Disney Wonder Sept 3-7,2006 Part 2

[PirateCutie05]

Haha, be one of those super cool people who put those things up in their window designed to keep the heat out.

I've been putting one of those up all summer in the Odyssey!!! Now that we're driving my car in to work I'm like...can we just put it in my car??

 

[Piecey]

I've been putting one of those up all summer in the Odyssey!!! Now that we're driving my car in to work I'm like...can we just put it in my car??

Oops. Sorry, I laugh at the people with them here. Do those things really help?? Heat doesn't bother me too bad, though. I should keep my mouth shut. It might have something to do with the fact that our college took the air conditioner out to replace it.. and haven't replaced it yet.. thus I've been sweating all stinking summer long.

Tom and I were worried about our AC bill, too, so we've left it on 78 all month. Our stupid electric bill was $35. Crank up the AC!

 

[PirateCutie05]

No please poke fun, that's what it's all about!! Tell you the truth I didn't know you were making fun! Umm...I do think they help a little...but in 90-100 degree whether it's gonna feel like a sauna in your car no matter what...

Well I must pop off to bed...I meant to be in bed close to 9 oclock...whoops! I said let me just play one quick game on gamehouse and then all of a sudden it was past nine! But 3 more days of work this week and then I am DONE for the summer!!! I am soo happy it's almost over I have to get up so early! Goodnight Patsy...and anyone else skulking around!

 

[Piecey]

Heidi- Does your school's financial aid office suck as much as mine?

They offered me my aid. Then they took it away because they said my EFC was too high- they're saying 36k. (It's 0000 now!) and they're using LAST YEARS application and refuse to correct it.
They've also not done about 1/2 the colleges financial aid packets and school starts in less than TWO weeks!

I just called the FAFSA line and they said "Your application reads correctly for your EFC to be "0000"" and said the college put me on Verification Status because of the drastic change from 36k to $0. She said her file shows after I verify the marriage "legally took place BEFORE the school year started or at least before the halfway mark of the year" it's absolutely correct.

The school has my marriage license on file and NEVER asked for Verification-- they automatically just reverted back to using the old FAFSA.

GAAAAAH. I'm SOOO pissed off. I hate the financial aid office!

Ugh. Everyone hates that office and now I understand why.

 

[purplern]

Aw, that stinks. I haven't been up there, other than the airport, in ages. I hope to take Tom down to the area by the river where the Hard Rock is and everything when we go up this weekend. Then I'll get to see the UPMC in neon.

I just remember when visiting Lauren's aunt and uncle (they lived in Forest Hills, I think?) we'd always come up after school Friday and go through that tunnel and we were like "Woohoo!"
An exciting time for two high school girls from West Virginia!

YEP it's hard to Miss!

 

[PirateCutie05]

Heidi- Does your school's financial aid office suck as much as mine?

Why yes, yes it does. I can't remember why but for some reason my sophomore year they had to have me come in and ok something or I can't remember exactly but something for my outside loan that I DID NOT have to do my freshman year. I think I had to sign something or verify something for them to give me my refund?? Incidentally I went during Tropical Storm Ernesto and thereby crashed into a nearby picnic table on my bike while avoiding a kid with an umbrella. All of this happening within less than a week before departing on the cruise we all went on together.

THEN before I went to Australia they told me my loan would disburse 15 days before classes started at UNCW. BUT my classes at JCU started almost a month before UNCW. Which irked me cause I had to have my loan paid to UNCW and then UNCW would give me the money to pay JCU. If classes started in Australia first don't you think I'd need the money beforehand?? And then I didn't even get the money 15 days in advance...it came later than that and I had been paying OUT OF POCKET for my housing in Australia...which luckily I could do thanks to a nice amount of money in my savings account. AND I needed to pay the JCU tuition which I had already had them postpone because of the whole loan arrangement. So here Australia was probably thinking I wasn't going to pay cause our financial aid office is as SLOW as molasses!!!!

Don't even get me started on this year. School hasn't even started and they've already given me a headache!

 

[Piecey]

Alright.
Guess what?
They're using last year's FAFSA because I'm married so "This years is incorrect."

They declined Tom as my dependent because I didn't file "married" even though if I'd filed "married" I'd of filed an illegal document. ***?

I'm going in Friday with Tom (as he is their ONLY VA rep in the financial aid office, the ONLY one who knows how to do the job) and talking to the director of financial aid. Tom doesn't need the miniscule bit he makes there and he hates it, so he's decided that if they continue to screw me he's handing them his keys on Friday and we're going to Orlando for a stress-free vacation!
No one else knows how to do his job (even though he's doing the job of a full-time financial aid advisor!) and they can't hire anyone to replace him unless they a) qualify for VA assistance b) qualify for Work Study c) are a student and d) are a veteran.
They know they can't afford to lose him, especially with the new semester. The college is HANDED tens of thousands of dollars to be VA certified and to pay the guy whose job Tom is doing. If no one is hired to do the job, they can lose their VA accredidation and a LOT of money.

