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A little background info first. My husband was going with me to convention. He asked me to get a roommate during the convention time. So, that I would have someone to share the convention experience with.
We arrived Saturday night before convention. My roommate arrived on Tuesday night. My husband moved to another room from Tuesday –Saturday night.
The Thursday of convention my roommate went ahead of me. I was not feeling well and wanted to rest a little. I told her not to worry about saving me a seat; it would be too hard to find her. I knew we had the same classes and I would see her latter.
I did not see her the whole day until after the last class of the day.
We rode the trax back to our room. She was complaining about me snoring and that she needed to get some rest that night. I told her well, honey you were snoring till after midnight before I could go to sleep and that was probably why I was snoring.
We went into the room to clean up for the awards. When I went into the bathroom she left and said she would be right back. She was gone for 45 minutes. She said she could not get a signal for her phone. We went to dinner and she barely spoke to me. We changed our seats several times, because she did not like the seats. The whole time she kept looking around like she was looking for someone.
She had seen some of her friends Thursday AM that had moved away from her and spent the convention day with them. During the awards ceremony during the cruise walk she got up to go to the bathroom and call her husband goodnight. That was around 8:00. She never came back. At 10:15 I went looking for her and could not find her. I called my husband and he called our room with no answer. I called her cell phone and told her I was going back to the room and I hoped she was ok with no answer.
I got to the room and she was gone. I called the front desk and she checked out at 5:30 before we went to dinner. I was only going to the awards so that she would not have to ride the train at night by herself. Exactly what she did to me.
If she would have told me in the morning before check out time my husband could have moved back to our room and we would not have had 2 room charges. The hotel let her check out without paying for Thursday since it was after 12:00. They did not charge her taxes on the nights she was there.
She cost me about $300 in room fees I did not plan for. I saved all year so that I would not have to charge anything while I was gone. Now I might have to sell some things to pay the bill.
When I got home I found out my insurance is not going to cover a bill for $1000.00 that I thought they would pay. I called before the procedure and they ok it, now they are giving me a hassle.
I hope she treats her customers better that she treated me.
Craftqueen
I'm sorry you had such a yucky roommate experience, Craftqueen. I'm sure it was hard to count on someone to help split expenses and hang out with and have them leave without a word. I hope that you enjoyed things otherwise - there's so much at convention to enjoy and take in!
On a personal note, medical bills stink. Get your doctor's office involved to help get that bill paid! They should be advocates for you!
OMG! That's horrible! *hugs* I'm so sorry that this happened to you and I really hope that things get better for you. Don't know what else to say cept karma can be a you know what.
__________________ bj ~ Gotta have the ALOHA Spirit ~
that really stinks! I am planning on attending next year..keep me in mind..I'm not a dweeb like that! I will want someone to have a blast WITH not a room mate...if she has any respect for anyone else she'll at least apologize and pony up some $
I am not letting her ruin my convention. I had a great time without her. Every where I went every one was so friendly. I never ate alone or did the make and takes by myself. I even forgot a stampset the second day and a fellow stamper let me borrow hers. I was glad I did not win anything on Friday, because I knew she had the same bracelet and I did not want her to win anything. This was the first year my husband went with me. There must have been a reason he came after all these years. I am glad I was not alone to dwell on the bad. She was going home on Saturday, so she missed getting the RMH set.
So sorry to hear that happened to you. It sounds like she was a complainer and nothing would have satisfied her. And it also sounds like this is maybe not her first time at short changing someone. I hope this does not stop you from enjoying convention inthe future.
And how rude of her...she knew your husband was in another room and if she was not going to stay that other night she could have at least told you so your hubby could have come back to stay with you.
:( That is a bummer. I had a roomate who snored like crazy, but I never kicked her out or me check out of a room either. So what that I lost sleep, big deal, we were on a fantastic vacation....I can make-up the sleep anytime! We had a blast and laughed the ENTIRE time. To this day, we are still very good friends and I would room with her again...and again...and again.
