Post your Gripe

[shunt2011]

I've got so many crowns I've lost count. I have another tooth my bottom front middle that due to so much bone loss from bad orthodontics that needs to be pulled (it's about to fall out on it's own) and will also need a bone graft and then implant. Going to have to go around with no tooth for 6 months. I've exhausted my FSA this year and then some due to medical issues. Also having 3 surgeries next week but fortunately, I've met my deductible and almost to my max OOP for copay. I'm so ready for 2020 to be done with. I've been sick for 6 months and they still aren't positive what it is. Medical and dental expenses are crazy. I work in a hospital an my insurance sucks.

 

[Catscankim]

I've got so many crowns I've lost count. I have another tooth my bottom front middle that due to so much bone loss from bad orthodontics that needs to be pulled (it's about to fall out on it's own) and will also need a bone graft and then implant. Going to have to go around with no tooth for 6 months. I've exhausted my FSA this year and then some due to medical issues. Also having 3 surgeries next week but fortunately, I've met my deductible and almost to my max OOP for copay. I'm so ready for 2020 to be done with. I've been sick for 6 months and they still aren't positive what it is. Medical and dental expenses are crazy. I work in a hospital an my insurance sucks.

I am sorry to hear all of that. I had no idea . THREE surgeries!?!? You poor thing. Will be keeping you in my thoughts.

The upside with the next open enrollment (presuming January), you can use any/all of your new fsa. The downside is starting over with your oop expenses and deductibles. I am sure you play the timing game as I do with medical/dental expenses when it comes to enrollment periods and fsa.

We always have like three tiers of benefit coverages to choose from, ranging from sucks to sucks worse. I always pick the highest level of coverage, which is average at best. Knock on wood I havent had to use it much aside from prescriptions or urgent care visits. Same with the dental coverage. I KNOW im going to use it, so i always pick the best they offer, i guess this year they went with the economy package.

And working in hospitals, the levels of “professional courtesies” has dropped to almost nothing as well. Everybody is so afraid of being sued. We have trauma docs that will let you get all up in there and put a glove on and touch something (lol) but ask them to write you a script for a zpack and they are like “no, sorry”

I wish you the very best. Hope everything starts to look up for you, and they can give you a diagnosis soon. And good luck with your tooth. Mouth discomfort sucks, especially if you are always afraid that something might fall out or break. I have tried every product on the market that promises enamel repairing, rebuilding, etc. I even gave oil pulling a shot...disgusting to say the least. When i see somebody my age with a perfect bright smile, and they tell me they have had no work done....

 

[beckster51]

Yeah. I have priced implants. Basically i have learned that the majority of the cost is the crown, which i have four so far, soon to be five.

I am missing a tooth behind the canine that is the one getting the root canal this week. The whole reason i went to the dentist today was to have a consult for the implant for my missing tooth. I purposely put $2500 on my fsa card to get the first half of the work done, and its nearing the end of the year, so when its ready to have the permanent crown put on...january i can do the $2500 on the fsa to pay for the rest.

i thought i had the timing so perfectly planned out lol. Then they found this problem. As soon as she started messing with my tooth i was like noooooo. It hurt so bad, and there goes my implant fund lol.

and i am so self conscience about the missing tooth, i hate to smile, even though everybody says they cant notice it.

To top it off, pre covid, one of my bottom crowns popped off while eating a swedish fish. I brought that with me today hoping she could glue it back on. She said no, just throw it out. Its been too long and now they have to work on that tooth again and have it refit for a new one. WHAT!!! That particular crown cost $5000. For that price i should have it set into a ring lol.

I have 8 root canals and 12 crowns and 2 permanent bridges, so you have my complete sympathy. I also had to have my teeth capped with silver when I was a kid, wore braces for over 5 years. I have always had bad teeth, but I am determined to keep my teeth! As a nurse and an old lady, I have seen what it does to people when they lose their teeth. Often, it really affects their nutritional status and their well being. So, I am encouraging you to do what you have to do to keep your teeth. I don't think I have paid that much for a crown, EVER. Maybe you should get another opinion? Just a thought.