We're not trying to blackmail them (we're not going to mention that until AFTER the director of financial aid tells us what he is going to do) but the fact that they're doing this, making Tom do someone else's job and STILL think they can screw us... is unbelievable. Why would you do that to someone who you can't afford to lose? Sure, they're screwing up MY financial aid packet, not his-- but I'm his wife! Do they think I'm not going to tell him?
All the proof Tom would need is HIS handwriting on ALL the Veteran's Certification letters that have gone through the college the past two years-- with the other guys signature.

Not to mention, the money they're withholding is money that the GOVERNMENT has already approved me for! It's WV STATE money! It's not even from the college! But they're acting like it comes out of THEIR pocket!

I just think its crap that they mail me a letter saying that the WV Higher Ed Grant is going to cover 90% of my tuition as long as my GPA stays over 3.0 but now the college is going back and taking it away from me. What the heck does the college care if the state of WV wants to pay my tuition?!

 

[PirateCutie05]

Oh Patsy, that's terrible!! But I know you'll get the money in the end...I mean...it'ts not WVU's so they can't take it for very long! Just be happy you've got most of your tuition paid for for good grades... I got straight A's my first 2 semesters at UNCW and you want to know what I got?? Nothing. So much for rewarding students for making your school look good...

 

[Piecey]

Oh Patsy, that's terrible!! But I know you'll get the money in the end...I mean...it'ts not WVU's so they can't take it for very long! Just be happy you've got most of your tuition paid for for good grades... I got straight A's my first 2 semesters at UNCW and you want to know what I got?? Nothing. So much for rewarding students for making your school look good...

Eh.. the state of WV is paying for it, not the college. It's pretty nice-- the state is VERY invested in higher education now because of all the people who are leaving the state. They've got a few 100% paid package deals for degrees that they desperately want workers to stay here for.. only catch is you have to sign a contract when you accept the money to stay and work in the state like 5 years. I'd do it!

They've also got a 100% state tuition scholarship (PROMISE) available to anyone who meets the requirements in high school. When I was in high school, you had to get a 28 on the ACT and have a 3.5 in your 4 core classes upon graduation and apply for it. That was it. And the state paid your tuition.
I was stupid and I didn't apply because I thought I was going to the Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh..

Overall, WV is pretty invested in higher education. I was so thankful that I FINALLY got something other than loans when I've been eligible for the PROMISE all along. Now the stupid school is taking that from me too. Gah!

I've calmed down a lot now but that is still our plan. And the school CAN keep us from it. WV requires a FAFSA to be filed by Mar 30 to be accepted into a college's program. Well. The changes I did to reflect Tom didn't go through FAFSA's system until Apr 02 (even though the FAFSA was filed in March!)... so they can TECHNICALLY decline the changes. Technically.

Point is, they shouldn't. Especially not with Tom working there!

Alright, off to study.. I have a statistics final in 3 hours and a history final @ 6!

 

[JLSE50]

OK my turn to soulbare! I know I told you guys about the floors reading chart of people who were in the ER. Well when we were in the ER they looked at ours(Amanda, Tim and Me) I looked in our charts to see if they did. Anyway last week I got written up for violating Hipaa. I got the next to the worse punishment the Final Written Warning! (The person who read our charts got fired) Well I wasnt suppose to but I told people at work, they couldnt believe it! Even the supervisor who was on that night couldnt believe it! Well I had a week to fight their punishment-which I did! Got a phone call from the person I wrote the letter to and I have a meeting Friday to discuss the letter with him! I realize I did not follow procedure looking at our charts. I have read so many policies and the Hipaa law till I am blue in the face! Wish me luck!!! I really dont want to go talk to him because the last meeting I had with Human Resources they used my statement to hang ME!!!!
What really makes me mad is NO ONE has apologized to anyone for this happening!! OK all done!

WOW!!
I will keep reading and find out what happened, but had to post some hugs first.

Jan

 

[purplern]

WOW!!
I will keep reading and find out what happened, but had to post some hugs first.

Jan

Thanks!!!!!! Still havent heard anything but at least I got the job at Mercy in
the ER!!! Not sure about doing trauma now but we'll see. As soon as I hear you guys will hear!!

 

[JLSE50]

Patsy, if it's any comfort, most doctors won't even blink if you miss three periods. I used to have two periods a YEAR until just before I got pregnant the second time. Please do keep an eye on it though--if you don't have one at least every three months it significantly increases your chances of uterine cancer, which not every doctor will tell you. No one EVER worried about my lack of periods, which makes me angry; in addition to the cancer risk, it was a symptom of a medical condition which wasn't diagnosed for twenty years after I started showing symptoms!

How are you now?

This is the kind of thing that makes me so MAD. Report some symptoms and they blow you off. It isn't until you have a lot of things or you do your own research and TELL them what you are going to do that they come alongside. AARGH!!

I was on Lipitor for 9 years, had side effects on the "report to your doctor" list and they blew me off. When I finally decided to quit taking it, I informed the MD.
She was not happy but I don't care. I FEEL WONDERFUL !

Jan

 

[JLSE50]

Yep! This is our cake:

The bottom layer will be plain chocolate, the middle layer will be yellow and the top DARK CHOCOLATE!

