Actions speak louder than empty promises on voice mail

[trouble]

Oh 3 a.m. It's been a mere 24 hours since you last darkened my experiences. *sigh* Insomnia is more fun when it involves baking cookies.

The wheelchair repair people showed up today, took the wheelchair away, and assured us that we'd hear by by this afternoon about how long it would take to fix, and what it would cost.

At 3:30 Don called them to find out what was up, and was told "Oh, no, we're not even going to look at it before Monday."

Don hasn't left the house since James left on Monday. (No, wait, that's not true, he made it out for a doctor's appointment. He hasn't recovered from the walk to the bus stop yet, and that was two days ago.) AirCanada has not returned our phone calls yet, and now it's Saturday morning (or really late Friday night, I guess), so that's not going anywhere till Monday, when I guess I crack my knuckles and start writing angry emails, and perhaps cc:ing them to my Member of Parliament. Cuz AirCanada's behaviour is, as far as I know, illegal: they are required to treat people with disabilities as actual human beings and not sacks of potatoes. (And, of course, they fought this requirement by law. For you, my fellow Canadians. So you could save 2$ per flight. Which you might still be able to do, except they spent a lot of money fighting the law change in court. While being an official sponsor of the Paralymic Games. You cannot make these things up.)

But, in positive news, my income tax return should be winging it's way here even as we speak. I'm a bit anxious, because the message indicated that I may be getting back a different amount that I calculated on my tax form, but didn't indicate if this was a higher or lower amount. (Nor was it clear it indicated that at all. Tricksy government automated messages!) But, this year it took less than five months to get processed (in their defense, I did have a very complicated return last year), and once it's here I can make plans for that money. Plans like buying textbooks *rubs hands in glee*.

Anyway, one way or another we're going to get a wheelchair on Monday. We'll probably rent it again from the nice people at Shopper's Drugmart, where it is relatively inexpensive and low drama. I'd prefer an electric, because then Don isn't dependent on me to leave the house, but anything is better than the two of us looking outside at the gorgeous weather and sighing prettily about how nice it would be to go for a walk.

Since this post has apparently become "My name is Anna, listen to me angst (again)", we're still waiting for a surgery date for OMG!Cancer. I hate you, OMG!Cancer, and your stupid lack of surgery date.


Okay, enough of that. Tomorrow = free trial yoga, perhaps Mandatory Togetherness Time with Katie & Emmy, and Don has promised I can buy a new book. (He has also, cleverly, told me which book I can buy from my "I MUST HAVE THIS BOOK OR I WILL DIE RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW" list, because otherwise book buying will take three days and a pony.)

Here, have a picture of a cow (and me!):

Comments

[capriuni]

Hugs you.

I'm awake at 3 am, too. And my only source of angst is loneliness. :-/

I've been in that "We'll fix your chair tomorrow!" ... "Oh, no. Wait. It's been sitting in our workshop for a week. No, we won't have a chance to fix it today." place too.

It stinks!

[trouble]

Do they not get how cruel and limiting that is?

[rainbow]

I don't think they do, no. Some people is STOOPID.

Here's to Don finding an excelelnt rental quickly and easily.

*HUG*

[capriuni]

You'd think so, right? I mean, it's not like people in the wheelchair dealership and repair business don't know that disabled people actually exist...

My wheelchair place offers housecalls for an extra $50 (after the first year of purchase). I usually go for that, even though I get the "It will be cheaper if you drop it off!" spiel. Because then, there's an appointment where someone shows up, and I can watch them do the work..

[trouble]

Because getting around without the wheelchair is so easy! *sigh*

[capriuni]

Well, that's because everyone with a physical disability gets magical mental powers to compensate, and we can just teleport ourselves wherever we need to be, like Professor X in the X-Men...

trufax.

BTW, I'm making a paper sculpture fishy out of neon-pink index cards, scissors and glue, to cheer meself up. Not sure what more I'll do with it... Just thought you'd like to know...

[susanreads]

I get sufficiently annoyed with unreliable tradespeople re domestic stuff, like the number of appointments I had to schedule before finally getting a water meter installed; but for something as essential as a wheelchair? *headdesk* I guess they rely on the law (trading law and whatever else might apply) being too slow and vague to be useful.

[trouble]

I'm just so irritated because it's taking so long. *sigh* Today we braved the weather because we were both getting quite down and stuff, and I had really forgotten how much the wheelchair makes a difference.

