Squeaky wheels get oiled.

Squeaky wheels get oiled.

Hi there

Thanks for popping in. Just been talking to Grace in New York. We speak most days, which is lovely. Sometimes, we just leave the Facetime app running on the computer screen; she gets on with her Clarity work over in Brooklyn, and I get on with mine here in Sussex. It’s as if we were sitting in the same room.

I want to talk a little about Gracie. She has been struggling with chronic pain and inflammation in her jaws for a couple of years. Has been going from doctor to consultant, to hospital to specialist – and back to the start again. Nobody really knows what’s wrong, there have been various diagnoses, but nothing conclusive. Tell you what though: they sure know how to charge in the States! And I mean thousands! Every X-ray, every MRI, every steroid injection comes at great cost, and the insurance companies know how to spell excess too! Anyway, Grace – Grace by name, Grace by nature – was scheduled for another hospital appointment today, but they cancelled at the last moment, and told her to come back in a month’s time. Then another Doctor’s appointment was pushed back to September. Enough!

Today’s quote?

Squeaky wheels get oiled

Sometimes you’ve got to stand up and say, “No. This is not acceptable to me”

Grace never complains. She’s amazing as an advocate for others, but not so for herself. Sound familiar? Yep. She just sucks it up and goes with the flow. Until today. Today was the day, she took a leaf out of her Mum’s old book, and started squeaking.

She wrote an email letter. Interestingly, she didn’t write to the engine driver; she reached out to the receptionist at the Doctor’s surgery, because the two women had built up a good rapport over the years, and Grace felt that she would empathize.

I won’t go into the medical details – not my story to tell. But suffice it to say that Grace has had all her appointments reinstated pronto, and even got a phone call from the consultant within the hour, reassuring her that they certainly have NOT given up on her, that he would personally see to it that she was looked after, and that they would get to the bottom of this soonest.

So. What do we learn from this?

Firstly, squeaky wheels get oiled, especially if they never usually squeak.

Secondly, read the room. Know who to squeak to.

Thirdly, squeak nicely. Nobody likes a loud, persistent or irritating squeak, now do they ?!

I also think that this positive outcome has a lot to do with Grace’s infectious positive, friendly upbeat energy wherever she goes. And Grace, like me, knows only too well, that the receptionist, the secretary, the security guard, the waiter, is not only a person who deserves respect like any other person; he or she is also often the most important person in the building! They can make or break your day!

And on that positive squeak, I shall wish you a lovely evening.

Love always,

Barb x x x

21 thoughts on “Squeaky wheels get oiled.

  1. poor Grace to suffer so much pain over such a long time, but well done Grace for getting someone to listen and deal with it promptly.x

  2. I truly feel for Grace. My dentist put it down to stress and grinding my teeth at night. So pleased she has her appointment back. My cardiologist has postponed!! Also got a cracked front crown. My heart goes out to lovely Grace. Meanwhile very jittery awaiting removal of said crown. Hoping the craftalong will make me calmer. Love xx

  3. Oh poor Grace. To have been suffering for so long, someone I knew years ago had something similar and had to have an operation to have her jaw realigned. I do hope that they get to grips with treatment to solve it x

  4. Poor Grace. I hope they soon find the cause of the problem. Well done her for sticking to her guns & getting the help she needs & deserves. x

  5. Poor lamb; like you stated, always upbeat. Fingers crossed her medical team do get to the bottom of the issue soon.

  6. Hubby and I live in constant but controlled pain all the time so I can fully sympathise with Grace. How she has managed to do all her audio work in those circumstances is remarkable. Good on her for getting a result so quickly, just proves it is good to complain quietly to the right person. Hope that consultant keeps his word.
    On a happier note, watched all the shows today, the products blew the doors off. Jazz has given us some beautiful designs to work with.
    Have a good evening.

  7. Sometimes you just have to take it to the next level of insistence. Shouldn’t have to but if needs must !! Glad the email worked & hopefully now it will be sorted asap.
    How is your cough? Hopefully better xx

  8. I do hope Grace gets answers soon and remedy too. Good for her, yes so right in respecting everyone and making good relationships along the way.; just like her Mum.