Only difference is instead of yellow, it'll be royal blue to match the sash in my dress and the thing on top that looks like it's spilling won't be there: it'll be the four cards designs, a club, a heart, a spade and a diamond. Topper will be poker chips, dice and cards!

AMAZING! How did you ever find this picture?

The flavors sound great.

Is the bakery happy about doing it, or is that coming after the cake tasting?

Jan

 

[JLSE50]

The whole hospital is closing, they announced it in June said that we were merging with Mercy hospital which UMPC had just bought. This is going to be a big change. We are a community hospital were as Mercy is a city hospital-more money! But Mercy is also a level 1 trauma center-we hardly get any trauma now so that will be the biggest change! They also have an OB unit, a burn unit, so we will be seeing all those patient where if we get someone like that now-which is rare unless they walk in-we ship them out. Other change is our "clients" dont like to cross the river and Mercy is on the "Other" side of the river.

the "Troll" will get them if they cross the bridge.​

I have always wondered why people will not go to obviously beneficial or interesting places, now we know!

Jan

 

[Piecey]

AMAZING! How did you ever find this picture?

The flavors sound great.

Is the bakery happy about doing it, or is that coming after the cake tasting?

Jan

They're fine with it. She won't do fondant so that is why we can't have the spilly thing on top- but I'm okay with that, Tom would rather have the card club, heart, spade and diamond anyway.

I bought plastic poker chips to run down to her to use them and cards on the top. I told her I'm not a very flower-y type of a girl so I'd rather not have a bunch of roses but if she needed to do something to hold them in place, that was fine.

The best part (in my opinion) is that they'll deliver the cake! It was only $35 extra and well worth it in my opinion-- I don't know how to move a cake that tall to keep it from dying!

 

[purplern]

I have always wondered why people will not go to obviously beneficial or interesting places, now we know!

Jan

Yep!!

 

[Blackunicorn]

How are you now?

This is the kind of thing that makes me so MAD. Report some symptoms and they blow you off. It isn't until you have a lot of things or you do your own research and TELL them what you are going to do that they come alongside. AARGH!!

I was on Lipitor for 9 years, had side effects on the "report to your doctor" list and they blew me off. When I finally decided to quit taking it, I informed the MD.
She was not happy but I don't care. I FEEL WONDERFUL !

Jan

I'm doing great! I'm on medication, I know how to eat right for me now, I've lost what, 35 pounds? I'm healthier, I feel good, and I'm doing things I haven't been able to do in years, like go up the hills at the Renaissance Festival without wheezing, or fit in plane seats without having to ask for a seat belt extender. I still have a loooong way to go, but it's so nice to see the difference.

I have PCOS/Insulin Resistance, and I'm still learning a lot about it. From what I understand, my body doesn't recognize its own insulin, so it thinks it needs to create more, so it floods with insulin. That causes a lot of what I eat to be stored as fat--meaning that no matter what I did, I never lost weight. (I get very angry now about all the years people told me that I must not be trying hard enough to lose weight.) PCOS is polycystic ovary syndrome--which essentially just means I get cysts on my ovaries, which explains the lack of periods. I'm afraid to think about how much my cancer risk is increased from all those years of not having periods. I really really hope that having periods now is lowering the risk.

I get angry about living with this for so long--and having so many of the symptoms disregarded!--but I try to spread the word so that other women won't go undiagnosed for so long. I actually only found out I had it because a friend TOLD me, and insisted that I go to her doctor.

I'm on Lipitor too, but since I stopped eating the low fat diet and went to a low carb diet (not Atkins, and I'm on a plan given to me by my doctor--people usually freak out when I say the words "low carb diet" but rest assured it's just controlled carb and NOT no carb) my cholesterol has changed drastically. I've been so busy that I keep forgetting to call, but I'm hoping that they can lower my dosage of Lipitor, or take me off completely.

I'm so glad you're feeling better without the Lipitor! I can't believe they ignored you, some of those side effects can be pretty serious!

 

[zweihund]

Wow, Dawn, it's good that you finally got to the bottom of it!

And Patsy, cool cake

 

[Piecey]

Wow, Dawn. Yeah. Thats awesome that they got to the bottom of it and you're having luck now but definitely scary to think of all the years that you didn't know! Eek!

So many doctors are crap, in my opinion. My current doctor.. I was one of her first patients after med school. She was super-energetic to try to help me with insomnia and mono at the time.. and now I'm lucky if she even sticks around in the room for more than 5 minutes. It's ridiculous.

 

[JLSE50]

They're fine with it. She won't do fondant so that is why we can't have the spilly thing on top- but I'm okay with that, Tom would rather have the card club, heart, spade and diamond anyway.

I bought plastic poker chips to run down to her to use them and cards on the top. I told her I'm not a very flower-y type of a girl so I'd rather not have a bunch of roses but if she needed to do something to hold them in place, that was fine.

The best part (in my opinion) is that they'll deliver the cake! It was only $35 extra and well worth it in my opinion-- I don't know how to move a cake that tall to keep it from dying!

GREAT! I am glad it's all working out!

I copied the picture to our post-Panama Canal Cruise thread to tease a guy whose taste is more subdued. Several others liked it tho.

Jan