Saturday, January 19, 2008
OHHHH MYYY The Count Down Begins
Tuesday is the big day... Rich goes to his new apartment to start the chemo for the Bone Marrow Transplant. For three weeks he will be a resident at the City of Hope in Duarte, Ca. A friend set up this great web site and I must say the message boards are funny. These guys from his water polo high school team at Corona Del Mar have been friends along time. I think there is a move script in this story someplace... Any good writers out there. I am definitely trying to keep it light and not think to hard, long or fast about the whole thing and what is actually going to take place next week. AHHHHHH! I have called the COH social workers to see if I can get in when Rich is there to meet with them. You know we managed to raise our boys, we have made it through 33 years of marriage but somehow I think I missed the chapter in the book of life on Cancer and Bone Marrow Transplants. We will see what happens. I just want to know what to expect as far as his moods and my moods, temperament, anxieties and all those other wonderful emotions I know one of us will be feeling. I do know we are surround in Gods love with all of our friends and relatives. The Lord sends them to us to make our burdens lighter - FOR SURE.... This weekend is going to be about preparing mentally (is that possible) family visiting and keeping busy. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE.
Monday, January 14, 2008
TARGET PROTEST
Letter I sent to TARGET...
Dear Friends, Family and TARGET GUEST:
I am so MAD, HURT, and ANGRY, with TARGET I don’t know whether to cry or laugh. I do know they have lost the HYLAND’S as customers. It is so very sad when a big corporation like TARGET has no authority to be human or make exceptions? It seems like in some very perverse way they like to say “NO” and make you feel like a convict whose picture is on the wall for the most wanted only because you want what is FAIR. When they make $1,000 of dollars in profit from you in one year they are willing to tell you that for $20.00 (this being the difference in the exchange price) take your business someplace else TARGET policy is TARGET policy. SORRY we will not make any exceptions. What has happened to us as people if for $20.00 you are just a big NOTHING to corporate GIANT - TARGET! (Wal-Mart here I come)
BACKGROUND we average a minimum of 4 to 8 prescriptions filled there every month. We pay $25.00 for our co-pay and our insurance company reimburses them whatever the agreed amount is for the prescription. I would assume they are making a nice profit in the pharmacy department (by the way I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Target Crossroads pharmacy people that is one of the main reasons I get our meds filled with them)
PLUS- I am probably at Target 4 or more times per month buying household items and plenty of gift cards during the holiday season (at least 8 this year).
STORY - I was in Target on December 16, 2007 and bumped into Barry and the girls (I know this date without a doubt because of another story that has to do with “THIS HOME BELIEVES”). They were so very excited about buying Rich season 5 of the TV program 24(they probably paid between $35.00 and $45.00) and giving it to him for Christmas, knowing it would be some good entertainment while he spends his 4 weeks at the City of Hope for his transplant. Of course at this time I did not know that we already owned season 5 which is totally my fault since I told them it would be a great gift. It was in the eyes and mind of Taylor and Jordan the perfect well thought out gift for Uncle Richie.
Yesterday January 10, 2008, I went to Target to EXCHANGE the season 5 “24” DVD’s (current price on Target site $44.99 not on sale) for some SEINFELD DVD’s (current price on Internet $33.99, since I will no longer shop at Target I can not verify the current in store NOT on sale prices). I was told that without a gift receipt or the actual receipt I would only get $14.98 towards the $34.00 purchase of the Seinfeld DVD. Apparently if you can believe TARGET would sell the “24” product for less than their cost at a Thanksgiving sale then I am only entitled to the lowest selling price the product has sold for sometime in the past YEAR, without a receipt. After much discussion from their customer service people about - lie to your friends tell them the DVD’s skip or they are damaged to get the receipt and then you can return them and then you can exchange them for FULL CREDIT. I told them I did not want to ask Barry for the receipt and ruin what the girls were so proud to give to Rich. And in my world I just wanted the Christmas gift giving experience to us to be perfect for them (all those ohhhs and ahhhs when you open those gifts). Besides with Barry’s limited time and situation you know he no longer has the receipt and again I would not ask him.