:( That is a bummer. I had a roomate who snored like crazy, but I never kicked her out or me check out of a room either. So what that I lost sleep, big deal, we were on a fantastic vacation....I can make-up the sleep anytime! We had a blast and laughed the ENTIRE time. To this day, we are still very good friends and I would room with her again...and again...and again.
gosh, veronica, we never roomed together, lol! Just wanted to say "hi" to you. . .haven't seen you in ages!
Hey if I go next year - we would be a great team!!! My husband says I snore... I don't believe him, but who knows... :-)
It is hard to trust any people again after you have something like that done to you. I am sure you know there are a lot more trustworthy people in this world than the ones to have to watch your back with. Unfortunately you ended up with a latter one in your room. Shrug it off and find a good person to have a blast with next year.
Sorry you had a flake for a roommate. I've had to travel for work and share rooms with folks that snore. I'm a light sleeper. Thank goodness for Ambien. ;) Next year I hope to go to convention and have a good roommate or a few good roommates/convention buds! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. ;)
__________________ Have an awesome day!
Loretta Rathert~
So Sorry! No one that is a true stamper would treat another so badly!!
Can everyone say TOLERANCE!!
As far as snoring goes...it's not like we can help it.! My husband says I snore terrible at times...I don't know, I am sleeping
That lady was so wrapped up in her own wants & life she missed out on some major blessings of getting to know another stamper/person.
I guess we should room with people you know somewhat
Having travelled with friends in the past (Europe, girls trips south, etc) we all clearly outline what we expected BEFORE leaving - I've had two positive "stranger" roommate experiences so far (2 for 2) mainly because I've been upfront about me:
I sometimes talk in my sleep
I don't mind a soft snore but a SNARFLE SNORER I'm very cautious about!!
I don't snore
I flop like a fish (not to want to sleep with anyone else in a bed)
I take 3 1/2 minutes to get ready
I take a 5 minute shower and I'm out the door from wake to fully ready in 10 minutes
I don't watch TV
I don't mind lights on (to read while roomie sleeps) but not the "strobe light" effect
In Europe - We agreed to disagree and not let anything affect out friendship.
I'm sorry you had such a cruddy experience and perhaps everyone can learn that out of 6000+ women there are a few "chemically challenged" and "ornery" ones out there..I certainly ran into a handful....I never let that affect my experience!
SU Convention ROCKED!!!!!!!!!!
(If you are counting those 10 minutes from wake, shower and get ready...the other few minutes are making sure I have not forgotten something...which I always do.....)
__________________
How Many Days Till Convention '11? ************************* Visit my Stampin' Blog
blow it off - it is over - and hopefully she is ashamed of herself for not being strong enough to discuss her unhappiness with you and that she wanted to leave.
shame on her - but don't let it bring you down!
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Maybe next year just stay with your husband. After all, you guys have learned to tolerate everything about each other after this long, right? As you said, there are always plenty of people to meet & talk to at Convention, anyway, and not have to sleep in the same room with them. You'll still have fun & no pressure that way.
Maybe next year just stay with your husband. After all, you guys have learned to tolerate everything about each other after this long, right? As you said, there are always plenty of people to meet & talk to at Convention, anyway, and not have to sleep in the same room with them. You'll still have fun & no pressure that way.
That's what I did. My sweetie explored SLC by day.. and snuggled with me at night.. worked out nicely!
Sorry that happened to you OP!
__________________ Hi, My name is Liz, and I am a SWAPaholic.. MY BLOG
So instead of a new-found friend, flakie roommate got her panties in a bunch in the midst of the 20th Anniversary Convention?? Rough luck about the extra $$, but you undoubtably ended up better off w/out her.