I've got so many crowns I've lost count. I have another tooth my bottom front middle that due to so much bone loss from bad orthodontics that needs to be pulled (it's about to fall out on it's own) and will also need a bone graft and then implant. Going to have to go around with no tooth for 6 months. I've exhausted my FSA this year and then some due to medical issues. Also having 3 surgeries next week but fortunately, I've met my deductible and almost to my max OOP for copay. I'm so ready for 2020 to be done with. I've been sick for 6 months and they still aren't positive what it is. Medical and dental expenses are crazy. I work in a hospital an my insurance sucks.

I am so sorry to hear this! Doesn't all dental insurance suck? I have never had a policy that paid doodly squat, so I finally quit paying for it. Good luck with getting a resolution to all this! What a miserable thing to be dealing with!

 

[Catscankim]

I have 8 root canals and 12 crowns and 2 permanent bridges, so you have my complete sympathy. I also had to have my teeth capped with silver when I was a kid, wore braces for over 5 years. I have always had bad teeth, but I am determined to keep my teeth! As a nurse and an old lady, I have seen what it does to people when they lose their teeth. Often, it really affects their nutritional status and their well being. So, I am encouraging you to do what you have to do to keep your teeth. I don't think I have paid that much for a crown, EVER. Maybe you should get another opinion? Just a thought.

I have two back crowns. They didnt cost as much. Its a front tooth, so its got to be as natural as possible looking i guess.

My dad is retired dental lab tech. I wish he was still in the biz lol. But he had bad teeth too...well my whole family does, on his side. When i was a kid i used to walk down to the dentist by myself with a blank check LOL...the good old days lol.

The dentist yesterday was new to me. She was very nice, but i can tell she thought my problems were bad dental hygiene. Its not. Just a battle i have been dealing with forever. I wasnt in the mood to explain it to yet another person. Since i have been in florida (13years) i have bounced from dentist to dentist, either because of insurance or them moving. I thought i had the most perfect dentist for years. Then his wife died and he retired.

Well i would love to keep rambling on about my bad teeth, but my nurture soap package just arrived LOL

 

[BattleGnome]

Gripe: I went to the store to do one thing, try on clothes and figure out my sizes. It’s the one thing I couldn’t do!

I really can’t blame them (Kohl’s), they were doing everything right. Every associate was masked, gloved, and carrying a spray bottle. Constantly wiping things down, hand sanitizer at the entrance, registers wiped after every transaction... dressing rooms closed. I’ve worked the overnight shift for 8 years in a small town. For 8 years I’ve had to wake up early or go to bed late if I wanted to go shopping. now that I’m on days I’d like to feel like an adult. T-shirts are very forgiving for the weight fluctuations I’ve had but every once in a while you want to look your age.

online shopping is an option, I just don’t know what size to order. I’m going to have to get my husband to help me measure and do this the hard way

 

[beckster51]

I have two back crowns. They didnt cost as much. Its a front tooth, so its got to be as natural as possible looking i guess.

My dad is retired dental lab tech. I wish he was still in the biz lol. But he had bad teeth too...well my whole family does, on his side. When i was a kid i used to walk down to the dentist by myself with a blank check LOL...the good old days lol.

The dentist yesterday was new to me. She was very nice, but i can tell she thought my problems were bad dental hygiene. Its not. Just a battle i have been dealing with forever. I wasnt in the mood to explain it to yet another person. Since i have been in florida (13years) i have bounced from dentist to dentist, either because of insurance or them moving. I thought i had the most perfect dentist for years. Then his wife died and he retired.

Well i would love to keep rambling on about my bad teeth, but my nurture soap package just arrived LOL

I have successfully found good dentists almost everywhere I have ever lived. If you know someone who is married to a dentist, ask them who they see for dental work. The people who are married to dentists always have the best dentists! I hope your troubles get better, Kim.

 

[earlene]

Have you tried lavender EO neat on the bites? That works pretty well for me.

No, straight onto the skin is really not recommended for EO's. It is in my bug repellent, however and it does stop the itching if I apply it to a bite that occurred before applying for prevention, which is nice, too.

I wasn't going to respond to the question because I didn't want to start a disruptive discussion, but it's been nagging at me and I thought I would just put it out there, that it's really ill-advised based on recent findings and so forth.

https://tisserandinstitute.org/new-survey-reveals-dangers-of-not-diluting-essential-oils/
And simply because it has come up in the past here at SMF, & I'd like to avoid perpetuating the ongoing myth about the French scientist, Gattefossé inserting his hands into a vat of lavender essential oil he had laying around in his lab.The myth is not borne out to be an accurate account of the event:

https://www.tisserandbenelux.eu/aromatherapie/gattefosse

 

[Megan]

I have tried every product on the market that promises enamel repairing, rebuilding, etc. I even gave oil pulling a shot...disgusting to say the least.
❤❤❤❤

I also have bad teeth. I've been trying theobromine toothpaste at the moment, but have yet to see if it's going to help.