I called the manager yesterday Lee and did not receive a call back. No surprise there. I called today and talked to Manager Maria. Same story we don’t care if we lose you as a customer you only get $14.98 credit without a receipt. I asked her and begged if she could look up my ATM number and see exactly how much we spend at TARGET in one year and that we were not criminals trying to steal from TARGET (she could not be bothered to look it up never asked for my name, never said I will take it up with someone else, never offered any other suggestions for a solution…. That is our policy good by have a nice life) and were they willing to lose us as shoppers for what amounts to about $20.00. The ANSWER is YES they DON’T care! I need to add at this point that I did lower myself and my standards and even tired using the “C” card (cancer, bone marrow transplant, entertainment for my hubby while at City of Hope). Still no give… I did tell her I was sorry for her that she worked for a corporation that had no authority to be human or have a heart. DEFEATED and shaking I was so very upset and now crying to a TARGET TEAM MEMBER over the phone that I said not good enough I want that exception on this exchange give me someone else to call. She said in a very polite COLD manner I can ONLY give you a number for GUEST RELATIONS… who are they kidding there are no RELATIONS with TARGET. This number is not something they keep by the phone since she had to leave me hanging for sometime to go retrieve the number. In case you need the number for Guest Relations it is 800-440-0680.
Several minutes and deep deep breaths later (although I was still shaking) I called the number. Talked to a nicer person named Michelle and told her the story….. No receipt and I don’t want to bother asking the people who gave us the gift, just want to exchange it… Target makes $1,000 of dollars profit from my family every year, husband has to have bone marrow transplant, can we please have an exception (by now this has become principal with me over $20.00 and I feel their $14.98 refund is an INSULT). She said SORRY that is our POLICY and we will not make exceptions for you or anyone else…. (crying again just thinking about how angry and sad this makes me I need to get this done and move on) and of course her worldly advise that since my husband had health issues I really did have bigger things to worry about…. INSULT….dhua….. do you think?….. Then help me out here LADY.
This is my official protest I will be calling my favorite Target Pharmacy team members and asking them to transfer all of our prescription needs to another pharmacy…. Any one have recommendations or suggestions? I just want everyone to be aware of what we as consumers are dealing with when it comes to TARGET. Personally it makes me very sad. What makes me the angriest is myself…. As you know we have lots of Heath stuff happening at the Hyland House and I feel like the dam is ready to break at any moment and I hold it together quite well but when I let something like this get to me and I cry over the phone to the Target Team Member, I realize how little you or I really matter. I know I can not cure Rich’s cancers but maybe I can get a big corporation to make some exceptions now and again it gives me something to fight, and in someway I need something else to vent my anger towards especially when it is unjust and unfair.
One more question I have asked them (and they of course have no answer)…. .Did the Seinfeld DVD’s go on sale during the year (you know they did)? And if they did why can’t you give me the lowest sale price on the Seinfeld DVDs for the $14.98 you are willing to give me on the return of the “24” DVD’s. I will be happy to pay the difference. In other words if I was trying to exchange Seinfeld for “24” I would get the lowest sale price Seinfeld sold for during the year.
These policies are true for all Targets. Pass this on and let TARGET know we are worth more than a $20.00 difference…. Copy this letter and give it to them next time you are in the store…. Email them… Let’s start a TARGET complaint BLOG! jmhyland79@yahoo.com
Dear Friends, Family and TARGET GUEST:
I am so MAD, HURT, and ANGRY, with TARGET I don’t know whether to cry or laugh. I do know they have lost the HYLAND’S as customers. It is so very sad when a big corporation like TARGET has no authority to be human or make exceptions? It seems like in some very perverse way they like to say “NO” and make you feel like a convict whose picture is on the wall for the most wanted only because you want what is FAIR. When they make $1,000 of dollars in profit from you in one year they are willing to tell you that for $20.00 (this being the difference in the exchange price) take your business someplace else TARGET policy is TARGET policy. SORRY we will not make any exceptions. What has happened to us as people if for $20.00 you are just a big NOTHING to corporate GIANT - TARGET! (Wal-Mart here I come)
BACKGROUND we average a minimum of 4 to 8 prescriptions filled there every month. We pay $25.00 for our co-pay and our insurance company reimburses them whatever the agreed amount is for the prescription. I would assume they are making a nice profit in the pharmacy department (by the way I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Target Crossroads pharmacy people that is one of the main reasons I get our meds filled with them)
PLUS- I am probably at Target 4 or more times per month buying household items and plenty of gift cards during the holiday season (at least 8 this year).
