Flipping flipping timing! (Terminally ill mother)

natalielongstaff · Feb 15, 2010

Bonnie151 said:
Well, we're all going on a roadtrip to Durham tomorrow!

The girl in the Glasgow office was simply AWFUL. She kept saying, "And more bad news is XXX". She told me (correctly) that despite what the general helpline told me, my passport could be sent to any of the regional offices and that if it were sent to Glasgow, they would just forward it onto another office because they receive mail but don't do any processing of renewals. She said there was no way for me to know where the passport would end up and that usually takes 7-10 days for it to land somewhere and be put on the system. Then she said that once it was logged, I couldn't just get it sent back to me, it would need to be processed and that could take another 3-10 days. I *could* upgrade to a fast track but would need a fax from the hospice to confirm my mother was passing away (not a problem but read on).Awful, simply awful.

So not being the giving up type, I phoned the post office to see if they could track it and they told me that it had been sent to the Durham office on Saturday morning and that Durham should receive it sometime today. I was getting a bit weepy at this point, so DH took over and phoned Durham. He spoke to a wonderful guy who immediately said that there was no problem couriering the passport back to us unrenewed as soon as it was logged on the system and for us to keep phoning back to see if it had been logged.

We kept phoning, with no luck until half an hour ago when I spoke to another wonderful person who tried to trace it a few ways and found that it had been logged with a DIFFERENT reference number! She said it was now too late to courier it back to me for it to arrive tomorrow but that she could upgrade it and have it renewed today and couriered tomorrow morning (arrival Wed) or we could collect it.

We're going with the collection as it gets me over a day earlier. I spoke to my mother's home help this morning and yesterday her doctor estimated that she had another 3-4 days so the sooner I get over, the better.

Thanks to everyone for your concern and positive thoughts!

At least you are able to do something, hope it all works out :hug:

Pinky166 · Feb 15, 2010

I am so glad you are able to get your passport tomorrow and go over to be with your mum. :hug:

disney_princess_85 · Feb 15, 2010

Best wishes and good luck. :hug:

wils · Feb 15, 2010

Thank goodness you found some helpful people. Thinking of you

craigs bride · Feb 15, 2010

hope it arrives with you in time ! big hugs to you ! :hug:

jamjar84 · Feb 15, 2010

Hope that getting your passport goes smoothly, thinking of you. :hug:

fav_is_tink · Feb 15, 2010

Safe journey down to Durham & then onwards to USA.

Take care & good wishes :hug:

howlongtillsummer? · Feb 15, 2010

I am reluctant to tell you this but it is the truth so here goes.

My Granny is 97. Between 5 and 10 times have we been told that she is on her last legs. She has always bounced back. I can remember as a child rushing to the hospital thinking I wouldn't have time to see her again. And here we are.

Probably not the case for you dear Mum and I wish you all the best. Just ensure they haven't used her age as an excuse for something which could be treatable.

My very best wishes!

Danauk · Feb 15, 2010

I hope you get your passport and are able to get a flight to the USA on time. You are in my thoughts and prayers. One additional thought that you might not have thought about. Having got a new passport number will you need to apply for a new ESTA?

orlandothebeagle · Feb 16, 2010

Bonnie151 said:
Well, we're all going on a roadtrip to Durham tomorrow!

The girl in the Glasgow office was simply AWFUL. She kept saying, "And more bad news is XXX". She told me (correctly) that despite what the general helpline told me, my passport could be sent to any of the regional offices and that if it were sent to Glasgow, they would just forward it onto another office because they receive mail but don't do any processing of renewals. She said there was no way for me to know where the passport would end up and that usually takes 7-10 days for it to land somewhere and be put on the system. Then she said that once it was logged, I couldn't just get it sent back to me, it would need to be processed and that could take another 3-10 days. I *could* upgrade to a fast track but would need a fax from the hospice to confirm my mother was passing away (not a problem but read on).Awful, simply awful.

So not being the giving up type, I phoned the post office to see if they could track it and they told me that it had been sent to the Durham office on Saturday morning and that Durham should receive it sometime today. I was getting a bit weepy at this point, so DH took over and phoned Durham. He spoke to a wonderful guy who immediately said that there was no problem couriering the passport back to us unrenewed as soon as it was logged on the system and for us to keep phoning back to see if it had been logged.

We kept phoning, with no luck until half an hour ago when I spoke to another wonderful person who tried to trace it a few ways and found that it had been logged with a DIFFERENT reference number! She said it was now too late to courier it back to me for it to arrive tomorrow but that she could upgrade it and have it renewed today and couriered tomorrow morning (arrival Wed) or we could collect it.

We're going with the collection as it gets me over a day earlier. I spoke to my mother's home help this morning and yesterday her doctor estimated that she had another 3-4 days so the sooner I get over, the better.

Thanks to everyone for your concern and positive thoughts!

I hope it works out, it makes such a differance if you hit a helpfull or unhelpfull person.

Bonnie151 · Feb 18, 2010

Got to Boston last night. My mother has made the decision to let go and is content with her decision. She's hoping it is very very soon (seemingly felt herself passing 24 hours before my brother & I arrived but willed herself through, saying "must hold on, must hold on") but as her home help says, it's like childbirth- it'll come when it comes.

I did find out that the new ESTA process is a bit of a pain for dual citizens who live overseas! Took me half an hour to get checked in at the airport as they needed to override the system with a code and no one knew the code!!!

Thanks so much to everyone here for the kind comments and concerns. It makes things that little bit easier when I have somewhere relatively anonymous to vent.