" I said to myself "You've got a bit slack during winter so it's time to cut back on food." I had begun to have two rounds of sandwiches for my midday meal which, with the bread we use, is about 60gms of carbohydrate and 45mg should be the maximum for that meal. Yesterday for lunch I had one round of chicken and tomato sandwich (and very nice it was too) and felt good about myself. That was 30mg of carbohydrate.
I try not to eat between meals although MOH and I often have an orange late afternoon. Yesterday we didn't have an orange and by dinner time (we eat quite late) I began to feel rather uncomfortable and decided to do a BG test and yes, I was having a hypo (low sugar) attack. 4.2 is low for me and there I was with a fast heartbeat, shakiness etc. etc. I immediately had a couple of spoonfuls of raw sugar and a peppermint which helped no end and I managed to do the salads for dinner while MOH took charge of the steak.
We discussed should I do my insulin injection before dinner as I usually do and the consensus was "NO. Definitely not". I tested a couple of hours after dinner and my reading was 8.8 and I had yet to take my diabetes medication. We both decided I should not do an injection at all but to take my tablets as usual and hope for the best.
I had quite a good night's sleep (except for next door having their darned pool pump going full bore all night) and when I got up this morning I did a BG test and got 7.2 which is a little high for me first thing in the morning but not all that bad.
What I can't understand is this: If I do my usual insulin injection before dinner I am quite likely to have a BG reading next morning between 6.0 and 7.0 and yet here I was not doing my injection at all last night and yet still having a reading of only 7.2 this morning.
I do not see my endocrinologist till next February so who do I talk to about this? I could book into see a diabetes educator but they are so rigid in their rules I doubt I would get any helpful answers so I just go with the flow I guess but today for lunch I had 3 slices of bread which is more than I wanted to eat but just didn't want to experiences another hypo 'cos they are certainly very unpleasant.
I have written this post more for my own personal satisfaction than anything else as writing experiences down helps me consider them more seriously. My question is to myself: "How are you going to even begin to try and lose some of that excess weight if you can't eat less without having a 'low'? Is there anyone I can talk to that will help me?" I really think these are questions I will have to try and answer for myself if I possibly can so wish me luck. Trial and error may be the only way to go.
Over the years I've gone from taking tablets to recently using insulin as well as tablets, still watching my eating habits reasonably carefully but the exercise has dwindled to a minimum for the simple reason I can only walk very short distances and can't stand for more than a few minutes.
Since I began using insulin my weight has gone up 5kg which I can ill afford to have happen as I was quite a hefty person to begin with. My other half has actually put on about 8kg since he began using insulin last year and unfortunately the insulin for some reason causes the weight gain to be around one's mid section which has happened to both of us.
"OK" I said to myself "You've got a bit slack during winter so it's time to cut back on food." I had begun to have two rounds of sandwiches for my midday meal which, with the bread we use, is about 60gms of carbohydrate and 45mg should be the maximum for that meal. Yesterday for lunch I had one round of chicken and tomato sandwich (and very nice it was too) and felt good about myself. That was 30mg of carbohydrate.
I try not to eat between meals although MOH and I often have an orange late afternoon. Yesterday we didn't have an orange and by dinner time (we eat quite late) I began to feel rather uncomfortable and decided to do a BG test and yes, I was having a hypo (low sugar) attack. 4.2 is low for me and there I was with a fast heartbeat, shakiness etc. etc. I immediately had a couple of spoonfuls of raw sugar and a peppermint which helped no end and I managed to do the salads for dinner while MOH took charge of the steak.
We discussed should I do my insulin injection before dinner as I usually do and the consensus was "NO. Definitely not". I tested a couple of hours after dinner and my reading was 8.8 and I had yet to take my diabetes medication. We both decided I should not do an injection at all but to take my tablets as usual and hope for the best.
I had quite a good night's sleep (except for next door having their darned pool pump going full bore all night) and when I got up this morning I did a BG test and got 7.2 which is a little high for me first thing in the morning but not all that bad.