STORY - I was in Target on December 16, 2007 and bumped into Barry and the girls (I know this date without a doubt because of another story that has to do with “THIS HOME BELIEVES”). They were so very excited about buying Rich season 5 of the TV program 24(they probably paid between $35.00 and $45.00) and giving it to him for Christmas, knowing it would be some good entertainment while he spends his 4 weeks at the City of Hope for his transplant. Of course at this time I did not know that we already owned season 5 which is totally my fault since I told them it would be a great gift. It was in the eyes and mind of Taylor and Jordan the perfect well thought out gift for Uncle Richie.
Yesterday January 10, 2008, I went to Target to EXCHANGE the season 5 “24” DVD’s (current price on Target site $44.99 not on sale) for some SEINFELD DVD’s (current price on Internet $33.99, since I will no longer shop at Target I can not verify the current in store NOT on sale prices). I was told that without a gift receipt or the actual receipt I would only get $14.98 towards the $34.00 purchase of the Seinfeld DVD. Apparently if you can believe TARGET would sell the “24” product for less than their cost at a Thanksgiving sale then I am only entitled to the lowest selling price the product has sold for sometime in the past YEAR, without a receipt. After much discussion from their customer service people about - lie to your friends tell them the DVD’s skip or they are damaged to get the receipt and then you can return them and then you can exchange them for FULL CREDIT. I told them I did not want to ask Barry for the receipt and ruin what the girls were so proud to give to Rich. And in my world I just wanted the Christmas gift giving experience to us to be perfect for them (all those ohhhs and ahhhs when you open those gifts). Besides with Barry’s limited time and situation you know he no longer has the receipt and again I would not ask him.
I called the manager yesterday Lee and did not receive a call back. No surprise there. I called today and talked to Manager Maria. Same story we don’t care if we lose you as a customer you only get $14.98 credit without a receipt. I asked her and begged if she could look up my ATM number and see exactly how much we spend at TARGET in one year and that we were not criminals trying to steal from TARGET (she could not be bothered to look it up never asked for my name, never said I will take it up with someone else, never offered any other suggestions for a solution…. That is our policy good by have a nice life) and were they willing to lose us as shoppers for what amounts to about $20.00. The ANSWER is YES they DON’T care! I need to add at this point that I did lower myself and my standards and even tired using the “C” card (cancer, bone marrow transplant, entertainment for my hubby while at City of Hope). Still no give… I did tell her I was sorry for her that she worked for a corporation that had no authority to be human or have a heart. DEFEATED and shaking I was so very upset and now crying to a TARGET TEAM MEMBER over the phone that I said not good enough I want that exception on this exchange give me someone else to call. She said in a very polite COLD manner I can ONLY give you a number for GUEST RELATIONS… who are they kidding there are no RELATIONS with TARGET. This number is not something they keep by the phone since she had to leave me hanging for sometime to go retrieve the number. In case you need the number for Guest Relations it is 800-440-0680.
Several minutes and deep deep breaths later (although I was still shaking) I called the number. Talked to a nicer person named Michelle and told her the story….. No receipt and I don’t want to bother asking the people who gave us the gift, just want to exchange it… Target makes $1,000 of dollars profit from my family every year, husband has to have bone marrow transplant, can we please have an exception (by now this has become principal with me over $20.00 and I feel their $14.98 refund is an INSULT). She said SORRY that is our POLICY and we will not make exceptions for you or anyone else…. (crying again just thinking about how angry and sad this makes me I need to get this done and move on) and of course her worldly advise that since my husband had health issues I really did have bigger things to worry about…. INSULT….dhua….. do you think?….. Then help me out here LADY.
