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Try to stay calm. I know the feeling. Been there

Posted By: Laurie on 2006-05-22
In Reply to:

believe me. Now, what about this? If you know for sure you are getting paid on the 10th and it will cover the rent, send your landlord a postdated check for the 10th or 11th if you need the $$ to clear your account. Send it via certified mail - couple bucks to protect you - type up a nice letter explaining your situation - that you just started several new jobs and that unbeknownst to you, or without your being aware of it, your pay would not start coming in until the 10th. Be honest - and giving him the postdated check shows your intent. But write clearly in the letter that the check is postdated, that you do not have the funds available should he cash it/deposit it now, but that it will be there on the 10th, or 11th. This worked for me. It happens, and one of the major reasons I am afraid to try a new job. I did about a year ago, and it messed me up royally. For those of us who live paycheck-to-paycheck, it can be pretty dangerous to change jobs. Good luck to you. Please keep us posted. By the way, lots of folks think postdated checks are illegal. In most cases they are not, as long as you notify as above. If he tries to cash it early, you will get insufficient funds charge, etc., but that's better at this point than eviction, right? And as long as you notified him via proper letter and certified mail, he can't claim he didn't know the funds weren't there.


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    Thanks for the reply...I hope you *stay* feeling better!
    :-)
    Oh Calm Down Already!
    Of course it's not a difficult field to get into, but dear it takes more than skills. Like nursing, it takes formal training! When are you willy nillys going to learn that? And a flying monkey? A flying monkey could become a nurse and a doctor and an attorney "with a little training." Ha.
    Don't Get Mad, Get Calm
    This girl is a wacko and you should just act like she is not even alive.  Yes, that's what I said, act like she is not even alive.  She is beyond wacked and from your comments (assuming they are all true) there is nothing anyone can say to make any relationship with her approach anything near normalcy, and in fact it will approach the nightmare category.  So to jumpstart your "hindsight" intuition (hmmmm, here's what I should have done in the beginning with this broad!), just ignore her.  She won't go away, but you do not need to interact with her.  Don't apologize, don't justify, don't explain yourself away (onto their deaf ears).  Like I said, she is just plain wacked in the head.
    Calm down
    If your husband told you about it, he is not hiding anything.  He could have not told you if you don't ever see the phone bill or his cell phone.  If you get so upset he will being to hide things.  It is not your place to call this woman, should you run into her you could say something but again you don't know the entire story.  Though it does sound a little questionable, perhaps there was a legitimate reason she was calling your husband's friend.  If you jump in too soon without all the facts you could turn out to be the fool.   You have to keep the communication open betwen you and your husband and don't jump down his throat.  Now don't think that I am one of those that just takes anything and everything from a husband as my husband was cheating, I caught him and divorced him but I don't think that this is the situation here and you cannot control the issue and calling this lady will only add flames as it is none of your business. But your husband also has to step aside and tell the two of them that if they are going to involve themselves in an affair, he will have no part of it by lying for his friend or covering for him.   But again, he told you about it when he did not have to and that speaks for itself but if you continue to react like this he won't.   You know what ASSUME means.   Take a deep breath and go on with life.   
    Calm down.
    The time to refuse a job is before you accept it, not afterward. If you accept the work in the morning, the company has every right to expect it will be done. If you have another account that pays more then come along and want your service, that in no way relieves you of your first obligation, that being the work you took in the morning.

    The person who seems to have nerve is the person who thinks that can accept work and then not complete it.

    Here's an example that has nothing to do with MT but will illustrate the point just the same. You hire a painter to paint your living and he says yes, I'll be there on Monday morning. You make the accommodations necessary, expecting him to come and paint on Monday. He shows up, opens the paint can and starts to work. His cell phone rings around 10:00 and he's offered a job that pays more than you. According to your line of thinking, he's perfectly justified in leaving your job unfinished to work for someone else who pays more. When do you get your job finished? Does it ever get finished? Are you happy with the reason given? Are you likely to hire them again?