What I can't understand is this: If I do my usual insulin injection before dinner I am quite likely to have a BG reading next morning between 6.0 and 7.0 and yet here I was not doing my injection at all last night and yet still having a reading of only 7.2 this morning.
I do not see my endocrinologist till next February so who do I talk to about this? I could book into see a diabetes educator but they are so rigid in their rules I doubt I would get any helpful answers so I just go with the flow I guess but today for lunch I had 3 slices of bread which is more than I wanted to eat but just didn't want to experiences another hypo 'cos they are certainly very unpleasant.
I have written this post more for my own personal satisfaction than anything else as writing experiences down helps me consider them more seriously. My question is to myself: "How are you going to even begin to try and lose some of that excess weight if you can't eat less without having a 'low'? Is there anyone I can talk to that will help me?" I really think these are questions I will have to try and answer for myself if I possibly can so wish me luck. Trial and error may be the only way to go.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
THE W's OF WEDNESDAY
WELLNESS...Wednesday morning my other half and I attended our exercise group where we did stretching and balance exercises and of course did weight training. We always have a great time and enjoy the company of the other lovely oldies in the group. We try and go every week and we also know we should be doing more exercises at home. Note to self: Just make sure you do!!!
WELCOME...our daughter came to us for a bite of lunch yesterday and it is always a delight to have her pop in but....
WORRY....I am saddened by the fact that she is not her usual cheerful self and I am worried about her. I know her health problems are really getting her down. Sure, we can talk about them but there is little one can do except talk. None of our experiences are the same so what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. I can only hope that these issues will resolve themselves in time and the pain doctor she is seeing about her back can find some way to really help her. She needs to get the stress out of her life but when you are in pain and have medical worries that is not as easy as they often make it sound.
WOES...I was sitting here at the computer just mucking about and sort of felt not quite right. I eventually got up and realised my legs didn't want to do what I wanted them to do. I'd not noticed until then that things about me had begun to move. I went straight away and took a Stemitel and then began the doozy of a vertigo attack, the worse I've had so far. I managed with the help of MOH to get to my bed and lie down. He then covered me up because for some reason when this happens I get really cold. I daren't open my eyes even for a minute 'cos the walls of the room were whizzing round so quickly it was a bit like being on a merry-go-round.
Another thing that happens with these vertigo attacks is I seem to have the need to 'wee' more frequently and on the third time to the bathroom I realised while sitting there that the base of my head was very sore. This is an area that my phsio has to work on quite often. I started massaging it and eventually it felt much better. The strange thing was when I got up I was a lot less disoriented although still not too steady on my feet. I got back to the bed where MOH did more massage on my head and I lay there for a further few minutes. Even stranger was the fact that although there was mild movement of objects in the room it was only a short while later that I was able to get up and walk quite steadily and go and sit in the living room with my feet up. MOH cooked our dinner which I was able to enjoy and even watch TV without a problem. (Precious was also a lot happier as she could cuddle up on my lap).
The above all happened over about 4 hours and I am now wondering if this vertigo is not caused by an ear problem but from something that happens in my neck. It just seemed so weird that the vertigo stopped so suddenly after us massing my neck/head. Seems I am going to have to pursue that line of enquiry with my doctor and hope he can provide an answer.
WELCOME...our daughter came to us for a bite of lunch yesterday and it is always a delight to have her pop in but....
WORRY....I am saddened by the fact that she is not her usual cheerful self and I am worried about her. I know her health problems are really getting her down. Sure, we can talk about them but there is little one can do except talk. None of our experiences are the same so what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. I can only hope that these issues will resolve themselves in time and the pain doctor she is seeing about her back can find some way to really help her. She needs to get the stress out of her life but when you are in pain and have medical worries that is not as easy as they often make it sound.
WOES...I was sitting here at the computer just mucking about and sort of felt not quite right. I eventually got up and realised my legs didn't want to do what I wanted them to do. I'd not noticed until then that things about me had begun to move. I went straight away and took a Stemitel and then began the doozy of a vertigo attack, the worse I've had so far. I managed with the help of MOH to get to my bed and lie down. He then covered me up because for some reason when this happens I get really cold. I daren't open my eyes even for a minute 'cos the walls of the room were whizzing round so quickly it was a bit like being on a merry-go-round.
