Sunday 28 December 2008

sick talk

As many of you know i was in hospital for a week recently,where i received wonderful care from some lovely and caring people.nurses,doctors,even the ladies who brought the meals round,all dedicated,all friendly. now,bearing in mind i was rushed in having a heart attack i didnt have a lot of time to get things together to take,pam as i have said kindly visited me and took me fresh clothes.my mother bless her was in a state,naturally,and wanted to keep in touch with me.now,at each bedside in that and just about every other hospital in england,are televisision screens with a built in telephone.you either purchase cards to put in,from £5 upwards,or you use a credit or debit card to purchase credit.in my case i put on £20 which gave me television for a week and £10 on my personal phone for making calls. calls cost 10p a minute to make.not too bad is it?? well i used that £10,and Pam,bless her heart,put me another 20 on,making £30 in all.i used the lot nearly in a week.on top of that,mum was ringing me quite often,she was lonely and wanted to chat.now i pay my telephone bill through talk talk,along with AOL,american friends please note,aol uk split from the main AOL sometime ago,we go it alone lol,although we still use much of the system.this is paid every month through my credit card.the phone calls usually come to around £6 a month,not counting the line rental to BT.so yesterday i got my credit card statement,i was prepared for a shock,and i got it. instead of the £6 or so,my calls for the month came to over £75.that week in hospital cost me £70 on phonecalls,on top of the 30 i spent myself.Pam later told me her phonebill was over 46 for ringing me,and she only rung once a day,my friend angela spent 20.all in all i estimate for one week in hospital,phonecalls cost a total of over £200.£30 a day.which is a bloody rip off.i also used my mobile for txting,wish i had used it for calls.been a tenth of the price.now,when you are lying in bed,ill,you dont have any visitors,which i didnt,you get fed up,and you just want to hear a friendly voice,and to charge a double whammy,both on making the call from the hospital,and on receiving the call at the other end is a bit much.i know the technology to provide the service has to be charged for,and it is done through a private firm,but these prices are disgusting.so be warned.if you,or your loved ones have to stay in hospital,be aware of the hidden price of keeping in touch.
Wendy was kind enough to say she thought i had done a lovely tribute to Emma,so i am pleased.if she had any reservations at all i would have deleted the entry.thanks to all who commented on it.it made me cry writing it.

Well.christmas is all over,i do hope you all had good ones.i had a lovely day,so did mum.now we look forward to a new year.can i just take this oppurtunity to wish everyone a really peaceful,happy,pain free 2009.take care all

19 comments:

jack69 said...

WOW, Mort, that is nearly $300 US for the phone. I am afraid that would give me another heart attack. Yes it is a rip off. We live completely on the cell phone for the net and talk. and for a month it is around $150 US. So you see I would have been shocked at $300 for the hospital stay. BUT putting it beside caring attendands and friends, it is a small price to pay for a friendly voice. Thankis for an eye opener.
Take care. Hope you continue to mend.
Jack

Beth said...

Good grief, unbelievable what you were charged! The main thing, though is that you are OKAY.

Wishing you HEALTH and much happiness in the coming year!

Love, Beth

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I wish you better days ahead in the New Year.

Randy said...

Hello Mort,

So good to hear from you and I hope you continue mending from your heart attack. The phone charges are really unbelivable. Ours has been down for two days it just came back on this afternoon. Tell your mother Happy New Year and God Bless

Randy

Pamela said...

In our hospitals the patients are allowed to make, and receive local calls for free. If they make a long distance call they must charge it on their credit card, though. But, they can receive a long distance call for free. As for TV...well I never heard of charging for that?? The whole thing is insane!!
I hope you are feeling ok and I hope you had a nice weekend.
Love to you..

Rose said...

Those were outrageous prices to be charged but nonetheless, good to be able to hear your mother's voice and I'm sure she was very concerned about you as we all were.

Stay well my friend,

Hugs, Rose

Joyce said...

