posted on December 1, 2003 03:42:25 PM new
I can't even believe the phone call I received today! As some of you know I'm a visiting nurse primarily in the inner city. During Thanksgiving we get a few Turkey "baskets" to give out to our patients who really need them. I'm not supposed to lift anything heavy yet, so hubby came with me to deliver them - he took the whole afternoon off of working on Ebay (there I made it ebay related).
Anyway, today I get a call from our Community worker who gets the baskets from the Church and brings them to our office so we can deliver them. Apparently one of my patients called the church to complain about her basket. There was only a turkey and some canned goods and the one she received from the food pantry was better.
First of all if I would have known she was going to get another one I would have saved that one for someone else who needed it, but she received a 12 pound Jenni-o turkey, pound of butter, roasting pan, stuffing, canned vegetables, canned fruit, jello, cereal, and a few other things I can't remember.
Would you even dream of complaining? I am so livid. I do this every year, and rarely do I get a thank you from anyone, but I'm used to that. I have never received a complaint!!!
posted on December 1, 2003 03:48:12 PM new
First off, I think its great that you do this.
THEN, I can't believe people would COMPLAIN!!!!!! I'd be venting and ranting over this too.
God, NO, if I was ever in a position to receive any of these charitable things, NO, I'd be ever so grateful! even if it was mac and cheese fixings! People, I will never understand.
But what you do, is very admirable, ihula. And its a shame that people can't at LEAST thank you for this.
Wanna Take a Ride? Art Bell is Back! Weekends on C2C-www.coasttocoastam.com
posted on December 1, 2003 04:18:54 PM new
yes,i beleive it.
people have been on the receiving end for so long,they think it is their birth right.
they think they are shopping at bloomingdale and find saks have something better.
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
posted on December 1, 2003 04:58:24 PM new
That is frustration. I would have a problem if I was visiting that house to keep my mouth shut. I would remember them if you should happen to have dinner for your patients next year. We live in an age of ungrateful people. I am not going to get into the free breakfasts at school cuz that really burns me up. Ihula you have a tough job. Just being a visiting nurse is one of them. I can't even imagine the paper work you have to do. Keep up the good work, that is if you can. I must have missed a thread. Did you have surgery? Have you been to your wedding yet in Hawaii?
posted on December 1, 2003 05:17:40 PM new
Hey Libra,
I did have the back surgery in July. I still get the pain shooting down my leg, though. It is better than before the surgery, so I'm grateful for that. The surgeon is going to redo the MRI in January and if there's still a herniation I suppose he'll go back in. I have to admit that nurses make the worst patients. He told me not to lift anything over 10 pounds and not to "rotate" my lower back. Well, I've done 2 hula shows with the girls because they were short of dancers, so that entails some rotation, and I have been doing some lifting around the house. One of the reasons I wanted my husband along is because some of those houses I won't go to after 3:00 in the afternoon (kids get out of school and get a little roudy - and I kind of stick out because I have long blonde hair) , and by the time we were done with Ebay stuff it was getting pretty late in the day - there's safety in numbers.
The wedding in Hawaii is on December 27th. We leave Christmas day. I can't wait. We're staying for 2 weeks.
I think I'm supposed to see that patient again the end of this week. I have no idea what I'm going to say to her - probably nothing unless she brings it up, but then it will be pretty hard to keep quiet and empathetic.
posted on December 1, 2003 05:56:34 PM new
Hey, why didn't she do what we do with all our "less than standard gifts, etc. REGIFT!" Afterall XMAS is just around the corner.
posted on December 1, 2003 07:50:42 PM new
ihula: The world is filled with parasites. This is what you have here. She is sucking the blood out of humanity for her own pleasure, never thinking of the others that have really needed that turkey. Sorry this had to happen to you.
posted on December 1, 2003 08:45:06 PM new
Just rise above it, know you are helping someone and that you _can_ reach out and help others.
Americans are so bitter about generosity, and if someone grouses or fusses we all turn into grumps because people aren't "tv show" happy to get charity.
I am proud to volunteer, I have held info booths and done outreach, and I just have to shake my head when people grouse, but then I remember that I have my own house, my own income and my health. I don't know what another's circumstances are, so I am not going to pass harsh judgement.
You are a super hero ihula! Hold your head up high!!
J
~~~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~~
All the monkeys aren't in the zoo,
Every day you meet quite a few,
So you see it's all up to you.
