Disaster Strikes! - Take two

[bk_forever]

Just when we thought things couldn't get any worse - the back boiler on our solid fuel fire is now leaking. All our heating runs off this fire, so now we will have not only a damp house that we've been told will take weeks - if not months - to dry out, but no heating either.

I can't sleep in my room anyway - the industrial de-humidifier is too big and noisy, we're too cluttered to do anything much and with so much turfed out of my room we can't do any sorting and clearing.

What else can happen to ruin not only Christmas but our lives? Mum is 79, I'm in very poor health at the best of times and the damp is already getting on my chest. Plus I think I'm getting another migraine.

I've never been so miserable in my life =(

Comments

[zazajb.livejournal.com]

*hughughughughughughughughughughughughughughughughughughug*

Is there anything I can do? I wish I wasn't so far away :(
xxx

[bk_forever]

Really wish there was something somebody could do, but there really isn't. I want mum to go stay with my sister in Birmingham, or with her brother in law who's a couple of miles away, but despite that she hates this house and always has, she won't go. You'd think she'd be glad to get out of the mess and give me a chance to sort things here. At least then I could sleep in her bed instead of on the cold floor!

*Accepts hugs and hugs you back* Don't know how long we'll be without heating though.

[thought-ribbons.livejournal.com]

Oh babe, it's just one thing after another!! If I could i'd bundle you both up and ship you over to me for Christmas!

*smish* I just keep hoping the insurance comes though and it all gets a little better!

*pets*

[bk_forever]

Thanks, hon, we're hoping so too. It's not doing my health any good, I feel dreadful and I can barely eat or sleep.

Our local relatives, despite being told what has happened, haven't bothered to get in touch to see how we are or if they can help. Every day is a bigger struggle than the one before. We're in a dreadful mess, so I don't know how we'll get through all this.

*huge hugs* Thanks for being you!

[thought-ribbons.livejournal.com]

well know that you have people who love and support you and I'll do my bestest to help! *nod*

[bk_forever]

I know you will, sweetie *hugs* Thankyou, you're amazing =)

[toshiani007.livejournal.com]

My dear friend, I send you all my support and love. I'd wish to be near you to help you. Take care, hun!!! ***lots of hugs***

[bk_forever]

Thankyou *hugs you back* I need all the support and hugs I can get!

Things seem very bad right now, with more cold weather coming and no heating, and still all the damp from burst pipes =(

[angelsphonebox.livejournal.com]

oh I so wish I could just fly over there and do something for you! Really, is there anything I can do to help? I wish whole-heartedly for some good luck to come your way. Or a good samaritan. You really sound like you both need a good friend to help you out right now. I've just met you but I really hate that this is happening to you. I've been through stuff like this myself and it helps if you talk or have friends to talk to. Please email me if you need to talk or vent. I'd be so happy to help you in anyway I can.
Lots of hugs and good wishes for you.

[bk_forever]

*hugs* Thankyou, it helps just to know there are people out there who care. Things seem very bleak right now. Sleeping on the floor isn't good at the best of times, but now I don't even have any heat. It's going to be a cold and uncomfortable night.

I'm nearly housebound anyway as I'm agoraphobic and I have other health problems, so this is making everything ten times worse. I'm barely coping and my 79 year old mother doesn't help. She refuses to take some of the stress off me by going to stay with my sister for a while.

Oh well, no heating, no bed, no Christmas. Guess that's my life.

[angelsphonebox.livejournal.com]

Yeesh. I won't say it gets better cause I know when things are like this saying that doesn't help. But I will say again I'm here anytime you need to talk. If you want I'll send you my private email on a pm?
I've had a ton of crappy Christmases (this might be another one this year) so I know what it's like. You still want it to be a nice holiday even if you feel like crap. :(
I hope you'll feel better soon. I'll try and find something to cheer you up!