This is my official protest I will be calling my favorite Target Pharmacy team members and asking them to transfer all of our prescription needs to another pharmacy…. Any one have recommendations or suggestions? I just want everyone to be aware of what we as consumers are dealing with when it comes to TARGET. Personally it makes me very sad. What makes me the angriest is myself…. As you know we have lots of Heath stuff happening at the Hyland House and I feel like the dam is ready to break at any moment and I hold it together quite well but when I let something like this get to me and I cry over the phone to the Target Team Member, I realize how little you or I really matter. I know I can not cure Rich’s cancers but maybe I can get a big corporation to make some exceptions now and again it gives me something to fight, and in someway I need something else to vent my anger towards especially when it is unjust and unfair.
One more question I have asked them (and they of course have no answer)…. .Did the Seinfeld DVD’s go on sale during the year (you know they did)? And if they did why can’t you give me the lowest sale price on the Seinfeld DVDs for the $14.98 you are willing to give me on the return of the “24” DVD’s. I will be happy to pay the difference. In other words if I was trying to exchange Seinfeld for “24” I would get the lowest sale price Seinfeld sold for during the year.
These policies are true for all Targets. Pass this on and let TARGET know we are worth more than a $20.00 difference…. Copy this letter and give it to them next time you are in the store…. Email them… Let’s start a TARGET complaint BLOG! jmhyland79@yahoo.com
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
SINKING IN....
Yes, it is 1:12 in the afternoon and it is sinking into my brain that it is the New Year and already lots of changes have happened in 13 hours. Our house went from full to empty (including the nest), Mike and Meghan left to go back up to Northern California and we all saw Jeff off today at the Newport Pier for his bike ride. OFFICIALLY he is on his way from Orange County California to Orange County Florida. He and his friend Mike. Their new apartment is a bike with a trailer, a tent, coleman stove and lots of camera equipment to film their documentary. They should by now be well on their way to their first nights stop someplace in Devore. Oh my rear hurts just thinking about all that time on a bike seat. Here a few pic's to share! Jeff with his new apartment on the back of his bike. Jeff thinking it's here I AM DOING IT. The 5 of us at the end of the pier (this is by the way a great picture of all of us, if you photo a lot you know what I mean since someone is always saying NO not another picture) and Jeff with Mike his cycling buddy. Little difference in size, kind of like the 
movie TWINS. In the previous post their is a link to Jeff's web site and they are supposed to BLOG along the way. I can not wait to hear about the travel up the interstate 15 the Cajon pass (they think they will be in Vegas Friday or Saturday). Yes, they believe they can ride up the pass to Las Vegas with those bikes and pulling about 75 pounds of trailer (or as I like to call it apartment) behind them. 13 hours of change already. I think I should scrap that as a page! Keep me from thinking about all the other "sinking in to my brain"
stuff that needs to be done. Clean scrap room, put away decorations and wrapping paper and and and and.... HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. Okey warning this post looks really good but sometimes when I hit the official button it changes everything since I did this through PICASA so I could use the pictures.... here goes.
I will get a link to
www.southern-tier.net officially posted on the left soon.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
AHHH
Ahhh just a moment to catch my breath after the RUSH of families, holidays and health issues. Life is amazing and I can not believe that this year 2007 is just about over. It was a great year! But my motto for for next year is THINGS will be GREAT in 2008. Rich will have his bone marrow in January and will be in complete remission. Meghan will have to have another type of surgery sometime next year which we pray will put her in complete remission and I have had my surgery and expect complete and total recovery once the rash goes away... (here goes) why me Lord (the rash). Jeff leaves for his OC California to OC Florida bike trip on January 1st. check out his preview for his documentary at http://www.southern-tier.net/
I will be doing my green part to use as many scrap supplies up as possible before the new editions come out in February...
