One Day Two Julies

I just realized that I completely forgot to tell you all that Jonathan broke his big toe on Friday night after his show.

He went to the cast party and was playing basketball with the boys - without shoes on - and fell, hard. The scrapes were really odd. He had a scrape on his knee, his hand of course, and across his foot about an inch to inch and a half above his toes. As if his foot bent back - WAY back - when he fell.

It was a little bruised and slightly swollen. I figured if it were broken though his whole foot would swell. It never did. Sunday afternoon I realized that I was really going to have to fight with him to get him to put shoes on Monday morning for school. All weekend long he had been limping, refusing to put shoes on, etc.

Knowing the walk-in clinic closed at 5:30, I figured I'd run him up for an x-ray. The last two times I thought for SURE he had not broken something, he did. We walked in and the Doctor took a look at it and said that he really didn't think it was broken, but he'd x-ray it just to be sure. They came back to re-do the x-ray because they were not sure about something. They wouldn't say what just yet.

Sure enough the doctor walks in and said "Well, I can't believe it, but it's broken!" He broke his big toe, you can see it on the x-ray clear as day.

They didn't do anything for us while we were there. They gave us a prescription for one of those nifty orthopedic shoes that Jonathan said he'd never wear. They told us to follow up with an orthopedic doctor in a few days, after the x-ray is read by a radiologist.

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I did get some GOOD news yesterday. From - of all people - Verizon.

I've had Verizon FIOS service for 11 months now. It has been a love/hate relationship with them the whole time. I love their quality TV - you can't beat their digital quality.. It's awesome. However, they changed us over from Brighthouse telling me my bill would be about the same - I signed up for a $99 a month plan for TV/Cable/Internet. My bill is now roughly $220 a month for everything. It's unreal. AND I had a one year commitment, so I'm tied to this plan until May of 2008.

When we received our first bill around May of 2007 or so, I called to find out what was going on and they explained the whole "well, $99 was for the basic service - but then you pay extra for the box, and each TV needs a box, plus your taxes and regulation fees and the DVR box is extra, plus, plus, plus, plus. And by the time we are done, we were paying over 200 a month. CRAZY, huh?

Well, I got a Verizon bill yesterday and it had past due charges which I thought were a mistake because I always pay my bills on time.

I called Verizon and spoke with a representative - "Julie". I explained that it showed a balance of $214.97, which HAD to be a mistake because on 3/13 I paid $420.48. I can't possibly be behind, right?

She explains the $214.97 was on a bill that came out on 3/14. OUCH.

So, I really DO owe what's on this bill? This bill shows that I owe $438.91.

Really?? OUCH.

Julie tells me not to worry. Because I can get on a bundled plan with Verizon for ONLY $127 a month and start saving about $50 or $60 a month. I just have to sign a one or two year commitment.

"Thanks but no thanks, Julie" I tell her. "In May, my one year is up and I'm going to Brighthouse where I KNOW I can save about $100 a month with NO hidden fees."

I then ask her "Tell me, your $127, is that REALLY $127? Or, is it $127 plus box fees and taxes and added fees which once everything is added comes up to a whole heck of a lot more?" She said, that yes - there are more fees and it is really more than $127.

I explained to her how I signed up for Verizon because I was told that I'd pay the same or a little less than I was paying for Brighthouse at the time. Only now I'm paying twice as much, and stuck with it for a year.

She said "It looks like you could have been bundled though and they COULD have saved you about $30 a month." I said .... "Julie, that's another sore subject. When I signed up, it took them 6 months to get my bill right. They were billing me for only Online and TV on one bill and my phone service came on another bill. It took 6 months for them to fix the bill. When they FINALLY fixed it, they told me they could then bundle it - but my one year would start from THEN, not from the 6 months when I signed up with Verizon! At that point, I had already had a 6 month NIGHTMARE history of billing - there was no WAY I was going to sign up for a one year commitment at that point.

