General complaints, now up to date

Some General Complaints from the last decade.....

• If you Lie, Cheat, & Steal and your name is not Eddie Guerrero then you suck and I don't care what your reasons are.
• You can get what you want but let's see if you want what you are going to get!
• Insurance companies don't want to pay for insurance claims, but are happy to raise your rates for asking....
• Pain can be terrible:  I've had daily pain since I was a teenager but it stays below my pain threshold most of the time.... but new pains (back/neck) put me over and it is miserable.  
• Related to Pain, Doctors that only focus on their specialty and don't want to help the overall problems you have ... they suck too.
• and finally, some general things that someone should be kicked in the balls for:
• Telemarketer RoboCalls
• Terrible movies based on an old property, ruining my childhood memories
• Entitled people 
• People who say they take responsibility & are trustworthy, and then run away at the first sign of difficulty
• 70 degrees in January
• Card players who Slow Roll, Bastards!

....So now you are updated.  You are Welcome!

Dig Dug in 2010

If you are older then 30 you have probably played or seen the game Dig Dug in the arcades. In 2010 video games no longer look like this, however I think reality can sometime approach video games of 20 years ago. I'll give you an example.

Over the last year+ my community has been undergoing some changes. We were annexed from one town to another and the town laws say everyone must be on their water/sewer. Putting aside politics and cost, this is still a major inconvenience. It is made more so by the fact that our previous systems are not documented at all, so the lines could be just about anywhere... So the city contractors have to 'look' for them by digging around with huge machines. And they find bad dirt, huge rocks, stir up snakes and things, and make a huge mess.

It makes me think of Dig Dug, especially since the games graphics look almost exactly the color of our ground 10 and 20 feet down:


When will this project be over? No one knows. It was supposed to be done 6 months ago and will likely go on for another 3-6. Just like the arcade game Dig Dug, it goes on and on and seems to have no end.

Insurance Nightmares

If there is any group I dislike as much as doctors it is insurance companies.

Medical
So we decided to get private insurance for the family, I received through work. With everyone my wife has to deal with I take on the process of setting it up for them.

I found an agent who offered a nice rate for ok coverage. I filled out the online application. We were accepted and received cards.

So you might be asking "why are you complaining if everything went so well..." and I would have to answer, "because we actually never got any coverage." You might wonder how that is possible, I'll explain.

My wife went to get some medication and had to pay a deductible before insurance would kick in. Next time she went to get some medication it was rejected by the insurance. I called to see what happened, and was told that the policy was canceled due to non-payment. This was odd as we had an auto payment in place. Apparently there was a screw up with the account number. I double checked the application (I made a copy of it) and saw it was 100% correct. When I followed up I was told we could be reinstated if we followed a procedure and sent a certified payment for all owed monies plus next month's and that did not guarantee reinstatement. I was pretty miffed but I didn't want a laps of coverage, so I agreed. I sent the form, certified payment, a letter and a voided check (so the billing issue could be resolved) via certified mail. I saw via UPS website that it arrived and was signed for.

One week passes.....no word, so I call back to follow up and ensure all is well.

I'm told that they rejected my reinstatement.

I can year you saying, "How could this be"... I asked the same thing. They say they could not reinstate because the policy was never truly active. They will not listen to anything else as there is no policy from their perspective. When I asked what happened to my check they say they sent back by certified mail, but I have not yet received it. I ask for a tracking #, they say they can't provide one. I ask if we can use previous application to start over as there have been no changes, they said no.

Dental
I sign the family up for dental insurance with all data correct (that is a signal of inviting trouble). We receive paperwork for Mrs Cefora.

I call to correct this, they won't make the change it unless the policy holder calls. "I can provide any information that the policy holder could provide", they said no. I was about to conference call my wife but they said they could not be assured I was calling the policy holder, even though I am currently calling from the residence now they could not put the change through unless she called from the home directly....

So clearly I broke into her home and used her phone to call the dental insurance to change her name without her permission, what an ingenious plot on my part....foiled by the kindly insurance customer service representative. I feel like I should be saying "and I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling kids!" (Scooby Doo reference)

School screwup

My youngest Son Aiden is enrolled in Preschool services with a year round schedule. The first track-in was very good for him. He received transportation via special taxi to and from which is paid for as a part of school taxes. Then he tracked-out through the winter holidays. When it was time to track back in we didn't expect any problems.

I received a call from Aiden's teacher teacher who told me that the county was initiating cost cutting procedures (who wasn't) and the taxi which had been transporting Aiden was no longer possible. I didn't care who took him, so long as they were responsible and could be trusted to keep him safe. When I asked what the new transportation solution would be I was told there was none. My blood started to boil. I was told that the county should be providing a solution tomorrow and could I please transport him myself today.