Another thing that happens with these vertigo attacks is I seem to have the need to 'wee' more frequently and on the third time to the bathroom I realised while sitting there that the base of my head was very sore. This is an area that my phsio has to work on quite often. I started massaging it and eventually it felt much better. The strange thing was when I got up I was a lot less disoriented although still not too steady on my feet. I got back to the bed where MOH did more massage on my head and I lay there for a further few minutes. Even stranger was the fact that although there was mild movement of objects in the room it was only a short while later that I was able to get up and walk quite steadily and go and sit in the living room with my feet up. MOH cooked our dinner which I was able to enjoy and even watch TV without a problem. (Precious was also a lot happier as she could cuddle up on my lap).
The above all happened over about 4 hours and I am now wondering if this vertigo is not caused by an ear problem but from something that happens in my neck. It just seemed so weird that the vertigo stopped so suddenly after us massing my neck/head. Seems I am going to have to pursue that line of enquiry with my doctor and hope he can provide an answer.
Monday, October 22, 2012
I MISSED HIM WHEN HE WAS AWAY TODAY
MOH left this morning at 11.30am to go to the University of WA to join other diabetics to talk to students about how the disease (both types 1 and 2) had affected their lives over the years. We both used to do this until several years ago it became too difficult for me to walk about too much so since then MOH has been going on his own. Today they spoke to about 50 postgraduates who are now commencing a second degree.
Today he had to be there well before lunch as they were being invited to a special lunch before the talks began. He said he only ate a tuna sandwich and some salad keeping in mind his sugar levels and his increasing girth.
He was saddened to be told by the professor in charge that there would be no need for any of the volunteers to go next year to the uni as the curriculum is being changed and she is not even sure if these gatherings will be ever be arranged again. That means today would probably be the last time MOH will be able to do this as in two years time he will be in his 85th year and possibly a little old to spend even half a day there and certainly not a full day which it usually is. Time certainly has a habit of marching on.
I feel I must add this point. The professor walked MOH back to where he'd parked car which I thought was very nice of her and on their way they talked about students in general and a comment the professor made got me to thinking about the modern attitudes of people. She said these days they had to try and convey the message to university students that they must learn to be polite to people and have concern about others and not just themselves. I thought that said a lot.
I said I missed him today even though it was for only 6 hours but I suddenly realised I am reluctant to do too much when he is not around as I seem to be unsteadier on my feet of late. I certainly don't dare to venture outside into the garden on my own. I'd not realised how dependent I am on this poor man and yet he must have time to himself and not have to be here all the time.
He always makes sure he takes the mobile phone (turned on) so I can contact him should I need to and he will ring me to check on me if he feels he needs to. That is the only time the mobile is in use unless the two of us are out together.
Perhaps I should try and get myself a smaller walking frame I can use in the house, and the garden for that matter. The one I have is a 4-wheeler and has a seat and is too large for our small house. Our friend Richard suggested I buy a copy of Quokka and see if any smaller frames are advertised for sale. That I definitely will do tomorrow.
This all gives me further food for thought. We do so want to stay put in this little cottage of ours even though it causes work we don't need, so persevere we both must to try and work out a way we can end our days here without causing too much grief to ourselves or others.
Here I have just been thinking aloud or 'writing aloud' perhaps but it helps me to put it in writing. I feel there is a lot of thinking to be done over future weeks to get our lives organised properly.
Today he had to be there well before lunch as they were being invited to a special lunch before the talks began. He said he only ate a tuna sandwich and some salad keeping in mind his sugar levels and his increasing girth.
He was saddened to be told by the professor in charge that there would be no need for any of the volunteers to go next year to the uni as the curriculum is being changed and she is not even sure if these gatherings will be ever be arranged again. That means today would probably be the last time MOH will be able to do this as in two years time he will be in his 85th year and possibly a little old to spend even half a day there and certainly not a full day which it usually is. Time certainly has a habit of marching on.