I am so sorry to hear this! Doesn't all dental insurance suck? I have never had a policy that paid doodly squat, so I finally quit paying for it. Good luck with getting a resolution to all this! What a miserable thing to be dealing with!

I've found that the ONLY good dental insurance has been in house dental. And then, ONLY when I know I'm going to have a big project done.

Although, my parents did have good dental insurance for me when I was a kid, I just don't know what brand and how crazy the deductibles are.

 

[AliOop]

No, straight onto the skin is really not recommended for EO's. It is in my bug repellent, however and it does stop the itching if I apply it to a bite that occurred before applying for prevention, which is nice, too.
I wasn't going to respond to the question because I didn't want to start a disruptive discussion, but it's been nagging at me and I thought I would just put it out there, that it's really ill-advised based on recent findings and so forth.
https://tisserandinstitute.org/new-survey-reveals-dangers-of-not-diluting-essential-oils/And simply because it has come up in the past here at SMF, & I'd like to avoid perpetuating the ongoing myth about the French scientist, Gattefossé inserting his hands into a vat of lavender essential oil he had laying around in his lab.The myth is not borne out to be an accurate account of the event:
https://www.tisserandbenelux.eu/aromatherapie/gattefosse

@earlene I understand and agree with the concerns you expressed, and certainly don't want to encourage anyone to use EOs without dilution as a general practice. Lavender is the only EO that I use "neat" - and then only a single drop applied to a Q-tip that is then swiped on bug bites, stings, and burns that don't respond to my lavender-calendula body butter (which most of them do). Thankfully we no longer live in Texas, so most of my serious bug-bite woes are a thing of the past.

 

[earlene]

I don't get bit much at all in Texas, but here in Illinois, I'm a smorgasbord this time of year. It might have to do with which part of Texas I'm in and the particular season, though. Pollen allergies don't seem to bother me hardly ever in San Antonio, but in the Houston area, they certainly do.

Last night, after I came back inside, Hubby & I were watching TV & he said, 'There's a mosquito in here' as he swatted something away. "Kill it; don't swat it away." He did, he killed it, for which I am very grateful. It would have been feasting on my all night if I'd fallen asleep in front of the TV which I often do.

It probably followed me inside though the open door; or hitched a ride on Kitty Baby's fur coat.

She doesn't like my bug repellent; I think it smells too strongly of citronella for her. I'm going to make something for no-see-ums later today, because what I make that keeps the mosquitoes away isn't working on the no-see-ums. It won't include citronella, so we'll see if that's really the ingredient Kitty Baby finds off-putting.

It didn't help that Hubby tossed a take-out cut of coffee with milk &/or sweetener into the garbage can outside & it's been fermenting inside and soaking into everything else inside the can. I opened it this morning to toss in a well-sealed bag of garbage & saw not only 2 pair of his pants now sopped in the festering liquid, but dozens, if not hundreds of tiny sweet-loving bugs flying out when I opened the lid. So I had to up-end the garbage can and clean the blankety-blank thing out & re-bag all the blankety-blank garbage into dry bags & triple bag the whole mess so it wouldn't leak out while waiting for the inside of the garabage can to dry out. AND I sprayed the sweet-coffee laden pairs of pants with the water hose too, and hung them up to dry in the wind & sun. I probably didn't really need to spray the pants, but I'm making a point to Hubby about tossing liquids into the garbage can & attracting bugs that bite us when they get out. I HATE a filthy garbage can. That's part of why we bag up the garbage before carrying it out to the garbage can; it's not just so it won't drip onto the floor as we carry it out & I have to mop it up.

 

[AliOop]

@earlene I've read that catnip is a wonderful bug repellent ingredient, and have used it in my homemade version with good success (although there were 6-7 EOs blended so I really can't say which one did the trick). I bet that Kitty Baby would love a bug repellent spray with some catnip EO in it.

