5C's Que Pasa

The past two days have seen me more frustrated that I have ever been in my life.  I have been frustrated a lot this past week most especially with the medical profession regarding my Dad but dealing with UPS takes the cake.  In the over thirty years that Colin has known me, yesterday was the first time he has seen me speechless.  I totally had no idea what to say or do next.  I was stumped and in fact I still am.

Last Wednesday ( the 20th ) a US company shipped us a bunch of photographic lighting equipment, close to $2000.00 worth of stuff all made in the USA.  Under the NAFTA agreement we do not have to pay import duty but expect to pay both provincial and federal taxes, an additional 12 %.  There will also be a brokerage fee of $100.00.  The ground shipping by UPS is another $100.00.  We are fine with all of these expenses.  Thursday afternoon I received a call from UPS stating that there was a problem with the shipment.  I went back and forth for three hours with 4 different people.  After the first person I hung up and called again hoping to get someone who would actually listen to me.  By the third person I realized that I was speaking to robots.  I actually made a comment that I felt he was reading from a card.  The answer to my questions were exactly the same no matter how I phrased or varied them.  I was getting no help, no answers and no suggestions of what to do other than to call the shipper.  Finally the 4th person was able to listen to me and I was able to find out that they had  only page one of the commercial invoice and also that they were adding our various discounts on the invoice as actual items ( although it clearly showed it was a credit ) giving us a new total of close to $3000.00.  So he had me fax the invoice to a number to the attention of ‘Fredericton Imaging”.  I finally had him spell the word Fredericton as I could not understand what he was saying. That should have been a clue but I missed it at the time.

The other huge problem was that all of these UPS agents claimed I had to have the shipper attach a signed copy of the NAFTA agreement to the invoice otherwise I would have to pay a large amount of import duty.  I explained that I had spoken to Canada Customs prior to this order and they told me that as long as the invoice showed made in the USA ( and it does ) that was all that was required.  This was not going to fly with these guys.  Finally the last one, David, said he would be sure that the shipper was contacted in the morning about the NAFTA form.  FIne with me.

Meanwhile I could not understand the rigidity of these people.  I have imported so many things from the US in the past two years from fireplaces to sinks to lights and even some office furniture during the construction of our home and never ever once did I have to had a NAFTA form attached.  I mentioned that to them but it did not penetrate through the standard answers that they could only recite like a mantra.  At one point Colin told me to tell them to send the shipment back.  It was too frustrating.

So yesterday I was busy with Dr’s and social workers and such and never thought to call UPS or the shipper till nooninsh.  The shipper said they had received no calls from UPS but they would contact them and try and sort out the problem.  The shipper went back & forth with UPS and myself several times and it was left with the fact that they have a standard NAFTA agreement on file with UPS .  I was only to call UPS to advise them if I wanted them to be our broker or someone else.  Duh!  I had already given that information to UPS the day prior.  I called the number I was given and it would not go through.  I recalled the shipper who was about to close for the weekend in 5 minutes.  She put me on hold while she called UPS and then came back with another number for me to call and said I had to fill out a power of attorney form re the broker.  What the heck?  Meanwhile she had also had the UPS agent she was speaking with, put the details on our tracking number so it would all be there for the world to see.

So I called and guess who I ended up with.  My robot friends.  It started all over again.  There were no notations on the file at all.  I had to call the shipper to send a NAFTA agreement.  I explained it was on the file.  No it wasn’t.  I calmly mentioned that this was the same exact conversation that I had had 24 hours ago with the same exact replies.  I told this guy that I had complied with their requests.  Not according to him.  What should I do I asked?  Call the shipper!  So we went back and forth and in frustration I asked how to get out of this circle.  Finally  I asked to speak with a supervisor.  Certainly.  After 3 minutes of waiting he came back on line and stated that the supervisor was on a call with others waiting.  Could he take my number and have the supervisor call me back in a few hours?  It suddenly dawned on me……these were the exact same words I heard Thursday when I asked for a supervisor, after being put on hold for 2 -3 minutes.  A robot answer.

In a last attempt I asked if he was in Canada or the USA.  I’m in neither country was the answer.  In a blinding moment of clarity I asked if he was in the Philippines.  Bingo!  Moral of the story do not call UPS after 3:00PM PST.  I can only hope to try early Monday morning and start the entire process once again with a Canadian or US agent if possible.

DAD UPDATE

I finally spoke to a Dr. yesterday for the first time since August 8th, certainly not for the lack of my trying. The final test result was in and it was not good.  He indicated that there was nothing that could be done to help Dad, that he would just be discharged and be medically managed until the end of his time.  Then he told me that he was ordering yet another test, a cardiac MRI to be done next Wednesday.  I asked why another test if they had already decided that no surgery nor anything else would help.  It was a two part answer, one so that Dad could have a few more days in hospital and secondly so that they could close the final door on helping him.  Likely for the MD’s satisfaction.   I asked him to please not not tell Dad that he could go home.  Of course this test is giving Dad hope that there is still something that can be done for him.  He really thinks he is going to go home a healthy man.  A few hours later I had a lovely long conversation with the social worker.

Turns out that she had been trying to call me but there were no working telephones dialing out of the hospital.  Fortunately the unit clerk did pass me through to her.  She is beyond frustrated with the Dr’s herself.  She did not go to rounds in the morning so she has no idea why they are ordering yet another test and says that her hands are tied until the Dr. declares Dad non acute.  No plans can be made for his discharge or placement.  We discussed possibilities and the pros and cons of him going home.  She pointed out that that would be very expensive as we would have to hire two twelve hour shifts of care people.  I found out that he will not be going to a rehab hospital as he is not going to be rehabilitated to go home.  It has yet to be determined the type of supportive care he will need and that can’t be done until these tests stop.

Doctors do a one week rotation trough the various areas of the hospital.  The MD coming onto the cardiology unit on Monday is the best to deal with Dad she explained.  Apparently he has a very special way of communicating with his patients and I know that Dad likes him from a few weeks ago when he took the time to explain various tests with Dad.  So we agreed that Dr. Ben Tyrrell will have the job of sitting down and telling Dad that he is not going to get better and that he will not he going home.  Then nursing specialists will have discussions and check with physio and me and we will come up with a plan.  I was told that it was too soon for me to come there yet but I am still planning on next weekend.  Likely Dad will be put into a transition centre of some sort until they decide where to place him and until there is an opening.  I will insist on checking these places out before any placement is made.

Sadly late yesterday afternoon, it was discovered that Dad has a lung infection and now has to deal with all of that.  At least he is already in hospital.  Everyday all he talks about is wanting to go home and when can he go home.  Meanwhile there are underlying sibling issues that I will have to deal with this weekend.  It won’t be pleasant.   Meanwhile I’m dreaming of my Isla.  That is what is going to get me through.

For a change of pace last night Colin and I decided to watch a movie while eating dinner.  I fell asleep before I finished my dinner.  Nor did I finish my glass of vino.  Now that tells you something.

Wow, this is a long read.  I guess I’m making up for the last week.