I still can do it
“72 years old, had a stroke, but I’m still able to do this,” I said to myself through tears.
I had just completed online application for a $40 rebate on anti-flea medication for my dog.
It’s called “Bravecto,” is oral, and It’s made by Merck.
The tears are a stroke-effect. I had a stroke almost 23 years ago, but am left with slight lability: poor emotional control. It can manifest itself as excessive laughing or crying. With me it’s a tendency to cry more readily than normal.
There were the usual hairballs.
—First was indicating where you bought the stuff. A bunch of vet sites were listed, but not Honeoye Falls Veterinary (“hone-eee-OYE;” as in “boy”).
I was ready to check “not listed,” but noticed I was only on the first page of about 10.
There it was on page four.
Like everyone has time to pore through 89 bazilyun veterinarians.
—Next was “product code.”
The site displayed a product code, but it wasn’t the one on my box.
I tried to overwrite, but couldn’t. So I clicked “add product code.”
I did so, but NYET! “Erroneous product code.”
Hey man, it’s right on the box!
Time to call the 800 number.
“Welcome to Merck’s rebate-center. Yada-yada-yada-yada.”
10 minutes so far.
“You gotta use the product code Merck gives you,” I was told.
“So why was I directed to the one on your box?” I asked.
“Won’t work. The one on the site will.”
“Next.” “I hope I don’t hafta call you back.”
—Next was scan and upload my receipt from the veterinarian; or copy and mail. That’s for grannies, I surmised.
So I scanned it onto my desktop.
Now to upload.
And how, pray tell, do I do that, with no visible upload function?
Back to the 800 number; same girl.
“See that ‘Browse your device’?”
To me a “device” is my Smartphone, not my computer.
That’s the usage I’ve heard.
Why don’t they say “computer?”
“Okay, I’ll try it. Hold on.”
—Receipt uploaded: “Now what?”
“You got the ‘thank you’ page.”
“Print that and you’re finished.”
Well yes, indeed, it was the “thank you” page, but it looked like all the others.
The medication cost $100; I get rebated $40.
“Easy as pie,” the vet clerk said. “Just go online, fill out the form, and scan our receipt if ya can.”
At which point I usually say, although it doesn’t apply to me: “What if I don’t have a computer?”
In which case Merck says “TOUGH,” and adds another 40 smackaroos to its Mercedes account.
I can’t imagine my mother-in-law doing this. She still has a rotary phone.
I had just completed online application for a $40 rebate on anti-flea medication for my dog.
It’s called “Bravecto,” is oral, and It’s made by Merck.
The tears are a stroke-effect. I had a stroke almost 23 years ago, but am left with slight lability: poor emotional control. It can manifest itself as excessive laughing or crying. With me it’s a tendency to cry more readily than normal.
There were the usual hairballs.
—First was indicating where you bought the stuff. A bunch of vet sites were listed, but not Honeoye Falls Veterinary (“hone-eee-OYE;” as in “boy”).
I was ready to check “not listed,” but noticed I was only on the first page of about 10.
There it was on page four.
Like everyone has time to pore through 89 bazilyun veterinarians.
—Next was “product code.”
The site displayed a product code, but it wasn’t the one on my box.
I tried to overwrite, but couldn’t. So I clicked “add product code.”
I did so, but NYET! “Erroneous product code.”
Hey man, it’s right on the box!
Time to call the 800 number.
“Welcome to Merck’s rebate-center. Yada-yada-yada-yada.”
10 minutes so far.
“You gotta use the product code Merck gives you,” I was told.
“So why was I directed to the one on your box?” I asked.
“Won’t work. The one on the site will.”
“Next.” “I hope I don’t hafta call you back.”
—Next was scan and upload my receipt from the veterinarian; or copy and mail. That’s for grannies, I surmised.
So I scanned it onto my desktop.
Now to upload.
And how, pray tell, do I do that, with no visible upload function?
Back to the 800 number; same girl.
“See that ‘Browse your device’?”
To me a “device” is my Smartphone, not my computer.
That’s the usage I’ve heard.
Why don’t they say “computer?”
“Okay, I’ll try it. Hold on.”
—Receipt uploaded: “Now what?”
“You got the ‘thank you’ page.”
“Print that and you’re finished.”
Well yes, indeed, it was the “thank you” page, but it looked like all the others.
The medication cost $100; I get rebated $40.
“Easy as pie,” the vet clerk said. “Just go online, fill out the form, and scan our receipt if ya can.”
At which point I usually say, although it doesn’t apply to me: “What if I don’t have a computer?”
In which case Merck says “TOUGH,” and adds another 40 smackaroos to its Mercedes account.
I can’t imagine my mother-in-law doing this. She still has a rotary phone.
Labels: 'pyooter ruminations, ain't technology wonderful?, stroke-effects
posted by BobbaLew at 3:45 PM
3 Comments:
Good story BobbaLew, I pray that you can keep on doing the things you love to do. I don't like the idea of myself not playing around on the outer or auditioning sounds on my keyboard.... both very therapeutic for me.
; )
:)
:)
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