My goodness Mort. I will never complain about my phone bill again. That's rediculous. I'm so sorry. I'm glad you and mum enjoyed Christmas. May you both have a wonder new year with lot's of miracles.
Hugs, Joyce

Jan said...

Wow Mort that really is absorbitant ,what a rip off ,that is an example of taking advantage of a situation ,over which you have ne control ,Have a wonderful happy healthy new year both ..love Jan xx

LYN said...

IT IS A BLOODY RIP OFF!! WOW!

HERE'S TO A GREAT NEW YEAR MORT..IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE GETTING TO KNOW YOU THIS PAST YEAR..I LOVE READING YOUR BLOG..MAKES ME HOMESICK IN A GOOD WAY...

Dannelle said...

The phone expense is appalling- There are so many hidden charges here in the States I hope they don't pick up on that one! Glad you are home and have that new car! Take care- Dannelle

Lori J said...

Dearest Morton and Mum, May I wish you a Happy New Year with many blessings from above.
I remember my stay in hospital after having septic poisoning and they moved me into the "Pallative Care" wing. Hubby flipped and said WHY are you here (usually this is where terminal patients go) and my typical Scottish answer "don't know but I get free TV, Phone and VCR...
Our health care system in Canada may not be the best but I am grateful for the minimal costs anywhere in treatment...like my cancer NC for drugs that probably totalled half a million, Chuck's care from Heart Attack I have NO idea what that would be.
It never ceases to amase me that our American friends suffer like they do when it comes to health care.
Hugs,

Alberta LORI

Frances said...

So sorry about the loss of your friends you wrote about in your last post, Mort. Emma was fortunate to have good friends, family, and boyfriend, to be by her side until the end. And you must be a very good man to be there for your Mom in her golden years. Especially with your medical problems as well. Take care, and may your New Year bring better health for you and your Mom.

Jenny said...

That is pure greed Mort, at a time when you don't need it. Happy new year to you.
Jenny <><

Sybil said...

Thank goodness you didn't know what the costs of all the phone calls were before you went to hospital...at least you did manage to keep in touch with folks especially Mum which was worth it's weight in gold...but in all honesty I don't know how peole can live with themsleves when ripping off peole when they are already not working etc.etc...
God Bless you and Mum throughout 2009...It has been so great reading your journal this year. It makes me feel "part" of your life
Thank You Much Love Sybil xxx

ADB said...

Mort,
Patientline (if that's the system used at your hospital) is fiendishly expensive. Officially, you're barred from using mobiles in hospital, particularly if you're in Intensive or Coronary Care. Sorry your bills skyrocketed - hope you're continuing to recover well.

Guido

jun said...

Aol is really changing. we loose something else every few weeks. but I get it free now and will never pay them as I used to.Do they offer a free service in u.k? I dont get tech support with the free but still I am happy with free.
Still you are home and on the mend and there is no price on that dear one!

Jane Thompson said...

Its appalling the cost of calls whilst in hospital isnt it Mort? And at a time when you need that contact with friends and family so badly.
I used to be very naughty and use my mobile in the loo to text and phone !

I wish you and your Mum the very best for 2009 - take food care of yourselves

Jane
xxxx

http://a-journey-of-another-kind.blogspot.com/

Yasmin said...

Absoulute disgrace, BT and the like just rip you off. I changed over to Tiscali at the beginning of this month and I use them for my phone and broadband £19.99 per (free eving and weekend calls plus international calls to 10 countries) month and no line rental, you do have to pay a £30 admin fee but that's it and they dela with everything i lost internet for 1 day, but the set up was easy.

glad you had a good Christmas, regards to mum.

Hugs

Yasmin
xx

Lucy said...

Hey Mort, I don't know how I missed this unless it was when I waS FEELING LIKE I needed to be in hospital. That is outrageous with the phone. I am suprised you did not have another heart attack. Thank you for your congrats on my New gr-grandbaby. They live in Missouri but if I know my son he is taking tons of Pictures. Lucy