Post a bad thing that happened in your life today

[Mr Standfast]

If we need any more motivation to get a fire extinguisher, well it would make a stock picture!  I'll get me coat!

[Bryan]

2 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

If we need any more motivation to get a fire extinguisher, well it would make a stock picture!  I'll get me coat!

 

Brings to mind one of David Kilpatrick's many useful pieces of advice. If you buy it, photograph it.

 

Thanks for the reminder, on my list for next week ! 

[KellyC]

I keep hoping I get to post in the opposite thread but alas, it is not to be. A few weeks ago my husband had a biopsy that turned out to be melanoma cancer. No problem, they say. Caught it very early, Stage 1, and an appointment to remove it all this morning. Then he gets a call at 6:45 am. Doctor is sick, surgery is cancelled, call this number to reschedule. He calls the number and is told, "Oh, we can't reschedule. Your medical team will call you later today to do that." Of course, they don't. No one likes to hear that their surgery to remove a cancerous growth is cancelled but my husband is extra worried as this is what killed his mother at age 69. 

 

And, of course, it gets worse. We just found out that our health insurance payment will more than double each month next year. We are retired and on basically fixed income. We will have to change our plan by December 15, which means an entirely new group and new doctors to work with in January. Since my husband's quick almost appointment was only because someone cancelled, he is not likely to get in before the end of the year. New plan has much more limited network and farther to go for what he needs. Fun times indeed.

[Cecile Marion]

That sounds incredibly frustrating on so many different levels. Good luck. If it were me, I’d continue to call and insist the surgery be done asap. My dermatologist told me, in their practice, melanoma appointments take precedence over any other dermatology issues. I’ve had a melanoma removed and was worked into the schedule within a week after the biopsy results were received. Obviously, it’s not something to put off, as it appears you and your husband can well understand. I wish you all the best.

[Bryan]

A very minor bad thing compared to Kelly's - hope your husband gets an appointment soon !

 

The nesting box on our allotment, which has hosted families of blue tits for the past 5 years, has succumbed to the weather.  Some of the plywood has started to delaminate and the glue has failed holding the panels together.  So I brought it home and dismantled it.   Inside was the comfy little nest used by generations of birds.  Mindful of avian flu, I reluctantly disposed of the contents and cleaned all of the bits.

 

The components are now drying out in the garage, prior to some new bits being made and the whole reconstructed in time for next season.  Hopefully the birds will return.

[Mr Standfast]

On 24/11/2023 at 15:01, Bryan said:

Bought one today, but it says not to be used on fat fires as the spray tends to spread the fire, rather use a fire blanket.  We don't do any deep fat frying so probably OK.

 

 

Eventually bought one! It's doing a sterling job as a kitchen ornament!

[KellyC]

Thank you Cecile and Bryan! They finally called and he goes in for the surgery next Thursday so we will still be covered by our current healthcare plan. Still have to figure out next year's mess but it's a start.

[Marianne]

Today, I went to the dentist for the second time this week. After a $381 bill yesterday to temporarily remount an old bridge that, after 35 years, popped out yesterday morning, I went back today for them to measure me for the new bridge, figure out if the teeth underneath could be saved (they can - just had to clean and do one filling), the bill was $9,180 for the filling, a cleaning, the new bridge, and a cat scan for additional oral surgery I'm having tomorrow. Yikes! And that's not all. I was there 5 hours today including meeting with the oral surgeon for tomorrow's surgery to do an implant for a tooth I lost a while back due to extreme dry mouth from Sjogren's Syndrome which has a serious impact on my oral health. Depending on how involved the bone graft they have to do turns out to be, they estimate tomorrow's bill will be another $9-10,000. 

 

I'm really nervous about the surgery, should be sleeping but can't. They might have to do a root canal on the tooth next to the one I lost too if the bone graft isn't sufficient to keep it in place. My bite has shifted badly as well due to bone loss, so it looks like I'll been needing two crowns in January to balance out my bite (at nearly $3K a pop). My husband had a crown he got about 20 years ago fall out just a couple weeks ago. Glad I did all my Christmas shopping before all this. And I'm glad that this happened before I headed out of town for Christmas to visit my daughter & grandson. I had to have emergency oral surgery out there on New Year's Eve when my tooth broke & couldn't be saved (hence the need for the implant now). Much more comfortable having my dentist's office do it than some stranger, but it's a small fortune. 