[ginny_t]

*hugs*

[trouble]

*hugs* Hey, yes, I never did get back to you about Trip Stuff. <3

[ginny_t]

You didn't. I was going to wait a bit and then start pestering you. I could pester now, if you like. I'm quite good at it. ^_~

[umadoshi]

...Monday. Well, that's just great, horribly unhelpful people. >.< (And the Air Canada thing continues to completely blow my mind.) I'm sorry things are still being so frustrating. *many hugs* But yay for money! Money doesn't remotely solve everything, but it doesn't hurt.

[trouble]

Money means books! Also, we're thinking of doing a day trip with Kiwi Kaboodle tours out to Wolfville and stuff before school starts. Money buys some happiness, at least!

As for wheelchair - *sigh*.

[scemo]

I love that photo. ^^

[trouble]

Hee! Thank you! :)

[jesse_the_k]

Photo is outstanding. Not only does it make me grin uncontrollably, but it will be useful as a blackmail object when you're a member of parliament.

Chair fixes are evil evil evil.

I'm betting cause Don is so tall you need an extra-large chair so it's not so simple to just get a loaner. Would the lovely national health spring for a backup manual? While not awesome, they have very little to break.

[trouble]

Heck, when I run for office, my page is going to full of pics like that. :)

As for our lovely national health, it does not routinely pay for mobility aids, sadly. We're in the lovely category in the middle of not being poor enough to get government assistance for the chair, but not being rich enough to get a custom-made one. (Woe.) So, there's a lovely charity here that actually "owns" Don's chair as long as we live in Nova Scotia, then will "give" it to us once we leave the province. I kinda love them.

But I think a backup manual chair is really necessary, and the $$ we're getting from Don's mom will mean we likely will have enough in a few months.

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

oh it is nasty to loose your wheels!
But you do look adorable with the cow.
Which book are you going to buy?

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

My Life in France, by Julia Child. Katie & I went out to see Julie & Julia last week, and I feel in love :)

[firynze.livejournal.com]

I cannot fathom the wheelchair repair people. GRRRRR. Nor can I fathom WTF is up with the absolute bastards at AirCanada. I just...AUGH.

Insomnia IS better with cookies, though, I will give you that.

But...soon you shall have money, and a temporary chair, and nice weather to enjoy, and a book! Although all book shopping trips SHOULD take three days and involve a pony and possibly a Sherpa.

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

We got new bookshelves this week. For very very cheap, from a friend, and they're just those hip-high ones, but really. Just because we bought them to put away all the books that are scattered about this place doesn't mean we shouldn't, instead, buy all new books to fill them with!

[firynze.livejournal.com]

I need more bookshelves. I'm almost out of room...

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

This is the repair needed because AirCanada took apart the wheelchair? Shouldn't they be paying?

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

They've asked for us to have the repair people fax them an estimate of the cost of repair. But they aren't returning my calls about it.

[automaticdoor]

*massive hugs*

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

School tiem soon?

[automaticdoor]

Tomorrow omg still not done with tomorrow's reading FIVE HOURS IN AND I READ FAST *hides*

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

OMG law school sounds scary.

[automaticdoor]

To be fair, they all said it'd be rly hard the first few weeks and then I'll sort of get it and my total hours' reading will drop significantly.

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

We "gut" books. I have no idea if you can gut reading for law school, though.

[You probably know, but it means skimming for important stuff.]

[automaticdoor]

You can when you know how to pick out the important stuff, lol. I don't know how to do that quickly yet, :(

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

It'll come! I believe in you!

[automaticdoor]

Ryan said I'm doing better than he did at first, and he's Mr. Brilliant academically, so I have hope.

[betacandy.livejournal.com]

Aside from shaking my head and rolling my eyes in sympathetic righteous anger, I didn't have much of a response here until I saw your tag. WOW. You referenced that book that no one I ever talk to has ever, ever read.

My icon is also intended as a reference to that particular title.

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

REALLY? Seriously? I totally read that book years ago. I think I liked it better than the first one.

[scarecrow (from livejournal.com)]

Yay! LiveJournal has a mobile version, so I can check it from the road when the vacation gets boring!

(Sadly, this has been a very boring vacation. My data charges this month are going to be murder.)

Every time I read about your experiencesd with the wheelchair, I'm reminded of that musician where United Airlines broke his guitar, so after getting nowhere with the customer service folks, he swore he'd write 3 songs called "United Breaks Guitars" and post them to YouTube. After the first song, United was so shamed they gave the guy everything he needed in compensation.

If I had the musical skills, I would write a song and post it to shame Air Canada. "Air Canada Breaks Wheelchairs" just sounds more scandalous.

[queenlyzard.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Sorry to hear about the stresses. But the cow pic is awesome.