I feel I must add this point. The professor walked MOH back to where he'd parked car which I thought was very nice of her and on their way they talked about students in general and a comment the professor made got me to thinking about the modern attitudes of people. She said these days they had to try and convey the message to university students that they must learn to be polite to people and have concern about others and not just themselves. I thought that said a lot.
I said I missed him today even though it was for only 6 hours but I suddenly realised I am reluctant to do too much when he is not around as I seem to be unsteadier on my feet of late. I certainly don't dare to venture outside into the garden on my own. I'd not realised how dependent I am on this poor man and yet he must have time to himself and not have to be here all the time.
He always makes sure he takes the mobile phone (turned on) so I can contact him should I need to and he will ring me to check on me if he feels he needs to. That is the only time the mobile is in use unless the two of us are out together.
Perhaps I should try and get myself a smaller walking frame I can use in the house, and the garden for that matter. The one I have is a 4-wheeler and has a seat and is too large for our small house. Our friend Richard suggested I buy a copy of Quokka and see if any smaller frames are advertised for sale. That I definitely will do tomorrow.
This all gives me further food for thought. We do so want to stay put in this little cottage of ours even though it causes work we don't need, so persevere we both must to try and work out a way we can end our days here without causing too much grief to ourselves or others.
Here I have just been thinking aloud or 'writing aloud' perhaps but it helps me to put it in writing. I feel there is a lot of thinking to be done over future weeks to get our lives organised properly.
A PAIN YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN
I don't know if any of you are old enough to remember an advertisement for pain killers when they spoke of it being good for 'the pain you can't explain'. The pain they were of course speaking about was period pain which was something you just didn't talk about back then.
The pain/s I now speak of are those that seem to come and go and you can't really explain just what they are. You can't go running to the doctor every time you feel a new pain and yet you wonder why it is there. Surely if there is a pain there is something causing that pain.
Do you just ignore it and hope it will go away and not return? With this osteo I have that begins at the top of my neck and continues right down through my joints to my big toes (so far my elbows are fine) I am obviously going to get the odd pain that wasn't here before on top of those that are there all the time. Are the new ones part of the arthritis? You just don't know do you and hope that's all it is.
I am definitely not a hypochondriac ... these pains are so real but you can't help wondering WHY?
I am positive that as one ages the doctors nod their heads and say... yes, you have to expect these things as you get older ... and you wonder if they eventually do give up on you.
I think this happened to my mum. She had been hit by a car when crossing the road near her home when she was about 72 and spent 7 months in hospital. We were first told she wouldn't live and then that she wouldn't walk but knowing the determination that woman had all her life we took that information with a pinch of salt. Not only did she live, she also walked with the help of her walking sticks and that with one leg about 4 inches shorter than the other. The right hip was so badly crushed they couldn't put it back together nor I gather do a hip replacement.
Eventually she moved herself into a very good retirement village where she had her own self-contained unit and with assistance from Silver Chain and the like she managed very well. The thing that worried me was the doctor who used to call on patients at the village. I never felt he took mum very seriously and of course with the injuries she had sustained plus other problems he perhaps just nodded and said yes, these things happen as people age. He once sent her off to hospital with a note written on the back of an old envelope. They promptly sent her back home without doing anything for her. I feel they had no idea why he'd sent her to them She eventually had to go to hospital again but that time didn't come out again.
After mum's death my daughter and I had the task of clearing out her unit and we discovered so many medicines, both prescription and over the counter, that I decided to make a list of them. It covered two columns on a quarto sheet of paper. Mum's main cause of death was a bleeding ulcer. They operated and I was warned not to be too hopeful. Quite honestly I think Mum had had enough and decided to call it quits. A sister in the hospital told her she couldn't go and live on her own again and I am sure that the threat of losing her independence was too much for her. I feel her condition should never have got as far as it did and I am sure all those medicines contributed to the ulcer.
I telephoned the doctor's surgery to let him know that Mum had died. I spoke to his receptionist and told her what I wanted to speak about. At that moment the doctor must have walked into the reception are as I heard the lady tell him that mum had died and would he like to speak to me. His reply "No, I can't see any reason to." I doubt he realised I heard his reply but it stays with me to this day.