So, Julie says to me "Mrs. Rhodes, it sounds as if you have had a really bad time with Verizon. At the very LEAST we should have been giving you the bundle credits. In my opinion. I tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to give you a credit, enough for this entire bill, at least. It's the very least I can do for you."

Uh... She's going to credit my account over $400 for no real reason?

Really?

I didn't know what to say, except... "Thank you" And to tell her that, she was the ONLY customer service rep whom I have spoken with whom I felt had actually HEARD me. And for that... I thanked her from the bottom of my heart.

I just pulled up my balance on Verizon.com - and I actually have a credit balance. A CREDIT! Can you believe it? Granted, it's a $35 credit, but still. Wow....

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I haven't blogged much at all about Julie.

She's been doing very well, really. She's working now and so that keeps her pretty occupied. She's lost quite a bit of weight which is really good for her.

She still has 'issues', which of course she'll always have. Most recently I've seen a few little judgement issues creep up which remind me that there are still things there. She's had people in and out of her life lately that are just... Not good people. Even those that were supposed to be "GOOD" were not-so-good. Arthur stole from her. The girl roommate who was supposed to be working hard and clean and sober she now tells me was snorting her pills and the one who showed her HOW to crush pills and snort them that one time she nearly died.

Now the plan is that is is going to walk away from her house at the end of June into a one bedroom apartment. But Julie hates living alone. So... She met this guy online who lives in Miami. He's going to move to Tampa and move in with her. Never met him in person - just going to move in with her. Sigh.....

Get a dog is what I'm thinking. They are cheaper. They don't steal from you. They don't do drugs. Don't break your heart. Don't take your car But they do look forward to when you come home, and give you unconditional love.

Her visits have been really nice the past month or so. Well, with the exception of this past Sunday. But she's clear and seems to be doing SUPER well. It is so great to see her doing so well. Really and truly. There was nothing wrong with this last visit other than she and the kids were slipping away all the time to talk privately. In rooms, outside, etc. And when I'd walk out or into a room, I was CERTAINLY given the impression that I was not supposed to be there. Yet, I'm supposed to be there. Legally even.

I don't know, it just felt different. And, other Sundays Julie helps out and this past Sunday it was more like I did everything for everyone. Well, Me, Michelle and Chris that is, since I had to run to the walk-in clinic. Of course, it might just be my stress level as well. Who knows. These are just my thoughts and feelings. Not tangible 'things', you know?

At any rate, I am thrilled that Julie is doing well for this long. It's been several months now. I just hope the kids don't take it too hard when she gets depressed or manic next. And I hope that if and when that happens, Julie doesn't wait too long to seek treatment. Often times she'll wait too long because she thinks she should have been able to beat it or something. But in fact, it's bound to happen - she just needs to deal with it quickly and not wait until things get really out of control.

But for now, we are enjoying the good times!

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Funny, Julie just called me. First she told me she can't wait to move so that she can come over after the kids get out of school. I said, "Well, just because you live closer doesn't mean you can just stop in any time you want. Your visits are still supervised." Then she talked about going to court and getting that removed.

She wants to get unsupervised visits AND sleepover visits with the kids.

This is where it gets really difficult for me.

I really want Julie to do well. Really and truly I do.

But - only TWO months ago - TWO - she was found unconscious, not breathing, foam coming out of her mouth, and blue -- because she SNORTED her PAIN PILLS.

That was February. This is April.

It seems like forever ago to Julie. I get that. I really do. But - it's been two months .

Two.

She thinks the courts will have no problem giving her unsupervised visits. I sat quietly, not wanting to argue with her - because I have told her the same thing over and over again - AND she has read it here. If she goes to court and tries to say she is 'ready' and she is CLEARLY not... She risks them - the courts - taking away her parental rights. This will crush her, and as her older sister, I don't want to see this happen.

But I'm not going to say anything. If for no other reason than because I've said it a dozen times already. Maybe I'm not supposed to. Maybe it's just supposed to play itself out.

I should run. Almost time to get home and start dinner. I leave you with this for tonight:

So do not fear, for I am with you;
Do no be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10