The snoring piece would worry me - DH says I never snored until 2 yrs ago and now he (a sound sleeper) wears earplugs. So I must be pretty bad... Whenever I'm in a room w/ somebody, I tell them up front and ask them to PLEASE jostle me if I'm bothering them. I'm afraid if it was somebody I didn't know, it'd probably put them off...
Hopefully all will be resolved w/ your insurance billing issues. If not, contact your congressman's office, senator, whatever. Seriously - they make calls, pull strings, etc. to help people out. I did it a couple of years ago after DD #1 was sent, at 18, to an oncologist for testing while away (alone) at college. Dr.'s office said they'd take care of the referral, she thought they meant the insurance referral for a dr. out of network (we have an HMO) but what they meant was not for insurance, just so that the dr. would see her. Over $1,000 later we started getting "denied" claims. It was her fault, and we fully understood that. But we also plead for mercy as she was scared out of her wits, alone in a strange city, and misunderstood. Had she been thinking more clearly, hopefully she wouldn't have been so confused. Insurance co. waffled - first yes, they'd make an exception then a week later, oh, no we can't. Out of desperation I called our congressman's office and spoke to an aide about the situation. They didn't make any promises, but said they'd look into it. Called back the next day to let us know that the insurance co. didn't have to (which we knew - we knew we were at fault), but that they were making a good will gesture. What a relief - it was so beyond a gesture for us, that was a huge amount of money! If all else fails, it's worth a shot...
So Sorry about your experience. I put a notice for a convention buddy/roommate a few months before convention. I had a real great person that has now become a friend. We did meet a few time before convention and told each other up front about ourselves. Funny thing is we were both ones that snored. I think we did great together. We made compromises when needed. I think we both had a great time. I was a little worried at first but all was great. I wish you would have had the same experience. Just remember not everyone is like that and you can make some great friends. I did. I hope everything works out with your bill. I had a cat scan that they said the insurance approved it and later found out they did not. After writing a few letters I ended up only having to pay for the Dr. reading since he was not part of the plan. The place were they did the test had to eat the cost.!!! Keep working on it and maybe it will resolve it's self. Most companies are suppose to make sure it is covered before they do the test. They just don't tell you that in hopes you pay it.
When you say they oked it do you mean you checked all the cpt codes? Did they send you anything in writing? Did the office do any pre-auth? I do pre-auth for my dr. We check all cpt's before surgery so we know exactly what they will cover and what they won't. If you checked the cpt codes you can say I checked and you said you would cover it. I got this is writing(if you did). Also very important is most insurance companies record their calls. Ask yours if they do. And let them know when you called they can look it up. As a memeber you have more pull with them then the dr office does. You pay the $$. Be persistant and remember the insurance commission. I have had 16 years doing medical and I needed an outside person to help me with a AZ company screwing with my mom.
So bottom line is fight. Be nice but fight it.
Take care and send me a pm if you need to.
When I got home I found out my insurance is not going to cover a bill for $1000.00 that I thought they would pay. I called before the procedure and they ok it, now they are giving me a hassle.
I hope she treats her customers better that she treated me.
Craftqueen
I can't help with the roommate but I can give some advice on the insurance. Call, Call, Call. I was in the exact same boat. My insurance company said that one of my daughter's surgery was covered and even quoted me the percentages that they would cover. When I got the denial notice a month or two later i just kept calling and asking for each person's manager until i got to the top (or at least as top as they would let me go). It turns out that they record every conversation for 'training purposes' and when they pulled the file (I was able to tell them when i called and who i spoke to) they found that the call taker did say everythign that i told them she said. They also found out that she misspoke about what was covered but since she said it to me prior to the surgery, they ended up covering what they said they would. A hefty bit more than I thougth they would, thank goodness. So my advice is to call, call, call. And I know it can be frustrating, but do your best not to get upset or they'll hold that against you. Just be reasonable and keep explaining the situation. Good Luck!