FUN stuff this week doing a little scrap shopping at the Oasis with Meghan and her gift certificate. So nice of them to time it just right to have a sale when she is down from Northern California (you know they do their best to please their customers). She is an amazing artful scrapper. I will have to take some pictures and post some of her pages later. Spent lots of girl time with her at SCP today looking for a New Years Dress. Her and Michael will be staying till at least then... The two of us in a dressing room with about 30 dresses. and the winner is a really cute little black number (aren't they all black). AHHH (different type) I need to go take some benadryl the rash is itching..... AHHHHHHHHH
I will be doing my green part to use as many scrap supplies up as possible before the new editions come out in February...
FUN stuff this week doing a little scrap shopping at the Oasis with Meghan and her gift certificate. So nice of them to time it just right to have a sale when she is down from Northern California (you know they do their best to please their customers). She is an amazing artful scrapper. I will have to take some pictures and post some of her pages later. Spent lots of girl time with her at SCP today looking for a New Years Dress. Her and Michael will be staying till at least then... The two of us in a dressing room with about 30 dresses. and the winner is a really cute little black number (aren't they all black). AHHH (different type) I need to go take some benadryl the rash is itching..... AHHHHHHHHH
Friday, December 7, 2007
SomeBody
Somebody please tell Gracie (in doggy language) it is raining outside and there will be no trip to the park for sniffing, chasing and doing doggy business this am. Maybe when it dries out some we will go. Oh if our life were all that simple and we could be so easily amused by chasing a ball and having the park be your giant toilet with someone to clean up after you. UPDATES: Rich had blood work done yesterday and his white counts are really low - he really needs to stay away from sick people and so do I, so I don't bring anything home. Last night was the RED HAT, SWEET TART Christmas Feast-gift exchange. We went to Debbie's house and it was so festive and decorated with all kinds of great Santa's and Snowmen. She had this great sign in her kitchen that said " I only have a kitchen because it came with the house" FUNNY. There was plenty of food and good desserts even though someone forgot to bring her dessert...
Rich and I are really feeling the BLESSINGS, from our friends and family with their phone calls, invitations (although we have had to turn some down which makes us very sad, but we will be back next year), fabulous soups and those great elves that came to help me decorate the house! Time for errands in the rain... Sounds like that should be a song...
Have a wonderful wet, blessed day.
Rich and I are really feeling the BLESSINGS, from our friends and family with their phone calls, invitations (although we have had to turn some down which makes us very sad, but we will be back next year), fabulous soups and those great elves that came to help me decorate the house! Time for errands in the rain... Sounds like that should be a song...
Have a wonderful wet, blessed day.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
It's Been Awhile
Yes, it has been awhile since I blogged. There are at least 100 reasons why. Why today... A little boredom and not to much to do since I am at the City of Hope watching my hubby take a little cat nap. The Journey has begun and being the trooper he is he is downloading all his new chemo drugs. Things are going pretty smooth except for the one side effect the HICCUPS. He has had them off and on for hours for hours at a time. I think they are wearing him out more than the chemo right now.Praying we get done here by 6pm so we can go home. We've been here since Sunday and I slept in his room last night. Not the most comfortable but when you have been married almost 33 years (we will be as of this Friday), you get used to sleeping with someone every night and the bed at home gets a little lonely even though Gracie takes up half of it. Most of the Christmas cards are addressed. That is good. I keep trying to talk Rich into doing a Christmas letter/note for us since he has this laptop and needs a project (I think he needs a project and what could be more fun than a Christmas year end update from Hyland's Island?)Oh my I hear the groaner down the hall that is a little distributing. All the people fighting cancer are very brave - not sure I could do it. Lots of love to everyone GOD BLESS. more updates to follow.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
BACK - BACK - From the Islands
What a fun time we had visiting Oahu and Kauai. Friends, warm water, Mai Tai's, fresh fish on the bbq. Great flights with ALOHA AIRLINES. It was all good. Jimmy Buffett on Saturday after our return. Now it's back to reality. Time to start scrapping the rest of cousin Eileen's book. I wallpapered it, gave it to her in Oahu and she gave it back in Kauai saying can't you please put the pictures in.... SO it came home in my luggage. I was really ready to start something new... SOON.... Enjoy... Those pictres really came out small. Forgot to check a box someplace. Have a good one.
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