 

 @KellyC  glad you got that sorted. Best of luck with your husband's surgery. My husband had skin cancer, but not melanoma, but the surgery was delayed twice as it was initially scheduled for the day that first day of the Covid shutdown back in March 2020. He eventually had the surgery nearly 5 month after the initial diagnosis and the wait was really nerve-wracking. 

 

 

[Martyn]

47 minutes ago, Marianne said:

Today, I went to the dentist for the second time this week. After a $381 bill yesterday to temporarily remount an old bridge that, after 35 years, popped out yesterday morning, I went back today for them to measure me for the new bridge, figure out if the teeth underneath could be saved (they can - just had to clean and do one filling), the bill was $9,180 for the filling, a cleaning, the new bridge, and a cat scan for additional oral surgery I'm having tomorrow. Yikes! And that's not all. I was there 5 hours today including meeting with the oral surgeon for tomorrow's surgery to do an implant for a tooth I lost a while back due to extreme dry mouth from Sjogren's Syndrome which has a serious impact on my oral health. Depending on how involved the bone graft they have to do turns out to be, they estimate tomorrow's bill will be another $9-10,000. 

 

 

 

 

Those prices are outrageous !! It seems to me that it would be far cheaper to fly to somewhere like Budapest, have a couple of weeks holiday / vacation there and have the dental work done whilst there and still save a fortune !!

[Allan Bell]

8 minutes ago, Martyn said:

 

Those prices are outrageous !! It seems to me that it would be far cheaper to fly to somewhere like Budapest, have a couple of weeks holiday / vacation there and have the dental work done whilst there and still save a fortune !!

 

I am pretty sure it would be cheaper in the UK as well.

 

Allan

 

[Gervais Montacute]

Bad thing today>

 

I got an email from the Manchester Leica centre telling me that the ETA of the Leica Q3 is about 6 months.

[Marianne]

Martyn & Allan, I'm sure you're right, but with vertigo attacks still frequent, I can't fly anywhere. It's nearly Christmas and I want to be well by then so I can visit with my family. I also have serious allergies to many medications - both antibiotics and pain medications. When I had the tooth pulled in Ohio they insisted on giving me pain meds I couldn't tolerate, it was really hell. Better to deal with someone who has my full medical history and who will discuss alternatives, not one-size-fits-all treatment. I know who I'm dealing with and will be able to come back to my own home. They are using a titanium post made in Switzerland, not one made in China, the surgeon has taught implantation to others for years, went to a top dental school, and they are also using the latest grafting technology which uses the cells in my blood to grow new bone. It sounded fascinating and I'm usually really squeamish. And I could lose the other tooth if they don't act soon, so I really don't have time to plan a trip abroad for medical care - I wouldn't know where to start. Heading out soon. Trying to distract myself until then. But yeah, it's a lot. They are on the high end of the spectrum even here in NY. 

Edited November 30, 2023 by Marianne

[NYCat]

7 hours ago, Marianne said:

Martyn & Allan, I'm sure you're right, but with vertigo attacks still frequent, I can't fly anywhere. It's nearly Christmas and I want to be well by then so I can visit with my family. I also have serious allergies to many medications - both antibiotics and pain medications. When I had the tooth pulled in Ohio they insisted on giving me pain meds I couldn't tolerate, it was really hell. Better to deal with someone who has my full medical history and who will discuss alternatives, not one-size-fits-all treatment. I know who I'm dealing with and will be able to come back to my own home. They are using a titanium post made in Switzerland, not one made in China, the surgeon has taught implantation to others for years, went to a top dental school, and they are also using the latest grafting technology which uses the cells in my blood to grow new bone. It sounded fascinating and I'm usually really squeamish. And I could lose the other tooth if they don't act soon, so I really don't have time to plan a trip abroad for medical care - I wouldn't know where to start. Heading out soon. Trying to distract myself until then. But yeah, it's a lot. They are on the high end of the spectrum even here in NY. 

 

As I'm sure you can see by now the implant process can be complicated. You definitely want the best. I have two of them and it is like having a real tooth but it won't decay. Good luck with it.