 

[msunnerstood]

A resident and staff member tested positive for covid at the skilled nursing facility my mother has been at the last 3 weeks after falling and breaking her wrist and hip. The already strictly scheduled visits have been put on hold indefinitely. They have not told us what wing of the facility the positive cases were yet. Every part of me wants to go get her out of there.

 

[lenarenee]

A resident and staff member tested positive for covid at the skilled nursing facility my mother has been at the last 3 weeks after falling and breaking her wrist and hip. The already strictly scheduled visits have been put on hold indefinitely. They have not told us what wing of the facility the positive cases were yet. Every part of me wants to go get her out of there.

I don't blame you one bit! I sure hope they've been stringent with their virus protocol because that will make a huge difference.

 

[The Park Bench]

@earlene I've read that catnip is a wonderful bug repellent ingredient, and have used it in my homemade version with good success (although there were 6-7 EOs blended so I really can't say which one did the trick). I bet that Kitty Baby would love a bug repellent spray with some catnip EO in it.

My research shows that at a 1% dilution, catnip essential oil is 95% effective at repelling mosquitoes from even landing. It is more effective than Feet on insects in general. It's the key ingredient in my bug out spray. Research excites me but I'm not sitting in front of my computer with my notes right now to point you to the many research articles that I read.

 

[Catscankim]

My gripe....

Back in December I got pulled over on the Turnpike. I was on my way to my best friends funeral. Trying to convince a cop that you are on your way to a funeral and are already late when they pull you over is futile. Anyway, I have a super clean driving record. One little word I heard was "warning", so I threw the paper in the glove box and forgot about it...assuming it was a warning. I was really distressed at the time over going to the funeral, which was almost an hour drive.

Well it wasn't a warning. I got pulled over on the Turnpike on Wednesday last week, and apparently what I thought was a warning, was a $113 ticket that I never paid. My license is suspended. I never knew. A handful of tickets later, he let me drive to work with a "driving under suspension, without knowledge"...which the last part makes a big difference according to the law lol.

Soooo, I leave work that night and went home and tried to pay the ticket and associated fines. Which now...since apparently it has been suspended since February (which I didn't know), the court will no longer accept your payment online. Next morning I had to call a 3rd party, I guess sort of a collection type agency. Ticket is paid. She said that they will update the court and DMV.

I keep checking the websites (dmv and courthouse), finally the courthouse reflects that it has been paid. It hasn't mattered, I needed to go to work. So yes, I have been driving, VERY carefully. And I work an hour away from my house.

Last night I am leaving work and I get pulled over by a Sheriff who happened to be sitting behind me at a redlight who apparently has nothing better to do at a red light than to run a tag. He let me go with a warning because I work at the hospital, let me park my car back at work and told me that if I get caught driving he would arrest me!! Because now it is driving under suspension WITH knowledge.

The only thing I could do was drive back, wait a half hour in the parking lot and drive home pooping my pants the whole way.

I had to call my boss today. Well, I texted her the whole story and waited for her to get over being mad and waited for her to call me LOL. I can't go to work until this is all cleared up.

In speaking with the person at the DMV today, I have to wait 3-5 business days for the courthouse to update my dmv records. Because of Covid, I have to make an appointment with the DMV to get my driving privilege restored. Appointments are almost a week out, so I went ahead and made an appointment for Tuesday...the first available, in hopes that this is cleared by then.

 

[beckster51]

YIKES! You would think that people would have some milk of human kindness during these times, especially since you work at the hospital. I hope you get it cleared up quickly. In the meantime, do something fun!

 

[earlene]

As annoying as it is, my brother once said to me when I was complaining like that, 'Did you break the law?' Geeze, bro, can't you have a little sympathy for your sister? He asked again, 'Did you break the law?' His point was obvious.

I never complained to him again about being annoyed when I got a ticket for something I did while driving my car.

In any case, I hope you can find a way to get to work in the meantime. Maybe carpool with someone; my SIL used to carpool from the mountains to the city to the hospital where she worked. I was amazed the opportunity for carpooling with a co-worker from her tiny little mountain town was even possible because where they live is so remote.

Anyway, many large hospitals in the US maintain some sort of carpool program, matching folks with others to carpool. It's worth looking into if it keeps you from missing too much work and loosing your job.

(And, yes, I also got a speeding ticket on my way to my dad's deathbed. I can sympathize. But I was also doing 100mph in a 50 mile zone. I did deserve the ticket.) I was married to a cop; don't argue with them.