The pain/s I now speak of are those that seem to come and go and you can't really explain just what they are. You can't go running to the doctor every time you feel a new pain and yet you wonder why it is there. Surely if there is a pain there is something causing that pain.
Do you just ignore it and hope it will go away and not return? With this osteo I have that begins at the top of my neck and continues right down through my joints to my big toes (so far my elbows are fine) I am obviously going to get the odd pain that wasn't here before on top of those that are there all the time. Are the new ones part of the arthritis? You just don't know do you and hope that's all it is.
I am definitely not a hypochondriac ... these pains are so real but you can't help wondering WHY?
I am positive that as one ages the doctors nod their heads and say... yes, you have to expect these things as you get older ... and you wonder if they eventually do give up on you.
I think this happened to my mum. She had been hit by a car when crossing the road near her home when she was about 72 and spent 7 months in hospital. We were first told she wouldn't live and then that she wouldn't walk but knowing the determination that woman had all her life we took that information with a pinch of salt. Not only did she live, she also walked with the help of her walking sticks and that with one leg about 4 inches shorter than the other. The right hip was so badly crushed they couldn't put it back together nor I gather do a hip replacement.
Eventually she moved herself into a very good retirement village where she had her own self-contained unit and with assistance from Silver Chain and the like she managed very well. The thing that worried me was the doctor who used to call on patients at the village. I never felt he took mum very seriously and of course with the injuries she had sustained plus other problems he perhaps just nodded and said yes, these things happen as people age. He once sent her off to hospital with a note written on the back of an old envelope. They promptly sent her back home without doing anything for her. I feel they had no idea why he'd sent her to them She eventually had to go to hospital again but that time didn't come out again.
After mum's death my daughter and I had the task of clearing out her unit and we discovered so many medicines, both prescription and over the counter, that I decided to make a list of them. It covered two columns on a quarto sheet of paper. Mum's main cause of death was a bleeding ulcer. They operated and I was warned not to be too hopeful. Quite honestly I think Mum had had enough and decided to call it quits. A sister in the hospital told her she couldn't go and live on her own again and I am sure that the threat of losing her independence was too much for her. I feel her condition should never have got as far as it did and I am sure all those medicines contributed to the ulcer.
I telephoned the doctor's surgery to let him know that Mum had died. I spoke to his receptionist and told her what I wanted to speak about. At that moment the doctor must have walked into the reception are as I heard the lady tell him that mum had died and would he like to speak to me. His reply "No, I can't see any reason to." I doubt he realised I heard his reply but it stays with me to this day.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
SOME MODERN TECHNOLOGY CAN BE A PAIN IN THE BUTT
I know that many technological advances in recent years, especially medical ones, have greatly advantaged the human race but there are times I wish we could go back to 'the good old days'.
A case in point are these 13 or 1300 numbers we now have to contend with when telephoning a business establishment of any type. First of all local calls from our landline cost us 18 cents but these 13 and 1300 calls cost us 30 cents each. I find this extraordinary and it is not really to our advantage at all. You are answered by a recording giving you sometimes up to 6 different choices depending on what you wish to talk about. There is not always a clear choice and occasionally you are fortunate enough to actually be allowed to speak to a consultant if there is a button for that but sometimes there is not so you take pot luck.
After you make your sometimes quite dubious choice you are then put on hold and quite often are told how important your call is to them (doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? not) and bombarded with lots of voice over advertisements or a terrible choice of recorded so-called music. I must admit though the other day when on hold I did listen to some beautiful piano music and was a little disappointed when I was finally answered. That was a bit tongue in cheek but it was nice music!!
There are other pitfalls with these 13 and 1300 number though and here is a case in point. Last Tuesday MOH took my car (well it's our car but it's in my name) to the RAC for it's regular service. He unfortunately was held up in traffic getting there so just missed the shuttle bus they use to drive people to their homes so had to walk a distance to wait for a bus and then a fairly long walk home from our local bus stop.