I was pretty mad. During the entire winter holidays this message could have been sent, but it was not. This was last minute and took no consideration for my schedule, but it wasn't the teacher's fault. I agreed to transport him that day but made clear I expected a solution the next day and that I should be informed of it prior to school time, not just before. I even suggested that they use the fleet of buses at their disposal if they didn't want to incur more costs, after all taxes were paying for this service, they least they could do was provide it. I picked up Aiden from Preschool and drove him to the elementary school, then I had to turn around and pick up Anderson (which is normal). An hour later it was time to leave to pick up Aiden. I put Anderson in the car and we were off. Just as I was pulling onto the School's main road I received a call to my cell from the teacher. The taxi had shown up (the one that was no longer being paid to transport my son) and the teacher's assistant had put Aiden in the taxi and it drove off before the teacher could do anything. Of course I was furious however I had no time to deal with it just then, I had to race home so I could be there before the taxi left without dropping Aiden off. I picked some back roads and somehow made it just before the taxi arrived. I called the teacher to remind her that I needed a solution for tomorrow. She said how sorry she was for the incident and that her vice principle said that buses would be used tomorrow for Aiden.

Next day I dropped the boys at preschool and called the teacher to confirm that buses would be used. I was told yes. A few hours later I was called by the teacher, the Taxi had picked up Aiden from preschool and brought him to the elementary school. I asked what had happened. Apparently the bus driver was ready however the bus chosen was on blocks being repaired so they asked the taxi to do it and the taxi would bring him home, which it did.

Next day the Taxi arrived at the preschool again! This time over an hour early (so beat the bus which did actually go to get him) and apparently there was disagreements between the vice principle (who kept sending the teacher to call me instead of calling themselves, very brave), the county transportation department, and the taxi company based on their contract.

By now I'm ready to kill someone. I've had several calls with the teacher, and several with the superintendent's office where I believe I used the phrase "isn't this an election year" and "my friends suggest I call the TV new stations with my story".

In the end it was worked out and the bus is running for him, and I didn't actually hit anyone.

Electricution should be illegal

When I was sick a few months back (yes when I got my spinal tap) I had some weird symptoms which the ER doc had no explanation for. Debbie and Jody bugged me again and again about going to see a neurologist to see if they could figure out what was wrong and if there were deeper issues then a high fever. Uncharacteristically I gave in and made an appointment.

I talked to the doctor, told him my story and symptoms, and he examined me. Without him giving any explanation of theories or thought and without talking much he had me close my eyes and walk in a line, touch my nose with alternating hands... that kind of thing.

When he was done he cracked a toothpick in half and jabbed my hand in places with the sharp edge. Now my normal inclination after the first poke or two would have been to sock the guy I was interested in how this could possibly have anything to do with why I was there. After a few painful minutes it was over. and he finally talked to me.

He told me that he had no idea why I had these symptoms but they could easily be related to the high fever I had....He also told me that I likely had carpel tunnel in my hands. Now at least the annoying hand poking was explained. He wanted me to schedule a date for carpel tunnel testing. When I asked if carpel tunnel would explain any of my symptoms in the hospital he asked if I had numbness or pain at the time... *SIGH*

So I politely made the next appointment with full intentions to cancel it later.

I went home and share my story with my wife and my step mother, what a waste of time it was. I wanted to burst out with my annoyance for the medical field and my irritation that I had listened and gone, but I didn't. They were only trying to help me after all. It was this logic that caused me much pain later.

At the end of my story my wife and stepmother suggested I keep the appointment. "What could it hurt?". Why did I listen?

So I returned for the testing. Upon arrival I was told it would be Electrodiagnostic testing. Now I knew what electro-stimulation was, those little pads they put on your back, it feels good. Well that is not Electrodiagnostic testing.

The testing lady had me lay down next to a monitor, took out what looked like a large Y looking device with two bulbs at the ends about 3 inches apart and placed it on my arm near my funny bone. When I asked what she was about to do she replied simply, "stimulate the nerves." Next thing I knew I was receiving a terrible Electroshock.

Now I have a very high pain tollerance, but this was different pain. It felt like my muscle was forced to react (like a knee jerk), accompanied by pain in every muscle fiber shooting up and down my arm, and the area where the shock hit was later bruised. I immediately though of my wife and wicked step mother and what I would say to them when this was over.

This went on for almost 20 minutes in both arms. Just when I was about to quit and walk out the testing lady said we were done with that part. I breathed a sigh of relief; she smiled a knowing smile... then took out a needle with wires connected to it and jabbed it into my arm, sending electric shocks up my arm and neck. Then while the needle is still in she wiggles it around in a circle...

Needless to say I'm never ever listening to those two again when they say "go to the doctor, it can't hurt."