 

[Catscankim]

As annoying as it is, my brother once said to me when I was complaining like that, 'Did you break the law?' Geeze, bro, can't you have a little sympathy for your sister? He asked again, 'Did you break the law?' His point was obvious.

I never complained to him again about being annoyed when I got a ticket for something I did while driving my car.

In any case, I hope you can find a way to get to work in the meantime. Maybe carpool with someone; my SIL used to carpool from the mountains to the city to the hospital where she worked. I was amazed the opportunity for carpooling with a co-worker from her tiny little mountain town was even possible because where they live is so remote.

Anyway, many large hospitals in the US maintain some sort of carpool program, matching folks with others to carpool. It's worth looking into if it keeps you from missing too much work and loosing your job.

(And, yes, I also got a speeding ticket on my way to my dad's deathbed. I can sympathize. But I was also doing 100mph in a 50 mile zone. I did deserve the ticket.) I was married to a cop; don't argue with them.

I don't argue with police. I have total respect. Three cousins and an uncle (retired) are Philadelphia police, and my uncle on my mother's side was a PA State Trooper. A very good friend of mine was killed while on duty (EOW Officer Morales). My facebook page photo is the "Thin Blue Line". I hate how they are disrespected these days.

@earlene I love your bluntness LOL.

I guess my biggest gripe is how long it is taking to make it right. The payment did go through today, but I still have to go to the DMV to get it reinstated. You would think with covid they would make it easier to do it online. On the bright side, I proactively made that appointment for Tuesday. The downside is that I have to wait until Tuesday. I checked again today to see if there were any available appointments or cancellations. As of now, the next available appointment is for next Friday. My appointment is for 10:40 am Tuesday, so that should give me plenty of time to get to work.

So I have a few unexpected days off from work. I have no oils right now to make soap, except coconut oil, so maybe I will do a salt bar. I dunno. But all my laundry is done lol. Next project....

 

[earlene]

I just learned today that the nursing home where my MIL resides is denying her the right to vote. My husband asked me if I had ever heard of a test to determine a nursing home person's capability to make voting decisions. Of course I had not (I worked as the Educator in a Skilled Nursing Facility for several years in California prior to our marriage). I asked why and he told me when he spoke with the staff yesterday (they do a weekly call to keep him updated during the CoVid lockdown - some staff have tested positive) and was told she had failed the test to vote.

Well, now, let me tell you: I am furious! Not only is that a violation of Federal law, it is also a violation of state law. Illinois law ensures all the right to vote, whether mentally incapacitated or not. And she is NOT mentally incapacitated anyway. Even if she were, it is immaterial, she has a right to vote and they have decided she won't be afforded the opportunity.

Rest assured, I advised my husband to call the Ombudsman on Monday as well as the Election Authority for our County as well. If he doesn't do it, I will. This is insufferable. What makes this even worse, is this facility is one of a national chain with 400 nursing homes in 20 states! So if they are doing this here, in my little town, where else is it going on?

 

[beckster51]

I just learned today that the nursing home where my MIL resides is denying her the right to vote. My husband asked me if I had ever heard of a test to determine a nursing home person's capability to make voting decisions. Of course I had not (I worked as the Educator in a Skilled Nursing Facility for several years in California prior to our marriage). I asked why and he told me when he spoke with the staff yesterday (they do a weekly call to keep him updated during the CoVid lockdown - some staff have tested positive) and was told she had failed the test to vote.

Well, now, let me tell you: I am furious! Not only is that a violation of Federal law, it is also a violation of state law. Illinois law ensures all the right to vote, whether mentally incapacitated or not. And she is NOT mentally incapacitated anyway. Even if she were, it is immaterial, she has a right to vote and they have decided she won't be afforded the opportunity.

Rest assured, I advised my husband to call the Ombudsman on Monday as well as the Election Authority for our County as well. If he doesn't do it, I will. This is insufferable. What makes this even worse, is this facility is one of a national chain with 400 nursing homes in 20 states! So if they are doing this here, in my little town, where else is it going on?

Well, I would be furious as well! I think it is a felony to deny someone the right to vote. Sounds like voter suppression. Keep us posted, please. After all, if there was a test to determine if you could vote due to mental capacity, lots of people would flunk it.