    So, if anybody in this discussion has "nerve", it would be you. Until you're the employer, don't pretend to know what you're talking about.
    Calm down my dear
    Now don't be getting yourself so worked up you smear that beautiful red lipstick off your lips.


    Actually, I am perfectly calm as well, but
    people on this board seem rude and ready to jump on anyone for anything.... no wonder I rarely come here.
    Easy now, calm down, it
    was just an observation.
    re your calm down statement...sm

    Awful presumptive of you to assume I was not calm...just due to a few extra question marks?  As an American, I think it's safe to say that plenty here would kill first and ask questions later......I'm not that way.


    I happen to be very calm and very rational.....


    You need to chilll out and calm down -sm
    you are being way too hard on yourself. I doubt any MT is 100% perfect 100% of the time. I know I am not. I know I am good though but that I do make mistakes sometimes. My mistakes are generally her instead of here, that is my big one, that sort of stuff. I know some slip through but I don't beat myself up about it. I proof as I type then take a quick look at the whole report when I am done, I am more thorough in my proofing with letters though. Where I work there is no QA, we direct submit to the client though at first another MT does check our work then we are cut loose to direct submit, generally a week or so at the most. If they feel we are not able to do that, you are let go, simple as that. Sounds like you are just putting too much pressure on yourself, yes you want to submit good error-free work but you have to cut yourself a little slack too. This is a hard line of work to be in if you are a perfectionist. Try to learn somehow not to be so hard on yourself, do the best that you can, maybe do a few reports then go back and check them after you get a few done, take a look at with fresh eyes if you can. Good luck.
    Sept 5 - have a calm August up ahead - sm
    the last 2 months have been nuts with Dr. appts (eye, dentist, oncologist, regular checkups); only have 2 scheduled this month, yeah, and only 1 weekend trip. Try to do some local stuff in the remaining month we have though if we don't fry first. Hit 100 today here in VA (NE of Richmond); it's 99 now and 5:30 p.m. NUTS!!!
    Calm down now. I'm just saying the roll works out much more economically for my needs...
    I double checked and it's $52 including shipping for 5016 labels (8-1/2 x 1). That's equal to 456 sheets (8-1/2 x 11) or $0.1140 per sheet. Two of your boxes (250 x 2 = 500 sheets) x $28.70 per box is $57.40. That's $0.1148 per sheet plus your time cutting each of those little notes apart. I just print off the sheet and the office separates each note without the chance of losing a little 1" paragraph somewhere before it got to the med rec dept. I have absolutely no problem with curl, as the roll core is fairly large and I use a paper towel dispenser for quick dispensing. Six of one, half dozen of another. The gal from Med Arts Press is the one I was really speaking about. Their prices are nasty. Only if you want custom colors and then I'd go to Compulabel before MAP. And BTW I wasn't trying to step on toes, just trying to help save somebody a buck. Your welcome.
    Please calm down. Minor MRI findings are usually accompanied by (sm)
    the message, "Correlate with clinical history." Radiologists don't know the patient' history in detail. They are often noting findings that can't be interpreted without knowing the patient. That's why radiologists will so rarely talk to patients; they aren't your doctor and aren't able to match findings with symptoms and clinical findings. I suspect, but can't know, that your MRI is perfectly normal ... FOR YOU. Let your MD mull it all over. If he/she is not certain, he'll send you to a specialist.
    it was a typo. No one is disputing that exclamation is correct. calm down.
    x
    calm, simple, short repetitious answers
    "I have to work, I'm on a schedule, I'm still working, I'm clocked in";
    and....repeat.
    Really - calm down. My MRI had me having lung cancer with metastases to lymph nodes sm
    guess what - they were inflammatory active lymph nodes and not cancer at all. I am 40 years old, healthy, and was in shock when I got my MRI report. It really does depend on how experienced the radiologist is that is reading your study. Some really "over-read" studies, especially the new docs.

