One step forward and another back

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This has been a bizarre week. I’m hoping it doesn’t get worse.

I kicked off the week with a whopper of an eye stye. The kind that’s bigger than your head. I looked (and to some extent still do) like a cyclops or a cartoon of the phantom of the opera.

It started over the weekend (don’t they all?). I know the drill and kicked in with everything I had on hand (including Gus’s eye med but don’t tell the doc. It’s a people med that they prescribe off label for pets). What I really needed was a specific liquid antibiotic that works miracles for me. Oddly, the medical profession no longer recommends it and prefers to give systemic antibiotics that wreak havoc with your GI system (or at least mine). Or, they love to give ointments. I’ve had lots of eye issues over the decades, and I hate ointments. You put them in your eye and then your eye (which has a mind of its own) will squeeze it out onto your cheek. Your face is greasy and you start to get bumps (but the eye doesn’t improve).

It always takes a little “soft shoe” to get the stuff that works, and I end up with the lecture on “this is not really recommended for your condition.” Phooey!

Within 24 hours, my eye is better. The cyclops look is less pronounced. Not ready for galas but it’s better. (Why is it that when you look your worst, you run into people you know? Saw someone while I was trying to sneak in and out of Starbucks. It was nice to see her but I was hoping my eyeball wasn’t freaking her out!)

I used a walk-in medical center. They are popping up like weed sprouts around here. I was very happy with the service. I was seen in less than 10 minutes (a miracle for a non-appointment, non-emergency medical issue) and there was a “give and take” about the remedy. Definite five stars. That was yesterday.

Today was my first follow-up for the hearing aids. I’m still on the fence. I need them occasionally but I’m not excited about wearing them when I’m home not interacting with anyone (which is a lot of the time). Too much tinny clinky noises and not enough voice clarity but I was hoping some adjustment would help.

The “fitter” called off sick. No one called to tell me, so I drove there, parked and walked in. “They said” they called (they didn’t – don’t they know you can tell these days?). If I waited 15 to 20 minutes someone else would help me. I waited 40 minutes and no one freed up. Traditionally, 30 minutes is my limit. I’m old. I don’t have time to waste. I have mountains to climb and oceans to navigate (metaphorically speaking, it’s more like mochas to drink and shoes to fondle). I left.

This is the second time I had an appointment that wasn’t. I don’t have warm fuzzies about the place. I may try a discounted pair through my health care (they send me notices). The attraction to this place was low cost and the extended hours (which doesn’t help if they aren’t properly staffed).

Silver lining — none of the cats are sick and Gracie hasn’t barfed this week (gotta go knock on wood!).

In conclusion, my eye is better but my ears are annoyed. Hoping for a quiet Thursday.

Editor’s note: I chose not to add a picture of an actual stye because….well, because. You’re welcome!

46 thoughts on “One step forward and another back”

  1. Oh no! I hope your eye stye is all gone – those are miserable. Glad you were able to get in to the clinic quickly!
    That is too bad about the hearing aid place. I know what you mean – poor communications with the place always seems like a bad sign to me as well. Hope they up their game!

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  2. Bad customer service negates much of the value of the aids. I hope they send out surveys with every visit (and what is it with the constant surveys for everything these days?). Good luck with your other options.

    Good news with Gracie, bad news with the sty. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve had one. I wish I knew what I was doing right. Now that I’ve thought about it I will probably have one pop up.

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    • Well, after I wrote that post, Gracie did a major barf on my husband’s desk! Never tempt fate. This store never sends out surveys. I don’t think they want to know. I looked up their reviews and their repeat business (buying the second set after the first pair craps out) is only 15%. So people either stop wearing them or go elsewhere. I bought my glasses there and I wasn’t completely happy. It’s probably good for kids without complicated eye issues. Will go elsewhere next year. It’s not my favorite store but their rotisserie chicken is to die for (just ask Gracie!).

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      • I bought glasses at Sam’s once and had continual vertigo that they couldn’t explain. My opthamologist sent me to a independent eye doctor and it turned out that one of the lenses had a prescription that was way off. And that was my lesson on discount eye care. I reckon hearing care has a similar lesson.

        i should get Zoe some rotisserie chicken. It’s been a while.

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  3. Eye styes are annoying. I got my last one while we were traveling (of course). I had no meds for it, so sat on the bed with a warm compress (ie, washcloth) for several hours. Amazingly, it helped!
    Interesting about the hearing aids – aiding what???? Good luck.

