Friday, March 26, 2021

Ruminations

    Well It has been an eventful New Year in deed.  First Cathy had a cancer scare now I have been informed that the area taken off my neck is suspicious. Which means I have to go back and get more area cut out and then sent for testing.  If the tests show the outer ring of the biopsy is OK then I go back and they sew up the spot completely.  If the biopsy does not show all clear I go back and get a bigger area cut out.  It will be an interesting, if not trying, next few weeks.  I know that God has all this and I remain calm in the fact that I just hand him my anxiety and keep on praying.

   On another note about learning patience.  Cathy and I decided it was time to give up the California King waterbed frame that we have been using for thirty years.  We decided to get a new king size bed with storage drawers under it.  We stopped by Ashley furniture and that is were the adventure begins.  Here is the review I posted on our on going experience:

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The store and the people working there were fine and the process to pick the bed and pay for it went fine. But I soon found out the nice store was just a front for a very bad run business. I had no issues with the bed taking over a month to get to me, as covid has slowed down all commerce. When the bed was delivered I had paid for it to be assembled by competent workers. But I soon found out that the workers were not the best. The bed showed up with no hardware to put it together. So that group just left it and said that they reported it and another group would have to come with the hardware. That next group showed up several days later and acted like they were just delivering the hardware. I told them that they were to be assembling the bed. They proceeded to do the work. They broke a drawer, stripped screws and basically did a poor job. They took pictures and said someone would have to come out with the new drawer and fix the bed. Several days later a drawer showed up via FedEx which was the wrong one. I called and have yet received any drawer or hardware that was stripped. I took the broken drawer and the wrong size drawer and broken handle back to the store because I was tired of storing their stuff in my garage. The guy in the store said they can't take the stuff as that was another department, but I said tough you are taking this and you are to get in touch with whomever was to pick it up. I called Ashley about my replacement drawer and was told it will be several weeks before it arrives. So order made in December and still waiting just short of March. Just plain pitiful and I recommend everyone just to stay away from Ashley.


***Update***
I called once again to see where my parts were and was informed that they never were ordered because there was no pictures of damaged parts submitted. The guys that installed and broke the bed took pictures and said they would submit them. They never did. So I took more pictures and submitted them myself. Now I am told that it will be April before parts arrive. Pathetic. If I can give a zero rating I would.

***Update***
The Ashley delivery truck arrived today March 25th.  I guess it was just the optimist  in me that was hoping this long ordeal would be over. Unfortunately Ashley screwed up again.  The delivery truck had the wrong bed parts. I even showed the delivery driver the pictures I took of the parts that were missing and he was speechless that the person on the other end of the help line could not even get the order right.  The delivery driver took more pictures and called his supervisor.  He then told me that Ashley would be in touch about getting me the correct parts.  So the saga, the endless saga continues.  This is just too unbelievable.

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I am putting this here in my blog to ensure that it remains in the public as a warning for others.

Monday, March 22, 2021

Ruminations

Trying times
 
    The new year has brought the praises of a vaccine but has also brought some trying medical issues.  When a mammogram does not go well you find out what is really important.  After all the tests and exams surgery was needed to ensure no cancer present.  After surgery the wait for results was very tense, but the doctor who did the surgery had a good feeling about what she removed.  We waited for the phone call concerning the results, but with modern technology we were able to get an idea of what was fond well before the doctor called.  You see it seems all hospitals want their patients to have access to a portal to get there money in a shorter time.  The portal is also where you can see what was done and test results.  We read the test results and from even our non-medical minds it looked like the cancer tests were negative.  Sure enough the doctor's office called a few days later and all was well.  Hurrah for technology. Now it is just a long process of healing, but praises all around.
  The new year also brings new concerns over aging parents.  I have learned over many years that we all will get older and sometimes health issues will happen.  I have also learned that you need to get closer to God in prayer during these often stressful time.  Asking God for not only healing and health of aging parents but wisdom to deal with issues. We have to learn that these are people who are sometimes scared about what is happening to them and this fear makes them act and react differently.  We need to learn to try to calm situations down and just see what can be done to allay their fears and thus make the precious time they have left more comfortable for them.  Hard lessons for sure and very hard to learn when your just as scared to see parents health failing, but God will be there in all situations and we just need to keep praying and trusting. 
  The new year also brings hope of another Yellowstone adventure.  I have a contract that will allow me to close the store and see the park in winter again.  Lord willing I will be able to make it through my contract this year, but I know with aging parents and other issues things may not go as planned.  No matter what happens I know it will be the Lord's will guiding me.  I look forward to seeing my Yellowstone friends again and working with some great people.  Wall Drug was great last year but I miss the mountains and all they bring. I will be stopping by Wall Drug on my way to Yellowstone just to say hello to my friends.  They were great to work with and I will always treasure the time spent there.  
   The new year also brings hope.  Go Cubs.  :)