    Needless to say, I went through all those emotions thinking "oh my gosh, I'm gonna die in a few months and leave my kids and my husband behind." This went on for 2 weeks until I had to have a medistinoscopy. I only had that done for my own peace of mind. I have 3 specialist radiologist look at my films and all said, it was probably just reactive inflammatory lymph nodes, but after hearing the "cancer" the first time - I just wanted them biopsied to know for sure so I can sleep at night.

    Everything turned out fine - just as you will see - yours will probably turn out fine.

    Many, and I mean many films are "over-read"!

    Look on the brighter side of things - at least the Impression didn't say "metastatic lung cancer or liver cancer." Just slightly top-normal size liver and probably 99% of the American population are walking around with the same "normal" finding.

    Just got it today. Just stopped pacing to try to calm down. Didn't work. See inside---

    The cover story should be posted on their online site within a month or so for those who do not receive the printed version as well. 


    I'm so sorry you are feeling like this! I truly believe it is because
    of your illness right now that this is all happening - the way you are feeling. About a week before any kind of sickness is starting in my body I go through the same exact thing. You must be paid hourly or salary because no one should have to cover for "free" and not get paid overtime! The phone co. tried to do that with my DH and other salaried workers and there's been a federal law passed that any unpaid overtime MUST be paid from Oct. of last year until now. You must gaid paid overtime even if you are salaried. Look it up and see if that is not correct.
    Anyhow, good luck. LIke another poster said, get plenty of rest and I promise, next week you will be doing better.
    Been there.. know the feeling
    I think we start them so you and they school sports are SOOO competitive nowdays, that the kids give it all they have and then finally burn out. My son did. He played everything from tennis, golf, football, soccer to basketball. He did finish playing through high school (had finally limited it to only basketball), but did not want to play when it came to college. It broke my heart. For one thing, I was not ready to not get to see him play anymore and, secondly, how to pay for college now?  However, I didn't want to push him into something he did not want to do. We have survived college so far (he's in his third year), but now he plays sports only on a recreational basis and is very happy. He is even pursuing a degree in Sports Management and wants to be a sports agent, so he still has the love of the game. I'm just glad he didn't lose that through it all.
    Feeling Up Mom...

    This is simply too funny!


    http://www.askmen.com/video/current/index.html


    thank you, feeling better.

    I know the feeling
    I tell them up front what work types I like and that I don't want the very high rates for the crappy accounts. My company, Etransplus, lets you choose what work types you want to do and I bet you I don't get an ESL but maybe twice a month. I had also checked with them for a friend of mine and they do need ops people only.