  9. So glad Grace had a good squeak and hope she gets sorted soon, not nice to be in pain bless her.
    I met her a few years ago, I was sitting on the steps outside the Ally Pally at the craft show and she came out for some fresh air. Had a lovely chat with a lovely girl x

  10. Having gone through pain and agony following dental treatment I can fully understand where Grace is coming from. Luckily my problem was resolved after 3 months but at the time I could hardly open my mouth so life became very depressing. Thankfully I had no medical bills to pay. I hope Grace gets help and soon. Unfortunately I can’t join the Craftalong Live tomorrow as I shall be visiting Kent’s Castles. Have fun, I’ll catch up when home

  11. Poor Grace, I’m glad she stuck up for herself today, it’s the way you approach it is the key as you say. I hope she gets an answer soon. X

  12. Hi Barbara
    Glad Grace is getting things sorted, it’s quite depressing when you have to wait for things to be done only for them to be cancelled. Good on her for putting her foot down. Always believe you should go to the engine room if you want something done rather than the Captain.
    Love Ruth and Jackie xx

  13. Well done Grace for getting a result and hope the painful journey is resolved quickly. Lots of love x

  14. So sorry to hear Grace has been suffering so much. Sounds very similar to my daughter, used to get a lot of pain both sides of her jaw especially when she was eating! Found that if she massaged her face around the pain it eased a bit. Told her dentist who thought it was her wisdom teeth! Had them out but still had the pain. He then referred her to maxilla facial team and she was diagnosed with sjogrens disease (basically the parotid glands dont produce enough saliva, the ducts narrow and when you try to eat, the backlog of saliva causes pain in the narrow canals, also then referred to rheumatology as related. Hopefully Grace will get answers soon, the main thing is the wheels are now in motion x

  15. Hello Barb, Grace has certainly got her Mums nature. It is horrible to hear that she is suffering like that, I hope it does get sorted and she can be pain free. Great quote. Take care everyone. Bx

  16. Sorry to hear about Grace’s chronic pain. I hope they will be able to find the cause and control it very soon. And I love that you can sit together working in the same room whilst in different countries and time zones x

  17. I really feel for Grace being in pain is certainly no joke. Hopefully now things will start to improve for her. There are always to approach things, the nice way and the bolshy way – nice wins hands down every time.

  18. Well done Grace for standing her ground ,in the nicest possible way. Hope a solution can be found.
    I had a similar problem, receptionist at surgery asking me to “ pop around in two weeks time” when I was very poorly. Being almost 87, heart failure etc, 8 miles away, drive myself, I explained very politely that I’d probably be dead by then, and please to refer to my records. I can now speak to a doctor within a couple of hours, and they decide what next. That’s better! Very grateful.

  19. I have to feel for Grace and anyone in Chronic pain. You definitely have to speak up to get things done. The USA medical system costs so much and people suffer needlessly. We may complain about the NHS but no way would we want to swap to their system. God bless Grace, this too shall pass, eventually. xx

  20. Hope she gets this sorted out. Chronic pain is terrible to live with. Just adding two cents here so ignore if not helpful. I had jaw pain which I thought was related to my molars but after seeing a good physiotherapist, realized that the tension that I carry in my upper shoulders and especially my neck caused neck and jaw pain and sometimes headaches. With all of the computer work we do, leaning forward, the tension from the weight of our head can do amazing things to our neck and jaw. The nerves from our spine / neck run up to our jaw so we sometimes we can feel pain in jaw or the sinus area. The doctors depend on xrays and tests to diagnose, but perhaps a good PT with hands on care can see if any of her jaw pain is related to musculoskeletal issues for which exercises and body ergonomics may help. Jaw pain can lead to trismus as well. US healthcare is about profit and shareholders. I am so glad I live in Canada where our system is similar to the NHS.

  21. Oh no poor Grace, I hope that her new tests will resolve her problems, it is terrible living with constant pain especially in your face area, talking, eating etc must be very uncomfortable.

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