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  4. Oh gosh, you have had a go of it this week. I’m be steamed too with the ear people. Apart from you being able to know they neglected to let you know in advance, why do they compound the problem by doubling down on the amount of time to be fitted in? They must think their patients are stupid when in fact, they are smart consumers. Heavy emphasis on the consumption part. Sounds like they need a well crafted negative review on Yelp or Google or other such place so others know what a bunch of dishonest rubes they are.

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    • I’m debating my next move. I’m going to investigate another avenue for hearing aids. Talking with my feet works. This is a huge chain so I doubt a bad review will make a difference but it would make me feel heard. BTW no one ever reached out to me. The guy who called off sick, didn’t call to reschedule. No one did. I have another follow-up apt in mid-January and by then I will decide whether to return and get my money back or stay with them. We’ll see.

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      • I’ve had pretty good luck calling out large companies on social media. They hate bad public reviews. It may not be a perfect solution but they do tend to take notice. Hope you are able to resolve their non-responsiveness satisfactorily. Best of luck.

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  5. Oh Kate, styes are just the worst. I was having so many of them until I started using OcuSoft HypoChlor. I haven’t had one in three years (knock on wood). I hope your stye is better. I think if you have your tried and true liquid antibiotic you are good to go though.
    I like hearing the silver lining for your bizarre week… NoBODY sick and Gracie hasn’t barfed.
    Sending you quiet Thursday vibes.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I also use OcuSoft HypoChlor so no one was more surprised than I was. It’s been a few years since I had one. BTW overnight Gracie had a massive barf that included my husbands health care manual. Yikes!

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  6. Oh, my. I said a quick prayer nothing else happens! Yes, I have no patience for that stuff anymore, my time is just as valuable as anyone else’s so I’m not spending it waiting around. Enjoy your mochas!!

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    • Trying not to do a knee jerk reaction. I have a second follow-up scheduled mid-January so I have time to investigate other options. I’m not going to reschedule this appointment as it’s a busy time of year. The store where I go is a zoo and I have to park almost in the next state! 🙂

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    • We discovered this urgent care place when my husband had a Sunday morning emergency that didn’t warrant the ER. It was wonderful. It was quick and helpful. Mostly staffed with PAs but I’m ok with that (as long as it’s not a heart attack!). We didn’t know if it was a fluke because it was Sunday morning so we’ve gone there a few times and it’s always timely. I worry that it’s not busy enough and they’ll close but they have just built a small “community hospital” next to it so hopefully not. Our big health network is taking healthcare into the neighborhoods and it seems to be a good thing. For major illnesses and trauma you still need to go to the main hospital but they are doing simple surgeries with short stays at the small neighborhood hospitals.

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  12. Glad your eye is better. You should have grabbed a mask, sunglasses, and a ball cap and no one would recognize you. :-)Sorry about your hearing aid experience. I went to a hearing aid store, paid big bucks, but I haven’t been back in two years because they both work well. Thanks for no photo because you did well with the words. 🙂

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  15. Hi, Kate – I’m sorry that your hearing aids have continued to be a drag for you. On our doctor’s recommendation, Richard got his hearing aids at Costco. He has been delighted with their fast, friendly and proactive service.

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  16. Oh dearie me – I’ve never had a stye but weirdly enough I have two friends who have had them over the past couple of months. Cause? They were told to throw out ALL their old eye make-up because it DOES have a shelf life and you CAN get an infection from it. Also taking some kind of antibiotic which I think you already are taking from the urgent care place you went! All I know is it’s not FUN having a stye – glad you’re on the mend. As for the aids it’s a shame that the people you got them from don’t have a good “after care/adjustment period” policy or proper staffing. I’ve heard from lots of folks it does take time AND adjustments so if you can’t get help it’s beyond frustrating. Hope EVERYTHING (all of the above!) work out though – tis the season for happy!

    Hugs, Pam

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    • I don’t wear eye makeup because of my dry eye. Not sure how I got it but I did. I’m not completely discouraged on the aids (except maybe for THAT place). I may not wear them all the time but they are useful in some situations. In a couple more days, my eye won’t annoy me as much and I’ll be back in the spirit! 🙂

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  18. I loved your description on not having time to wait because you are old and have things to do! Your humor always comes through. May the cats stay well and Gracie not barf for the rest of the week! And your ears will be happier. Cheers!

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