You can be better than you are,
You could be swingin' on a star
posted on December 1, 2003 09:39:15 PM new
Ditto to all the nice things people have said about you here, ihula. It's true that we do expect gratitude when we give gifts. I'd be put out by that ingratitude myself, but know that you're doing the right thing and keep it up. (P.S. you might want to quit the hula stuff until your back is all better?!)
___________________________________
Junk: Stuff we throw away.
Stuff: Junk we keep.
posted on December 1, 2003 10:36:07 PM newAmericans are so bitter about generosity, and if someone grouses or fusses we all turn into grumps because people aren't "tv show" happy to get charity.
Sorry, no. There is a vast difference between being "TV show" happy about getting charity, and being so damn ungrateful & greedy that "a 12 pound Jenni-o turkey, pound of butter, roasting pan, stuffing, canned vegetables, canned fruit, jello, cereal, and a few other things" is looked down on as not being enough--and going on to compare it to the "charity" they'd already accepted from someone else. There is a middle ground. Sounds like this person isn't at all adverse to accepting charity. This person had in just one of those baskets far more than many, many families have had for their holiday.
The woman in question is simply dispicable.
Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
[ edited by bunnicula on Dec 1, 2003 10:40 PM ]
posted on December 1, 2003 11:23:40 PM new
Nope. Remember that middle ground I mentioned. The OP didn't expect the people she gave the baskets to to kiss her feet, jump for joy or anything else. She didn't even expect a quiet "thank you." Indignation came in (& would for me or anyone else) to have the woman complain about what was given--that it wasn't up to her standards of charity to receive.
Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
posted on December 1, 2003 11:27:09 PM new
Bunnicula... The woman in question is a freeloader, pure and simple. She would probably have raised holy living hell if Ihula had been 30 minutes late with that turkey. People like this always seem to surface around the holidays.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on December 2, 2003 12:20:32 AM new
It's not just the holidays. And not just in regards to charity. Graciousness just seems to be an ever more rare thing. About a month ago I was out with a group of people; the husband of one of them spotted a place that had salt water taffy and, remembering that she has said in the past that she loves salt water taffy, he bought her some. He was happy to have the chance to make her happy. It was something to see the happiness in his face disappear as she snapped "I don't like that kind" when he handed her the bag. From the look on her face, you'd think he'd just handed her a dead rat or something.
Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
posted on December 2, 2003 01:50:15 AM new
This type person is a parasite and needs to be called on what she did....I would find it almost impossible to see her and not say something.
what you could do is tell it as a story...as though you didn't know it was her who called...and see what she says.
ex;"i am so sad that someone actually called and complained about the basket they received. some people can be so ungrateful"
Libra, I don't think you can even compare this to free breakfast at school. as a nation, we send millions of dollars around the world to feed other countries. at home, some of our own children go hungry.
Children are not greedy and anything we can do to stop the suffering of a child is our duty. children go dirty, abused and hungry and will not say a word most times, they suffer in silence. after working with the Headstart program for 17 years as my children grew up, I saw things that broke my heart.
the programs the state and government come with, such as free breakfast and lunch, may not be a permanent solution, but at least it is something.
posted on December 2, 2003 07:43:04 AM new
Some young woman went to work with "saint" Mother Theresa. One old man complained about his oatmeal or something- he'd been dying of starvation wen they brought him in. the girl mentioned it to M.T. She said that it was the Life force in the person coming back and that complaints were a good sign. BUt your lady wasn't quite Dying of hunger.
No, what bothers me about your lady, really, is that she took from two charities- and complained to one of them!
She probably was glad to have some food for another day, though, two turkeys could see you through a month with carefull planning.
"And All Shall be Well, and All Shall be Well, and All Manner of Things Shall be Well"
posted on December 2, 2003 07:43:34 AM new
heh, double post...
"And All Shall be Well, and All Shall be Well, and All Manner of Things Shall be Well"
[ edited by Dragonmom on Dec 3, 2003 09:19 PM ]
posted on December 3, 2003 05:03:50 PM new
The real shame is that you will never be able to look at this patient again in the same light. I wouldn't say anything, unless of course the topic is brought up.
People are amazing, aren't they? Someone who complains like that about the quality of the charity they receive...a sure sign of no class, and improper upbringing. A person can be dirt poor, and still have class.
"Who's tending the bar? Sniping works up a thirst"
Sniping works up a thirst"