I am sorry your roomie was a flake, but I recently had an insurance success story as well. I called and then called again and it was resubmitted (out of network/out of COUNTRY claim) They said it was coded wrong or not at all. I offered to return to Jamaica at their expense to ask the dr to recode it, otherwise it was out of my area of expertise. Denied again. Called back (the number on the denial , which btw was the doctor's only number, "yes we know that is the wrong number, you shouldnt have called it! It says call this (wrong ) number!
So
third try . I reach a person who has been to Jamaica "isn't it the most beautiful place in the world?" she is a chatty girl too and sees no reason why it won't be paid, so she will fix it, and I should call right back in a week if nothing has happened,
And whatever Jamaican island magic she wielded, a check appeared in the mail (No explanation, no apology) but whee.
so keep trying, going up the ladder, or calling back on different days for somebody else to try a different path..
good luck!!
Betsy
(and may all your roommates' cards have smeared ink and crooked folds!)
I wonder why they didn't charge her for her half of the room fees and taxes? And they were A LOT!
That sure was sweet of your DH to let you share a room with another convention-goer. Too bad it didn't work out like both you and your DH had thought it would. I agree with other posts, next time, just stay with your DH! Glad you didn't let it ruin your overall experience!!
__________________ "If only there were some kind of giant world wide river of information, available at any time to anyone in the world who has the right equipment, that is relatively easy to use, and available at a nominal expense.......but where would we get such a thing?" Brian Nelson
I'm so sorry that happened. I had a bad roommate experience a couple of years ago too. I arranged on splitcoast to have three roommates. Thank goodness 2 of them turned out to be fabulous, and we had a great time! The fourth one decided AFTER seeing the room once that she wasn't interested in staying with us, she said the hotel was too hot. (The room wansn't, by the way, although the lobby was.) I have no idea where she went, but she was very unpleasant, and just sort of left us in the lurch... had been planning to split the hotel bill four ways, and then suddenly we all had to pay more. It was too bad... really makes you wonder why some people think they can treat others like that... and you certainly expect SU! demonstrators to NOT be like that, don't ya???
Better luck next time!
__________________ [LEFT]Jess[COLOR=seagreen][SIZE=4][SIZE=3]
----------------- Usborne Books and More
I'm going to put in my $.02 on the insurance as well. I have had claims denied, applied to the deductible when it is a covered expense, etc. I'm beginning to think that the insurance company is like the one in "The Incredibles"...deny everything! When I know that something should be covered, or when it should apply to the deductible and they say it is not eligible, I have gotten the best results by calling the company/broker that sold the policy to my husband's business. They really know the ropes. I have one person there who handles his business policy and she gladly handles contesting the insurance company and their decisions.
But even if you don't have that option, I agree with everyone else, keep calling...and calling. And keep records of who you talk to and what they say.
Last year I signed up to room with 3 other people and couldn't go at the last minute due to personal issues, but I sent them my share of the room. It's just common courtesy. All I can say is WOW!
I sat next to two women the first day of convention. They didn't clap cheer or smile at anything. I guess some people just don't want to have fun. I had a ball even though I lost my upline on the first day as soon as we hit the center. Neither of us could hear cell phones so I just sat alone. I found her by lunch.
__________________
Mary Kay
"Happiness does not depend on what you have or who you are. It solely relies on what you think." Buddha
Reading this makes me sad. I'm sorry for the terrible experience. It wasn't all that long ago that I was in high school and college. This incident reminds me of some judgemental, popular girl from high school who doesn't care who she hurts, feelings included. She is only thinking about herself. Wow, I would never even dream to come out and say something along the lines that, oh you kept me up with your snoring. You know what, grin and bare it. It's for what, 4-5-6 days? And when it came to her at dinner complaining about the seats, its like she was looking for someone better to sit with. I am sorry. You do realize that there are lots of kind people out there.
Call your Dr's office or surgeon. They should be able to help you get the bill covered by insurance.