 

Paulette

[KellyC]

Marianne, thank you for the good thoughts. I wish you the best of luck as well. I am so sorry you have to go through all this and have to worry about huge bills on top of it. It's so frustrating 😞

 

Kelly

[sb photos]

Earlier today all was going well until I received a phone call from my wife re an annual gas safety check at home. Changes in gas pressure were noted and we were advised there was a safety issue and our outside gas meter was disconnected and the gas disconnected. We were advised a team from SGN would visit within 2 hours and replace the meter. This happened within the 2 hours, but the problem was traced to piping under our front drive. Paving slabs were removed and digging down to the pipe was well under way by the time I returned from Oxford. I noted two very large fire extinguishers with the workers other kit. The work being undertaken had no photographic interest. Later we were told that permits were being obtained to dig up the pavement. Now we can hear the chatter of a pneumatic drill, and we wonder if we will have hot water and heating later today.

 

Edited December 9, 2023 by sb photos

[NYCat]

Oh nooo. Hot water is so important. Our plumber helped get it back for people here after SuperStorm Sandy. He told me people would burst into tears and hug him when he restored the hot water. Mind you, they had been without it for a while. I hope you have some sort of emergency heater on hand.

 

Paulette

[Mr Standfast]

1 hour ago, sb photos said:

Earlier today all was going well until I received a phone call from my wife re an annual gas safety check at home. Changes in gas pressure were noted and we were advised there was a safety issue and our outside gas meter was disconnected and the gas disconnected. We were advised a team from SGN would visit within 2 hours and replace the meter. This happened within the 2 hours, but the problem was traced to piping under our front drive. Paving slabs were removed and digging down to the pipe was well under way by the time I returned from Oxford. I noted two very large fire extinguishers with the workers other kit. The work being undertaken had no photographic interest. Later we were told that permits were being obtained to dig up the pavement. Now we can hear the chatter of a pneumatic drill, and we wonder if we will have hot water and heating later today.

 

Fingers crossed!

[sb photos]

3 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

Fingers crossed!

 

By 10pm we had our gas back again. I did take one shot around 8.30, couldn't resist it, of one of the engineers in his hole illuminated by his work light. Back to normality again.

[Bryan]

7 hours ago, sb photos said:

 

By 10pm we had our gas back again. I did take one shot around 8.30, couldn't resist it, of one of the engineers in his hole illuminated by his work light. Back to normality again.

 

Good to hear, impressive that they were able to sort the problem so quickly.

[Ed Rooney]

 

Many of you know or suspect me of being a 20th-century Brooklyn boy. I am. As such, I find myself uncomfortable with many things here in the 21st century. I'm going to attempt a list. It's not that I want to get rid of these things altogether. Mostly, it's the excess of them I don't like. 

 

Here we go! And Alamy -- this does concern stock photography because I take pictures of all of them.

 

Gambling parlors, fast food, street food, apps, digital updates, tourism, odd cleanup machines, assault rifles, young groups of drunks, the homeless, Hollywood violence, advertising, and PR masquerading as news, trash on the street.

 

That's not the complete list, but I'll leave it for now.

 

Gambling parlors: I see nothing wrong with placing a bet as long as it's not the kids' milk money you're using. But along the streets of Liverpool, there seem to be as many betting places as coffee shops.  

 

[Betty LaRue]

8 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

Many of you know or suspect me of being a 20th-century Brooklyn boy. I am. As such, I find myself uncomfortable with many things here in the 21st century. I'm going to attempt a list. It's not that I want to get rid of these things altogether. Mostly, it's the excess of them I don't like. 

 

Here we go! And Alamy -- this does concern stock photography because I take pictures of all of them.

 

Gambling parlors, fast food, street food, apps, digital updates, tourism, odd cleanup machines, assault rifles, young groups of drunks, the homeless, Hollywood violence, advertising, and PR masquerading as news, trash on the street.

 

That's not the complete list, but I'll leave it for now.

 

Gambling parlors: I see nothing wrong with placing a bet as long as it's not the kids' milk money you're using. But along the streets of Liverpool, there seem to be as many betting places as coffee shops.  

 

I’ll add my pet peeve, but everyone faces it. Rising prices. A can of my favorite brew coffee has gone up from $8 pre-pandemic to over $20. And it seems, along with all other prices, is here to stay.