Oh yea, the end result of the testing.... I have minor carpel tunnel, but it is not bad enough to do anything about it yet. Man, I love doctors...

Funny thing... Weeks after the testing I noticed that I'm getting a lot of nerve pain. Maybe this electroshock caused it!

You have a Job...Sike

My company was sued out of existence, through no fault of my own or my team, and I was left without a job. We were given 3 months before it would all end.

My team and I came together and negotiated a deal to join a European company and continue to do the superior job we were doing before.

We had the full 3 months until we would join the new company. In the mean time the economy got really bad, housing market collapses, credit crisis occurred, the stock market plummeted, the bail out plan was rejected the first time, the presidential candidates blamed everyone else, and everything looked bleak. But at least I had a job to look forward to.... Well, not so much...

Just 2 weeks before we would join the new company didn't like the numbers anymore and decided to drop us. Now I have no time to get a job before my time runs out and the economy is in horrible shape. But at least I don't need another spinal tap.

Spinal Taps Suck!

I was very sick a few months ago and they had no idea what was wrong with me (boy I love the medical community). My symptoms included a very high fever (104.5+), neck pain, and a lot of other weird stuff (dizziness, weakness on one side, inability to focus/think).

My wife took me to an urgent care and they sent me to the hospital. They were worried about meningitis. So of course once we got there the ER Doc did some work and wanted to do a spinal tap to check for meningitis.

Now if you every have the choice between a spinal tap or sitting on a flaming cactus, look into that second and less painful option. These things suck.

For those of you who don't know, a spinal tap (also know as Lumbar puncture) is where they make you sit up in the fetal position, expanding the space between vertebrae, and then they slowly stick a huge and long needle in your lower spine!

After the needle has penetrated your back muscles, with a powerful snap, it has reached your spinal fluid. Then they open up the back of the needle and allow spinal fluid to slowly drip out and they collect the stuff for testing. See more here: Wikipedia

Of course I didn't have meningitis, nor anything else they could test for with blood work or a head CT. Now my symptoms included major headaches (from spinal fluid loss), muscle bruising (from the spinal tap), and lots of other pain.

They eventually sent me home and I suffered for a few days until I got better. That is of course until I saw the hospital bill of > $10k.

Service Math: Good work + Bad Service = Unhappy Customer

So, it has been a while since I blogged here on my complaint board. My absence is not due to life being all roses though, no no no. The list of things that have driven me out of my mind this last year include: Wake County School Head Start Program, Potty Training, Car parts going bad just after warranty expires (batteries, starters, etc), a trip from hell to PA (cold weather, puking Aiden, cleaning puke off a car seat in the bitter cold, though the family was awesome as usual), Work issues, my projector dying (that sucked), and now... The grand prize goes to....

The Play set Contractors

Yes! What a special team of individuals they are. They do excellent work, stick to the design well, and offer creative solutions when problems arise. But that is not the best part. They are also slow, don't call to say when they will show up, don't call when they don't show up, bring their kids to my house where they broke my wind chimes and tried to play with my dogs (blood shot out of my ears on that one), and miss deadlines that they keep updating; all the while offering excuses such as phones died, bad traffic, babysitter issues, crew members not showing up, working long hours, other personal commitments, and even the weather. Well weather I get as they work outside, but there was one day of rain. True, one day was Memorial day, but two did show up, the other three didn't. This project which was quoted to take one to two days, has taken a week and is still not done. Of course my wife is all over them and even I'm past my tolerances. I know that contractors around here are not the most "professional" at least not what I'd consider professional coming from NY, but this is by far the worst contracting experience I've had.

My Silver lining, I ran the numbers; they are loosing money on this deal.

Medical woes

Now I have Diabetes and still have Hypoglycemia as a constant condition (which is pretty rare, so they are not sure exactly how to treat it). Diabetics can have hypoglycemic reactions sure, but not many have it daily or even several times a day. I do.

I was going to write a complex series of paragraphs that detail the condition, but then I’d have to complain about that, so just suffice to say that having both sucks and my daily life is a rollercoaster of highs and lows due to sugar levels in my body.

The doctors know that they can not fix what is wrong with me, so they try to lessen the symptoms with medication. So here is the brief timeline of what has happened:

Started on medication: Metformin, had bad reactions.

Switch medicines to Avandia.

Things are still not under control. My numbers are 9x normal.

Increase Dosages and need a new Diet (low carb), damn that sucks.

Loss of favorite foods: Potatoes, Corn, Breads

Still gaining weight, this sucks hardcore.

Took months to see any benefit, now weight has stabilized somewhat.

Now need another apt to check numbers again.

I know I’ll need to be medicated for the rest of my life, I just wish we could establish what that would be and tweak it as I age for whatever changes take place. It seems like right now we still are guessing. It sucks to feel like a Guinea Pig, it really does.