My better half is still in hospital, and in part, it seems the difficulties may lie in the cost-saving measure of getting rid of food preparation service staff a few years ago and contracting it all to a private company. When one is recuperating from surgery and needs a specialized diet, the company can't provide it. When this is all over, if I have any energy, I think I'll do some publicizing of how crappy it is--the nutritionist has been completely frustrated by the fact he prescribes the necessary diet but in order for her to get it, I have to go shop and bring it in myself.
She didn't eat anything for about 10 days--they were supposed to weigh her today, and I'm not looking forward to hearing that number--she's skin and bones right now.
Meanwhile, I visited the doctor's again today--trying a new strategy, and hope to get rid of my stupid cough. It's fine if I never talk or eat... not the best options though.
Trying to get my insurance claim sorted out--didn't realize until about a week ago that the "deadline" (I thought it was just the company's, thus the quotation marks) of the two year anniversary means if I don't get things sorted out by next wednesday, I'm hooped. I sent back a response to their same offer from 18 months ago pointing out it's about 2000 less than my losses/expenses alone, without any of the "pain and suffering" allotment that is usually taken into consideration. May have some legal wrangling ahead...
Trying to get on with my masters' research--got a hold put on my ethics approval back in mid-december--told by the university it needed approval from my district included in the application. Got told today, now the person is back from vacation in the district who looks after all this, that the district needs the university ethics approval before they'll give theirs. Anyone see a problem here? Thankfully, some phone calls and emails seem to have sorted this out.
The musical--Plan A was to teach the songs like last year--someone plays the four parts on tape, I make copies and kids go into parts and learn them through repetition before coming back to group. Problem: issues suddenly arise and can't get the piano person to do it--wish I'd had a Plan B in place--working on that now.
My set builder for the last 10 shows took a job elsewhere for the first semester. He called me night before last to inform me he's not coming back so he won't be in the building to build my set for me this year. Hmm--anyone care to take that on?
My marking is insanely behind. My parents are feeling neglected. My kids are coping.
There are some things I've just had to let go of, work related, this week. I'm thankful for the people I can turn to for help with that sometimes--a couple come to mind; one I know reads this.
Why am I taking time to blog? Good question. Thanks for listening.
4 comments:
The hospital's food service staff can't provide the prescribed diet? That's unacceptable.
So you're getting charged mounds of money by day for the hospital, and in between taking care of all of the extra duties these things bring, you have to go shopping for your wife's proper diet, that they recoommended in the first place?
that's got to be some sort of illegal.
Wow--sounds like you've had a very hectic few weeks. I really really hope that your wife feels better soon. You're still in my prayers.
Regarding the hospital, for the benefit of the U.S. friends--we don't pay for hospital stays here. The care she's getting--nurses, doctors, nutritionist and even a physio after the surgery--all are great.
The problem is our provincial government, who are very anti-union, as a rule, laid off all the food service workers and replaced them with some crappy company who doesn't do more than provide the cheapest, easily prepared crap they can.
Problem was, we had dishwashers, laundry workers, janitors all making 20+ dollars per hour before that, but the solution was to negotiate that down, and having some friends who worked in those areas, they were willing to take pay cuts.
Not to work for the same wage mcdonalds' workers make, though--they're asked to work with biohazards, etc., and it needs more skill than some of the people they have in place now.
So yeah--it seems ridiculous, and I suspect we'll be going to the media about the food problem--once she's better. Even in tight times, people expect better.
Thanks for the support--I appreciate it.
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