    I always tell companies that big line rates don't pay off in the long run when the accounts are so bad.
    i had the same feeling..
    I really had admired his class throught the whole show and he certainly came down a peg or 2 then
    I'm feeling old!
    I worked for a doctor in high school so had a tiny bit of training, first job for transcription company was on an IBM selectric.  I worked in our dining room and it almost drowned out the t.v. in the next room.  My daughter, who was in junior high at that time, tore my perforated pages for me when i was finished.  Funny thing, money didn't seem so tight back then, did it?  Now I have to beat my fingers to the bone to get 2000 lines a day!
    I'm feeling down
    I work for a clinic making about $13.00 hr to work for 5 doctors and 2 nurse practioners. I have to transcribe the dictation, file all that I type into the charts (and charts are scattered anywhere and everywhere), send out all the referring physician copies (which sometimes can be 3-4 a report), and be anybody's "typist" that wants me to type whatever. Also have several other "clerical" duties the boss thinks that I should do. This is a very busy practice with around 200 patients a day. I have 30 years experience and am a CMT. I have been reduced to what I feel is "clerical" staff and my pay certainly reflects that. They constantly come in and wonder why the work is behind. I forgot to add that 4 of the 5 are "TERRIBLE" dictators that could do better but won't. I'm constantly having to find the referring physicians to type on to the report because they won't give it to me but want it typed on the note. I feel that I am giving these people their money's worth. The management will not listen to anything suggestions to make things run smoother and just want done what they want done, no matter what it means to me to do it... then they wonder why it gets behind. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but today I'm wondering, "WHY DO I DO THIS?"  Is it for the retirement plan, cause not many of the services I have checked into even give benefits. I just want to get my purse and walk out and never look back. Ever felt that way??  I feel I am a wasted talent here and always have been, but I feel that the MT field has suffered many disappointing changes over these last 30 years. I've been here at this clinic almost 20 years. Before that I worked at a hospital where I was top producer for the 11 years that I worked there. I have no one else to tell this to who would remotely understand my feelings and I appreciate your letting me sound off on this board.I just don't know what to do next and was feeling down. Thanks for listening!
    Feeling like we might be getting somewhere.
    UPDATE:  We got our tax money back and beginning to pay off bills so I won't have to take them with me.  Only the ones in my name though, his credit is ruined, so he says he's not worried about them.  Also, he paid off my dresser and is getting me some things to set up my home office.  He is really taking this well.  I'm so excited.  Keep those good vibes coming.  They must be doing something.  Thanks, Jodi Lynn
    I know the feeling
    They take a set amount out of our checking twice a month. We should have all of our credit card debt taken care of in 4 years. The credit card companies lowered the interest rates on our cards substantially once we enrolled with CCCS, and I feel as if we now have a handle on our credit card debt. I believe it does go on your credit report, but the fact that you are trying to find a way to pay your bills and not just ignoring them looks good.
    I know the feeling
    same thing happended with my largest account. My group of doctors went to EMR, most of them are sticking to struggling by to fill in templates, etc, but they do dictate also, but very little. The office basically needs only one Transcriptionist now, where was before there were four. The doctors really are not as satisfied with the EMR as they thought they would be, but they have invested such big $$$, they will stick with it. The system they have is point and click using templates, etc and the transcriptionist also does alot of that, they fill in the blanks, etc. I worked on it a few times and find it very, very different from transcribing, you cannot get any "flow", therefore if you were paid by the line, way less $$$ than I can make transcribing. Since the system is just getting up and running they needed people to input data into it (scanning documents, etc), not difficult but time consuming. I did that temporarily too, but unfortunately the pay would not compare to transcribing either. I know on their system they could set up a transcriptionist from home, but they never got around to that part partly because they really did not have enough work to justify that expense. Of course the data entry would have to be done there as it required scanning multiple charts daily into the system and the office did not want to be without their charts for any period of time, etc. Of course each EMR system is different and each doctor uses it somewhat differently, if you previous physicians really dislike it, they may just dictate as in the past, but I would look for them to try to use the EMR as much as possible because of the $$$ invested into it. Keep in contact with them and keep your foot in the door, so to speak, they may tire more and more of it, but it will probably take awhile, then again after time they may adjust to it more and more. It's a gamble either way.
    exactly my feeling too -- and to OP,
    feel free to e/m me for my thoughts and experiences relating to your question.
    That's how I took it, and I know the feeling
    since we just moved and my son will be going to a new school with new friends, and this will be my daughter's first year too.
    I know the feeling!
    We have custody of our daughter's 2-year-old son; what a difference between boys and girls!! He is SOOOO active, and it's really hard to get my hours in at work, but I'm trying! Congrats to you and God bless!!
    I'm feeling so much better
    So many positive responses ! Thank you all so much for the encouraging feedback. I am the type who "likes my own company" so hopefully I'll get used to the quiet pretty quickly, but I am so close to my kids too - I'm going to really miss them.
    Know the Feeling
    I worked for a top criminal attorney in my area for 14 years and made great money, but I went back for a visit a few weeks ago, and boy, am I glad I'm home as an MT now. He was giving the secretary orders to do this and that by tomorrow, etc. and I thought to myself, boy I don't miss this at all. I make less money now, but to me it's worth it to be at home doing MT.
    Ahh..someone who knows what Im feeling!
    Thank you for your nice post. I certainly don't see why some got ruffled, everything I have said is valid.

    These work at home jobs are supposed to be marketed for women with small children, but if you set the job up with unfair expectations like typing 8 hours, then you diminish the whole reason for women working at home in the first place...FLEXIBILITY!