We had issues when my DS#2 was born due to an 'out of network' anastheologist for me and the billing code on my DS's circumcision (it was billed under the baby who was not yet on the insurance plan when it should have been billed under me). I contacted the insurance company and got the run around so I called my OB/Gyn's office who took care of everything for me.
Hi..Sorry to hear that you had such a rotten roomie. Remember the "ole saying---what comes around, goes around..............
Anyway, I don't know what state you live in but here is what I would do:
First, check on the internet and see who is your state insurance commissioner. Write down his/her name and the phone number. Then call the insurance company back again and ask them again if they will pay for it because you were either told or lead to believe then would. If they can not or will not help ( by paying it) then tell them that you will be calling the state insurance commissioner ( give his or her name) and will report it. Insurance companies do not like to get reported to the state ( big black mark against them) and believe me--they will step up to the plate and do something. Good luck and keep your chin up.
PS--If they don't pay, make sure you report them---when they get the report from the state, they will want to settle the claim with you to get their name off the "list". They get so many "hits" against them and I think it cost them BIG bucks!!!
Seems like there is always a story about at least one deadbeat from convention! Sorry it happened to you. Like others said, always stay with DH.
I have never been to convention and would love to go - maybe in a couple of years I will be able to. I hope my DH will go with me - I think he would even hang out at convention with me!
Last edited by GGladden; 08-07-2008 at 05:54 PM..
Reason: spelling!
Ohhhh...an insurance story from me, and a roomie story as well...LOL.
Insurance...
Years ago, when I was young and dumber, I had my gall bladder out. The insurance company denied the ANESTHESIA because it was "not medically necessary!" I didn't realize I could fight it, so I just paid the $400+ dollars on the friendly monthly installment plan. I should have called them up and asked them if they wanted THEIR gall bladder out with NO anesthesia!!!! GRRRRR!!!
NOW, being smarter, I would fight it tooth AND nail!!!
Also...when I had kidney stone surgery, they socked me with like a huge ER charge, and I did not even go THROUGH the ER! The Dr. sent me straight to admissions from his office! They took off the like $200 charge, but then added a $99 miscellaneous charge...grrrrr. I just paid them after that...
ALWAYS get an itemized bill after a hospital stay!
My Mom was a surgical nurse...and one stainless steel pan they used to put my kidney stone in until they could transport it into a test tube was like $5 originally, and when we figured out if they did 8 surgeries a day using the same pan, they would get hundreds of thousands of dollars from that same pan which could be autoclaved (sanitized) and used over and over forever....sighhhh.
...............
ROOMIE story...
I went on a cruise and roomed with a gal I had never met when I was in my 20's. She turned out to be the biggest snob ever!!! She took one look at me and said, you're Teena...as if I had grown horns and was covered in garbage or something...
I held my head up proudly, and said YES I AM.
She didn't want to do a THING with me, and had her own set of friends on the ship. She would go into the bathroom, put on makeup, and throw all of her makeup in the sink. I would go in after her, and there would be like 25 items of makeup IN THE SINK, and would have to scoop it out and set it somewhere to even wash my hands.
She came in and dropped bra, panties, whatever in the middle of the floor...
And she had brought so many electric applicances that it kept making our power in the room go off...grrrrrr.
Pretty selfish gal, IMHO...
I met a guy on the ship, and we hung out together...and we got on the elevator with her and 3 of her friends one night, and she looks at the other three and whispers LOUDLY...THAT'S MY ROOMMATE!!!
The guy looks at her and says HI, Susie! (not her real name)...
She hasn't spoke to him YET...and this was in 1981!!!!!
Some people!!!!!! Sighhhhhhh.....
But I still had a blast...just let her do her own thing...as long as I had paid my half of that room I was NOT LEAVING.
Last edited by teenastamps; 08-08-2008 at 06:08 PM..
Reason: spelling correction
Oh Im so sorry to hear that! I had such a great experience with my roommates.. In fact we're having a stamping get together reunion tonight at our uplines stamping event
