HER FIVE CENTS

This is a voice message from work I dictated for your viewing, reading pleasure. I wish you could have heard it. I included all of the pauses just. like. she said them.  (This one is especially for you Emily. You've got a hubby in the business. lol)

"Hi uh this is Jane Dumb calling. my number is 555-LAME. Um they did come and pick up the trash today however.  Uh, it again, only half of the. trash. got emptied and im, im, thinking cause I watched the truck uh today, i'm thinking that they're, when  they grab the the trash can they're grabbing it very high, so when it goes to the top of the truck to be emptied only a small amount of it the trash is coming out. I checked to see if any of the trash is stuck or anything like that. and it is not, so that is why I think that the fact that the truck is picking up the trash uh rather the trash can, too high, that when they bring it to the top of the truck, the trash can does not tilt enough to empty the can. and you can see it evidenced by the incredible scraping on the side, one side, of the trash can that were not there before. SO um, I don't know. If you need to talk with me. that's fine.  um bye.

So there you go.

People are idiots right? Like thats a pretty fair statement. I especially feel like people in this town and area are kind of lame when it comes to complaining. I feel like all they have to look forward to is calling and harrassing the trash secretaries.

This lady called today and she was complaining about a driver she saw who had his daughter on his lap. And she was hanging out the window (the daughter, not the complainer although that would be awesome). BUT she couldn't see the driver because he was behind the girl who was hanging out the window? That's weird. Anyway, I tried for several minutes to explain that garbage trucks steering wheels are on the OPPOSITE side of a normal vehicle. I said to her, "What side of the truck was the girl in?" And she said, "The drivers side." lol. Goob. And it's pretty funny because this drivers daughter is not super young. Therefore it makes it more awkward that he would drive with his mature daughter on his lap. I love people.

What i'm super duper sick of lately is people calling and having me repeat the same thing. So this lady called and was like, "Why is my bill $41 instead of $45. So I explained to her the reason (she had gotten a smaller can, and already paid for the bigger can). I went through it in DETAIL! I promise I did. At the end of the phone call she was like, "So where did the $4 come from?" Really. REALLY she said that. True story.

Yesterday a man called pretty upset that he got a bill with a stamp on it saying that he was late. He was seriously furious about the fact that we send out postcards for bills because apparently, he didn't get his prior months. And apparently, this has happened before where his bill gets lost in his catalogs. I told him we could mail him a letter. I had a 10 minute conversation (similar to the one above.) repeating over and over how we could mail him a full size ("you mean, an 8.5" by 11?") piece of paper, in an envelope, with a stamp even. Seriously, check my phone records. 10 minutes people.

Oh my, I could go on and on. Can you pray for me that I don't lost my patience? I've got to remember to keep a list of all of these stories. But for now, I've got another work issue to deal with.  Hackers....

With death comes reflection. I know guys, it's a serious one.

I'm mostly reflecting for my mom-in-law who has lost both a brother and a mom very recently. I am not sure how she still functions. I guess with the hope we have it's understandable. But it's still so hard.


How it would be if my dad were still here. How he would probably LOVE to sit on the couch and watch that show with Jackson. Because my dad loved his kids and he loved his grand baby (the only at the time was Emilee). It kind of makes me sad.

So this post is my sadness post. Usually I remain really positive about it all. Because I know deep down that my dad is SO much better off where he is now. We went through his stuff after he died and there were MANY  medical notes from doctors explaining his need for a wheelchair. I never saw him in one. It was as if he were trying to keep it a secret that he was in so much pain. But he did write in his journal about how it was hard for him to do even the most simple of things.

I opened my dad box today. The shirt still smells like him. I open it very rarely to preserve that very smell.

There is a letter I'd like to share. My dad tried for many many years unsuccessfully to apply for disability. The fact that I still have this letter says something too. (I've shortened it. It's 4 pages long!)

To Whom it May Concern:

Please be advised that I am writing to certify to you that Ron Schultz is permanently and completely disabled from performance of any of the most sedentary tasks because of the following severe and serious conditions. I will detail clinical means, which enable me to reach these conclusions.

The patient has a number of severe orthopedic concerns.

Bilateral feet; the patient was born with severe bilateral club feet for which he has undergone a number of procedures including 6 surgical procedures on his right foot and seven on his left foot.

Although he has had significant procedures on his feet he has not been relieved of constant disabling foot pain. This pain is bilateral. This is aggravated by even the shortest of walking or standing. He has numerous scars and significant deformity of both feet.

A second orthopedic issue is his right hip, which has had a total hip replacement. He underwent right total hip arthroplasty in 1998 at the age of 43. This was done secondary to severe degenerative changes in his right hip. Although the procedure was performed technically well Ron continues to complain of right hip pain and inability to ambulate significant distances. The hip combined with the feet provides Ron very little ambulatory capacity.

A third orthopedic issues is his lumbar spine. He has had chronic pain for a number of years. It progressed to the point of intolerable discomfort. He has had significant treatment with conservative care including medication, anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy on several different occasions, home exercises, water hydrotherapy and a lumbar stabilization program. He has undergone lumbar discogram showing concordant pain concordant with his MRI of degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. He has had the inability to perform even menial tasks secondary to his lumbar pain.

A fourth orthopedic issue in his right shoulder. The advanced osteoarthritic changes have produced bone on bone x-ray images. He has undergone subacromial decompression with mild improvement initially but eventual degenerative symptomatic changes. He recently had a significant hematoma evacuated by his right shoulder. This was in August of 2002. He continues to have significant shoulder complaints and problems. Range of motion is reduced and motion causes significant pain.

A fifth issue although not orthopedic is his cardiac status. He has had a mitral valve replacements. In conjunction with this, he also underwent pectis repair with placement of rods and eventual removal of his chest rods. Significant surgical scars are evident on his chest. He takes Cumadin currently for his cardiac status.

The last issue is bilateral knee degenerative changes. He has undergone several arthroscopic debridgement of both knees and told by his orthopedic arthroscopist that bone on bone conditions exist in both knees and that he will eventually have to undergo bilateral total knee arthroscopy.

Because of the above-mentioned serious conditions, which are totally supported by, accepted clinical methods I conclude that Ron Schultz is totally and permanently disabled and unable to return to gainful employment even in the most sedentary type of conditions. His condition if he tries to work can realistically be to result in increased further incapacity. Safe time factors for sitting and standing should be kept under 15 minutes. The same restrictions also pertain to standing and walking. Certainly no activity involving lifting and climbing, walking should be undertaken.

Sincerely,

The Doctor

What surprises me most about this (or maybe not) is that my dad didn't not want to work. He loved construction work. He MORE than loved it. It was his passion. So he did it even though it's probably what caused so many issues for him. I think it got to the point for him though, that he just couldn't do it anymore. And finally, after years and years and years of constant pain he applied for disability, was turned down many times, and go it eventually. Just before he died. Sad.

Anyway, this post is mostly for posterity. I just want to remember all these things and keep them in my heart (and on this blog).