    It's really hard, but I'm trying. I just know if I had a better way to work my hours, this could work out for me.

    Thanks for all your advice and it feels good to know I'm not alone!
    I know the feeling!
    Some days I just don't feel like working. It's so boring and monotonous. I have to challenge myself by setting dollar amount goals or line count goals. Just like the other posters, I type for an hour and then take a break to do housework or something. I set up rewards for myself. Get this done, and THEN I can surf the Internet or go shopping. I've even gone as far as blocking my favorite Internet sites from my work computer so I don't surf while I'm working. The other thing that helps is looking at my bills and setting up payoff goals. Now if only I could find a J-O-B so I could set some goals.
    hah, me too. My cat is feeling
    disenfranchised now that i've got this keyboard in my lap, she was used to snuggling inbetween my belly and the keyboard :) Both my cats like to be up here with me while i work too!
    I have a feeling that we should either

    be working with a company we love right now, or look quickly.  I do believe that whatever happens to our MQ friends has a lot to do with the rest of us.  There are what, 8000 to 10,000 MTs there? If something were to happen and there were a lot of resumes going out to all of the companies and hospitals out there, odds are the influx of great candidates versus the jobs would become a supply and demand issue.  This may be happening already, as there were 500 people surfing this board the last few days since the MQ platform has been suffering problems. Does anyone have this feeling too? I don't think we should panic, but I am making sure to do my job with my present employer (personally) and hold onto my job security.  If anything should happen to this giant employer, the few companies out there which are really good to their employees will have their pick of thousands, and I for one do not want to worry about my benefits and my job.  Any comments on this? Thinking it would make for interesting conversation, seeing the balance of the MT workforce does depend on what this failing giant (MQ) happens to do.


     


     


    I know the feeling

    I'd done MT for approx. 20 years too - tired of the pay going down instead of up & tired of crappy ESLs/sloppy English speakers that only got worse.  My solution?  Do MT part-time to "keep an iron in the fire" just in case.  I'm now work full-time in the quality systems program for a small medical device company.  I'm SO much happier, have a 401K, benefits, vacation/sick pay and am SALARIED.  No more sweating for pennies on the line and I am actually respected for what I do.



    I know the feeling...sm
    When I have a lot of work which hasn't been that often lately, but when I do, it seems that my mother who lives next door will come in or my daddy will drop by. You don't want to be rude but sometimes I just have to say I have a lot of work and just not get up and go in there and they will get the hint and leave.
    My feeling also
    We all know the story of the golden parachutes these guys get even in the face of the companys going bankrupt. They take their millions and run not giving the employees a second thought. No one wants to be a victim of this type of scenario but it may start unfolding in the next few months to a year. We need to be prepared and aware of what is going on.
    Oh, I'm feeling ya.... :) nm
    nm
    Most of the time 80, 79 or 78 if I'm feeling hot....sm
    luckily for me I'm on the cold-natured side so during the summer heat I'm not sweating too much in the 90 degree outdoor heat.  In the winter I keep the thermostat around 70 and if I feel cold I'll go up to 72.
    It can EASILY cause that feeling and yes, it is ...
    working from home that does that.

    It nags on you because it is "never completed", there's always more to do.

    You need to get out of the house and do something OUTSIDE and something WITH OTHERS. That is why I volunteer (see my post a few threads below under "Answers").

    You have to really keep a tight rein on disciplining yourself to keep a firm wide boundary between your home life and your work life because they are BOTH at home.
    looking/feeling younger
    Actually I say more power to them. I think it's great that an older woman wants to keep up instead of wearing those polyester pants and orthopedic shoes. I see several woman a lot older than I wearing ankle bracelets, toe rings, capris. I say go for IT. I didn't know there was a rule for how old you have to be to wear certain clothes.
    feeling badly

    I feel kind of sick mentally, someone recently hurt me and in my childhood things happened so i've developed this habit of cutting myself or punching myself.  I just cannot handle my emotions sometimes they get so overwhelming, and truthfully it helps get my mind off of it, but then later I see what i've done to myself and I feel guilt and sick over the whole thing and the cycle starts again.  Just wondering if anyone has ever had the urge to do this? 


