Such a busy schedule!!

Let's see...I have been so very busy!! Went to Fort Stockton with Husband today to visit with the folks at the new [alleged] VA Patient Facility. We marched right in like we owned the place and after Husband removed his shirt and exposed his latest incision which had been performed here in Alpine at our fine Medical Center...the new Doc in charge felt it was necessary for him to get to Albuquerque ASAP. She took all pertinent information down, said she would contact powers that be in ALBQ and then contact Husband no later than tomorrow. We had just sat down to lunch...approximately 1 1/2 hours later....when his phone rang and Doc said Husband is to be in ALBQ on Thursday AM. SUPER! Next was arranging travel through Big Spring.

Evidently, the duties of the VA employees at the Big Spring VA have changed. The woman who used to handle travel...no longer does. So...once again, you have to introduce yourself to and tolerate the 'new guy' who s not familiar with 'you'. This was evident today when Husband called for a plane tickets. 'New Travel Girl' said she was busy and would deal with this when she could. Husband said, 'sure', and explained, however, it needed to be done today...as we live in Alpine and he needed to fly out at 7:35 AM from Midland on Thursday and his DR appt. was at 11:00 AM, and since time was of the essence...

'Well,' she said, 'We don't just do it your way anymore...you have to sign a form that I will fax to you, and then I have to call ALBQ since they have to pay for the ticket, blah, blah, blah.'

Husband said to do whatever. He said to fax the form to the office and he would sign it as soon as we got back to Alpine and he would fax it back immediately. Which he did. More crap was said and he went back into Alpine to do some stuff and I went home. About an hour later...oh yeah...while I faxed the paper back Husband called NTG and told her the fax was in route and she said she was busy had other Vets to take care of and she would get to it, after all, it was 3:15 and she was busy. It was actually 2:15 and she just had to call ALBQ (which is an hour EARLIER!!) since they had to take care of this!!!

Anyway, about an hour later, I called her, being the 'nice one' to see if she was able to make the arrangements. She didn't answer, I got the machine, left the message. Repeated same, 20 minutes later. Now it's 4:15. I'd really like to get this done as I wasn't really kicky on having to deal with this crap in the AM.

LIGHTBULB!! Call ALBQ myself!! Duh! Sooo...I get Jesse in travel and he gives me the Confirmation # for the flight, time and flight number. Hmmmm...the time is 8:20 AM. That don't sound right!! I go to the Southwest website and check it. Oh, there's an 8:20 AM flight alright. It goes to Houston, then Dallas, change planes and gets into ALBQ at 11:10 AM.

What's wrong with this picture? Husband's appointment is at 11:00...flight gets in at 11:10. Bitch...

Soooooo...I call Southwest and talk to Pam!! She looks everything up...changes the flight to the 7:35 AM, non-stop...which arrives in ALBQ only an HOUR later...TA DA!!! I'll print off the boarding pass in the morning, Husband will go to Midland tomorrow afternoon and stay at a hotel rather than getting up at 3:00 AM and driving, and off he goes. 

It's amazing to me how such a simple thing becomes so tedious! It's 6:36 PM and I have yet to hear from Travel in Big Spring. Surprise.

That was one of the 'busies'. Now I forgot what the other ones were. I might remember later.

Gotta go eat something. Later for more newsy news.

b.