I’d buy cat food to eat, but it’s too expensive.😉

[Ed Rooney]

 

$20, Betty? That is wild inflation. $8.20 a pound is what I paid for my dark roast French brew today. Food prices here have gone up but not much.  

[Bryan]

9 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

Many of you know or suspect me of being a 20th-century Brooklyn boy. I am. As such, I find myself uncomfortable with many things here in the 21st century. I'm going to attempt a list. It's not that I want to get rid of these things altogether. Mostly, it's the excess of them I don't like. 

 

Gambling parlors, fast food, street food, apps, digital updates, tourism, odd cleanup machines, assault rifles, young groups of drunks, the homeless, Hollywood violence, advertising, and PR masquerading as news, trash on the street.

 

That's not the complete list, but I'll leave it for now.

 

I share many of your dislikes Ed, some are connected, for example fast food and trash on the street.  Drunkenness and fast food lead to obesity. I find that I move much faster than many folk half my age who waddle rather than walk. Folk glued to mobile phones are another annoyance, particularly when they stand unaware in my path, Grrrrr !

 

However tourism doesn't bother me locally.  Durham city is popular, but we don't get mega cruise ships bringing in hordes of folk, and the region could use some extra income. Is it a problem in Liverpool ?

[John Mitchell]

On 30/11/2023 at 01:43, Marianne said:

Today, I went to the dentist for the second time this week. After a $381 bill yesterday to temporarily remount an old bridge that, after 35 years, popped out yesterday morning, I went back today for them to measure me for the new bridge, figure out if the teeth underneath could be saved (they can - just had to clean and do one filling), the bill was $9,180 for the filling, a cleaning, the new bridge, and a cat scan for additional oral surgery I'm having tomorrow. Yikes! And that's not all. I was there 5 hours today including meeting with the oral surgeon for tomorrow's surgery to do an implant for a tooth I lost a while back due to extreme dry mouth from Sjogren's Syndrome which has a serious impact on my oral health. Depending on how involved the bone graft they have to do turns out to be, they estimate tomorrow's bill will be another $9-10,000. 

 

I'm really nervous about the surgery, should be sleeping but can't. They might have to do a root canal on the tooth next to the one I lost too if the bone graft isn't sufficient to keep it in place. My bite has shifted badly as well due to bone loss, so it looks like I'll been needing two crowns in January to balance out my bite (at nearly $3K a pop). My husband had a crown he got about 20 years ago fall out just a couple weeks ago. Glad I did all my Christmas shopping before all this. And I'm glad that this happened before I headed out of town for Christmas to visit my daughter & grandson. I had to have emergency oral surgery out there on New Year's Eve when my tooth broke & couldn't be saved (hence the need for the implant now). Much more comfortable having my dentist's office do it than some stranger, but it's a small fortune. 

 

 @KellyC  glad you got that sorted. Best of luck with your husband's surgery. My husband had skin cancer, but not melanoma, but the surgery was delayed twice as it was initially scheduled for the day that first day of the Covid shutdown back in March 2020. He eventually had the surgery nearly 5 month after the initial diagnosis and the wait was really nerve-wracking. 

 

 

 

I can relate. Eight years ago, I lost a bridge that I had had for about 30 years. The teeth on either side that it was attached to were not saveable. I was supposed to have dental surgery on one of them, but the specialist decided at the last minute that there was too much bone loss (due to abscessing) to make the operation worthwhile. As a result, I now wear a partial denture, which took a long time to get used to. A couple of months ago, I lost another tooth and so will need a new denture. Dental work is very expensive in Canada as well, but the costs you mention sound ridiculous. Have you thought about having work done in Mexico? It's much cheaper than in Canada and the US, and I've heard of people getting very good results. You have to be very careful, though, and do a lot of research beforehand.

[Michael Ventura]

47 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

$20, Betty? That is wild inflation. $8.20 a pound is what I paid for my dark roast French brew today. Food prices here have gone up but not much.  

 

Well according to the International Monterey Fund (IMF), the U.S. and North America, as a whole, has fared better than Europe and much of the rest of the world, for consumer product inflation.  Only a few other countries and regions have done better since Covid 19.  Inflation really took off, during Covid, when the supply chain was greatly disrupted and then I think a lot of major global corporations took advantage of the situation and are making record profits.

 

You can see graphs and timeline here