That of course has nothing to do with the telephone problem but I just mentioned it as poor MOH was a trifle worn out when he arrived home. The point is am making is the fact that by about 4.15pm we had heard nothing from the RAC about them collecting MOH to take him to the service centre to collect our car.
We telephoned their 1300 number and asked to be put through to the service centre in Myaree. For some reason we weren't but through so the waste of a call. 30 cents down the drain. The second time we were put through but the service centre was engaged and then the line just went dead. 60 cents now down the drain. We rang a third time and this time a very nice lass said she'd do her best to put us through but then came back and said she couldn't get through but took the name and number and said she'd have the service centre ring us back. We received no return call so now 90 cents down the drain.
By this time it was well after 4.30pm and as the centre closes at 5pm MOH and I decided a taxi was the way to go as we needed the car early the next morning. Fortunately the taxi arrived in good time and cost MOH $20 (that included a generous tip of $1.70...well in other words MOH didn't bother waiting for the change from the $18.30 fare). When he walked in he was told the car wasn't quite ready but oh, yes they would have sent the bus to pick him up from home!!! How on earth were we supposed to know that when we'd not heard anything from them all day nor been able to access them by telephone.
To make it even worse when they emailed me on 31 August to set up the service for the car they offered a $35 discount of the account if I booked it in for service before 31 October, on top of the usual 10% discount for RAC members. When MOH paid the bill the chap behind the counter said he knew nothing about that offer so no extra $35 discount.
I decided this wasn't good enough so thought I'd ring and hope to sort it out. I eventually found a direct number to the service centre but twice telephoned and didn't get through. I was given two choices: to book for a car service or enquire about a service. As neither were really applicable I chose the second choice. The phone rang and rang but there was no answer. Eventually it was a Telstra recording that said "The number you are calling is not responding. Please check the number and call again". Now how on earth did that happen. I did that a second time and exactly the same thing happened. 36 cent down the drain this time.
Next step was to ring the 1300 number again and I spoke to a most helpful lady and when I explained about not being given the $35 discount she said that was just not on and she tried to get through to the Myaree service centre but they didn't answer her either!!!! She took my name and membership number and said she would have somebody ring me next week to sort this out for me. She couldn't have been nicer or more helpful but once again no answer from that service centre even from the RAC themselves. We were now a total of $1.56 out of pocket. That may sound a small amount to most but when you are on an age pension you have to watch the cents as well as the dollars and when none of that expense is your fault it rankles somewhat, plus no results except, hopefully, from the final call.
There are a few (not nearly enough) organisations where you can use 1800 numbers which are free to call. One would think that really big businesses could afford to use the 1800 number rather than the 13 and 1300 numbers which the majority use. It would not only make it cheaper for customers to telephone them but would also make their clients/callers think much more kindly of them.
I know I've gone on just a wee bit about this but it was such a frustrating time and I wonder if others too are disgruntled about using those 13 and 1300 numbers and also constantly having to make sometimes ridiculous choices about what they want to talk about and then the waiting to get through. Maybe it's just 'cos I am old and remember the days when you spoke to a switchboard operator (a real human being) whom the firm she worked for told her she was the first callers had to do with the firm or department so she had to always be polite and on the ball. How wonderful it was back then. I know 'cos for 7 years I worked a switchboard (among other duties) of a quite busy firm. The boss actually told me that on several occasions his callers had complimented him on his switchboard operator. I felt proud that I spoke to people politely and helpfully which was a good introduction to the firm I worked for.
A case in point are these 13 or 1300 numbers we now have to contend with when telephoning a business establishment of any type. First of all local calls from our landline cost us 18 cents but these 13 and 1300 calls cost us 30 cents each. I find this extraordinary and it is not really to our advantage at all. You are answered by a recording giving you sometimes up to 6 different choices depending on what you wish to talk about. There is not always a clear choice and occasionally you are fortunate enough to actually be allowed to speak to a consultant if there is a button for that but sometimes there is not so you take pot luck.
