And my commission is … where?
Why am I so rattled by the wheelchair idiots? The DME (the company I deal with who messes up the order of the wheelchair from the manufacturer, scratches and defaces it upon assembly, does not test it to find they have assembled it wrong, and then delivers it to us) still has not owned up to many of the issues, but they are taking the chair back. But why is it that I am on the phone with the wheelchair company (Sunrise Medical) finding out the proper part numbers for the parts Pearlsky needs (COV5109 and MOD5125), finding solutions for the casters hitting the footrest (reverse mount the caster journals (swap left to right)), and more? Why is it that the DME company will NOT respond to emails to the regional level for customer service, yet the manufacturer’s senior vice president for customer service goes as far as calling me from her cell phone on her commute to work! The chair designer himself is emailing me while on vacation! The DME … nothing. But then, I’m doing their work for them so why should they get off their lazy butts and high horses and respond to my questions?
Tomorrow SL will come to take the chair. I will tell him what parts to order (options he did not know were available, why not?), tell him that what damaged parts must be replaced, tell him how to fix the caster – footrest problem, and will tell him about the upgrade to the chair that he did not offer us that fixes the cable rat’s nest.
Where’s my commission?
Now I present to you Pearlsky (played by Vivian Blaine – appropriately as beautiful as Pearlsky) and the DME sales guy (played by Frank Sinatra – um … they’re both Italian):
I’ve been largely silent about your wheelchair debacle, apropos of this mood I just can’t seem to shake of late regarding all things pertaining to our lives (yours, mine, Pearlsky’s, Sophie’s) of resignation and a million sighs. I’m glad you’re keeping up the good fight, and I imagine I will pick myself up and do it again. Right now, though, I’m going to continue watching the video of Frank and Pearlsky.
The payoff, of course, as you know only too well my dear friend, is that Pearlsky is going to have a really good and comfortable chair that caregivers can use properly. Pat yourself on the back and tell yourself you are a really good Dad…because it’s true.
Continue to use the fogging technique. Persevere, persist, hang in there, carry on, etc. etc. Loved the video. You should send it on to the CEO of both companies. It is horrific that energy best spent with Pearlsky must be used to fight (again and again) these issues. You, Elizabeth, and millions of other parents know this too well.
Love the way you apply art to the message of your posts, SD. So unexpected from an engineer. 😉 Claire is correct about the payoff.