    Just feeling badly today, I would post on the depressed board but no one ever goes there.  I don't feel like I  can talk to anyone in my life about my problems either, so I just needed to vent that out a little bit.


    Feeling guilty
    Believe it or not your condition is more common than you might think.  However, it is very serious.  If you do not feel comfortable talking to someone you know then I suggest you speak with someone like a doctor, crisis center or even a local church pastor.  Pastors have a lot of connections in the community and can get you the help you need, most times free.  I wish you well and please do not think your crazy.  Many people deal with stress in very different ways, some are more extreme than others. There is help out there! God Bless.
    Tired of feeling ill
    Anyone ever feel like this - just no energy, headache, and kind of achy for days now.  Any ideas what this is caused from - maybe a virus? 
    About feeling guilty

    Speaking of feeling guilty, if I hit the lottery tomorrow, I'm going to feel a little guilty that I hit it instead of the poor guy who's worked for minimum wage all of his life, but does that mean I'm going to refuse to accept the prize or give part of it back to the state in which I won it?  I don't think so! 


    I understand what you're saying, and I agree too that she must do what she feels is right.  If it were me, though, I'd charge my normal rate, and if the client came back to me with a "WHOA!!", then I might negotiate a "little something" out, but remember .... whether an MT types everything out by hand or does a few clicks and "viola" (sp), she still has to meet turnaround time, which means you'll find her sitting at her desk day in and day out.  I personally would not transcribe at substandard line rates just because doctors choose to work smart and use macros because for me to do so would mean I'm not working smart.  JMO.  


    To: Feeling guilty? From below. SM

    Maybe something is escaping me and I don't want to be rude to anybody. I'm trying to understand.


    You are an employee who signed an 8-4:30 contract, right? Are the people you are mad about employees, or did your MTSO hire additional IC folks? If she/they did, then that's who you should take issue with.


    If these are other scheduled employees who are doing this, you have a choice. You can either do what they do, tattle on them (I probably would), or work elsewhere.


    If they are extra IC help, what can you do? Can you make them feel bad about team spirit? I don't think so. Do you think McDonald's feels team spirit with Burger King? An IC is a business owner, in competition with others.


    Are the other people employees?


    Sheryl, feeling this way about your job
    can really be damaging. It hurts emotionally, spiritually, and even physically sometimes.

    If money were not part of the equation in any form, what would you enjoy doing with your time, your energy? If it is something other than MT work, try to put a plan in place to start working toward a career in that interest. Even if you have to continue working in MT for a while longer while you get started in a new direction, you will have some measure of comfort in knowing that you will not be doing this without end. Just that knowledge can help.

    It is important to be happy, satisfied, and proud of your work and your investment of time, energy, and intellect into it.
    I've been feeling like this a lot lately, too.
    However, marrying a rich guy is not the answer. Money isn't everything. Can hubby start a side job or something that might work into self-employment since he can't find anything else? Is there alcoholism or something in the mix? Or do you guys just live in a city or state with a lousy economy? What about moving to a different area?

    Are you paying for your son's college education? If so, why? Did your parents hand you a college education on a silver platter? Your son should be working at least parttime to pay for college. I told my kids they could stay with me while they went to the local college but they have to work, pay their own groceries, help around the house in exchange for rent/utilities, and I'm not incurring their student loan debt.

    Something else that helps me get through times when I'm down is to make a gratitude list and write down my troubles to put in my higher power (God) box. Let someone else carry the load. Put it out of your mind for a while. Is your husband good to you? Has he been faithful? That's worth all the money in the world.

    Start yourself a little savings account and slowly increase the amount. Pay to your savings as if it were another bill. Cut back your budget if you can.

    I wonder, could you work fulltime at transcription and make as much as at your other job? You'd certainly have more time to yourself without that commute.