After you make your sometimes quite dubious choice you are then put on hold and quite often are told how important your call is to them (doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? not) and bombarded with lots of voice over advertisements or a terrible choice of recorded so-called music. I must admit though the other day when on hold I did listen to some beautiful piano music and was a little disappointed when I was finally answered. That was a bit tongue in cheek but it was nice music!!
There are other pitfalls with these 13 and 1300 number though and here is a case in point. Last Tuesday MOH took my car (well it's our car but it's in my name) to the RAC for it's regular service. He unfortunately was held up in traffic getting there so just missed the shuttle bus they use to drive people to their homes so had to walk a distance to wait for a bus and then a fairly long walk home from our local bus stop.
That of course has nothing to do with the telephone problem but I just mentioned it as poor MOH was a trifle worn out when he arrived home. The point is am making is the fact that by about 4.15pm we had heard nothing from the RAC about them collecting MOH to take him to the service centre to collect our car.
We telephoned their 1300 number and asked to be put through to the service centre in Myaree. For some reason we weren't but through so the waste of a call. 30 cents down the drain. The second time we were put through but the service centre was engaged and then the line just went dead. 60 cents now down the drain. We rang a third time and this time a very nice lass said she'd do her best to put us through but then came back and said she couldn't get through but took the name and number and said she'd have the service centre ring us back. We received no return call so now 90 cents down the drain.
By this time it was well after 4.30pm and as the centre closes at 5pm MOH and I decided a taxi was the way to go as we needed the car early the next morning. Fortunately the taxi arrived in good time and cost MOH $20 (that included a generous tip of $1.70...well in other words MOH didn't bother waiting for the change from the $18.30 fare). When he walked in he was told the car wasn't quite ready but oh, yes they would have sent the bus to pick him up from home!!! How on earth were we supposed to know that when we'd not heard anything from them all day nor been able to access them by telephone.
To make it even worse when they emailed me on 31 August to set up the service for the car they offered a $35 discount of the account if I booked it in for service before 31 October, on top of the usual 10% discount for RAC members. When MOH paid the bill the chap behind the counter said he knew nothing about that offer so no extra $35 discount.
I decided this wasn't good enough so thought I'd ring and hope to sort it out. I eventually found a direct number to the service centre but twice telephoned and didn't get through. I was given two choices: to book for a car service or enquire about a service. As neither were really applicable I chose the second choice. The phone rang and rang but there was no answer. Eventually it was a Telstra recording that said "The number you are calling is not responding. Please check the number and call again". Now how on earth did that happen. I did that a second time and exactly the same thing happened. 36 cent down the drain this time.
Next step was to ring the 1300 number again and I spoke to a most helpful lady and when I explained about not being given the $35 discount she said that was just not on and she tried to get through to the Myaree service centre but they didn't answer her either!!!! She took my name and membership number and said she would have somebody ring me next week to sort this out for me. She couldn't have been nicer or more helpful but once again no answer from that service centre even from the RAC themselves. We were now a total of $1.56 out of pocket. That may sound a small amount to most but when you are on an age pension you have to watch the cents as well as the dollars and when none of that expense is your fault it rankles somewhat, plus no results except, hopefully, from the final call.
There are a few (not nearly enough) organisations where you can use 1800 numbers which are free to call. One would think that really big businesses could afford to use the 1800 number rather than the 13 and 1300 numbers which the majority use. It would not only make it cheaper for customers to telephone them but would also make their clients/callers think much more kindly of them.
I know I've gone on just a wee bit about this but it was such a frustrating time and I wonder if others too are disgruntled about using those 13 and 1300 numbers and also constantly having to make sometimes ridiculous choices about what they want to talk about and then the waiting to get through. Maybe it's just 'cos I am old and remember the days when you spoke to a switchboard operator (a real human being) whom the firm she worked for told her she was the first callers had to do with the firm or department so she had to always be polite and on the ball. How wonderful it was back then. I know 'cos for 7 years I worked a switchboard (among other duties) of a quite busy firm. The boss actually told me that on several occasions his callers had complimented him on his switchboard operator. I felt proud that I spoke to people politely and helpfully which was a good introduction to the firm I worked for.
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