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I just thought I'd share this... not meant to be a "gee so many people are worse off so stop whining" but I think that knowing what others go through does help put things in perspective.
I have many elderly customers with severe medical problems who get help from family or friends to place phone orders for dry eye products. But not everyone has family or friends to help them. Recently I acquired a new and very special customer who places orders by telephone with considerable difficulty. I'm not quite sure how he found us - I think from an eyedrop sample his doctor gave him.
He may be a stroke patient or may have another reason for speech difficulties. I am lucky if I understand one word in 15 that he speaks to me - and that's by straining and guessing. The first time around, I just had to pray that I had his address and name close enough to accurate that he would receive his order. He paid by check so at least I could confirm spelling and address the second time around (I had thoroughly butchered his last name). I just took his third order. By now I've started getting the knack of what to listen for when he first calls and how to ask the right kind of yes or no questions to help me figure out what he needs. It's still very hard but I'm hoping to improve each time.
We often talk about how difficulty it is to get others to understand what dry eye feels like or how it impacts us. But imagine not being able to even make your words, let alone feelings, understood.
I have many elderly customers with severe medical problems who get help from family or friends to place phone orders for dry eye products. But not everyone has family or friends to help them. Recently I acquired a new and very special customer who places orders by telephone with considerable difficulty. I'm not quite sure how he found us - I think from an eyedrop sample his doctor gave him.
He may be a stroke patient or may have another reason for speech difficulties. I am lucky if I understand one word in 15 that he speaks to me - and that's by straining and guessing. The first time around, I just had to pray that I had his address and name close enough to accurate that he would receive his order. He paid by check so at least I could confirm spelling and address the second time around (I had thoroughly butchered his last name). I just took his third order. By now I've started getting the knack of what to listen for when he first calls and how to ask the right kind of yes or no questions to help me figure out what he needs. It's still very hard but I'm hoping to improve each time.
We often talk about how difficulty it is to get others to understand what dry eye feels like or how it impacts us. But imagine not being able to even make your words, let alone feelings, understood.