[bk_forever]

*hugs* Thanks *smiles weakly*

I hope things DO get better, but there won't be any Christmas here. The whole place is a mess and when the broken fire is removed to be replaced, I'm not sure I'll even have this small patch of floor to sleep on! There's nowhere else - literally =(

[black59.livejournal.com]

my poor friend. Sometimes you fall over troubles in series.
every encouragement and hugs are with you.
in this Christmas season, I wish you are lucky
big hugs

[bk_forever]

Thankyou *hugs you back* We could really do with some luck that ISN'T bad! Things aren't looking very hopeful right now for being sorted out any time soon, but the support and good wishes I'm getting from you and all my other friends helps a lot!

[sassysailorgirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, my Gods. I so wish that I could do something for you! Is there anyone that you could go and stay with until things improve? If I weren't so far away and my mum wasn't unfit for others to be round, I'd ask you to come hang out here. Is there any government/emergency services that you can approach?

*hugs you* Hang in there!

[bk_forever]

My mum could probably stay with my sister, but she won't so she's sleeping in the only usable bed while I sleep on the floor.

There's just no one willing to help. The insurance company talked about putting us in a hotel if the ceilings needed replacing, but they don't so we're just expected to cope. With no heat and the weather due to turn bitterly cold from tomorrow.

I can barely eat or sleep, so once again I'm losing weight I can't afford to lose - health problems already mean I'm at least a stone underweight for my height at the best of times. =(

I'm just praying next year will be better.

*Hugs* Thanks for the kind thoughts!

[musingwoman2.livejournal.com]

Have only just caught up with this. This really sucks. Have you got some heating now? Am aware you are now having to deal with snow? Would your brother have both of you? Then maybe your Mum would go? Not sure where you are in the UK but if its any where near Bucks,I'm sure I could help with something?

[bk_forever]

Still no heating! Have found someone to replace the fire, they'll start work on wednesday but it's a two day job!

My sister could take one of us, she's got room, but you won't put herself to that kind of trouble. We really don't have anywhere to go - mum's brother in law isn't well so she can't go there. We're busy trying to clear stuff out! I'm exhausted as well as cold, and there's no let up in sight!

We're in Nottinghamshire, so at least it's not snowing here just yet!

[musingwoman2.livejournal.com]

Well I hope you don't get the snow like we have have - fun only if you are fit! I'll be thinking of you, I hope it gets better from here.

[bk_forever]

Piles of stuff have been moved today to our new storage unit - trouble is, it's hardly put a dent in the piles of stuff we've got to shift! We have to clear the lounge by Tuesday night, so we have to find somewhere to put it all! So not fun. I've been lugging boxes all day with barely a sit down since 8 this morning!

If you can send any spare bits of energy you've got, we can use all we can get! I'm shattered!

[musingwoman2.livejournal.com]

Will do! I can also send virtual cookies and sustaining tea.

[bk_forever]

Thanks! =)

[ericadawn16.livejournal.com]

(hugs)

Anything I can do?

[bk_forever]

Not really, but thanks for asking!

We're getting fixed - we have a new fire half installed, but now the chimney needs re-lining because I'd been smelling smoke in my room for a while before the fire broke. There'll be another day or two of work, but the new fire looks nice and the workmen are brilliant! There's a new hearth and fireplace too, because the old one was cracked and chipped and basically a mess. Keep your fingers crossed than nothing else goes wrong!

[doves-wing.livejournal.com]

Whoa, that's some major suckage all at once. <3 I'm so sorry. Wish I could help! Sending good thoughts though =)

[bk_forever]

Good thoughts are a big help!

We've been lucky that we found people willing to rip out our old fire and replace it so close to Christmas. They'll be back tomorrow to finish up, but we couldn't have got a better team to sort us out. They've taken everything in their stride from finding out the whole chimney needed re-lining, to finding the only hearth and fire surround available before Christmas as no one was making any more until the new year, to getting a scaffolding crew at a couple of hours notice, to even replacing the chimney pot which turned out to be more than slightly unstable. They've been brilliant!

Pity the insurance company dealing with our claim on the burst pipe aren't being as helpful. We haven't heard anything for nearly a week!

Even when the heating is going properly, it'll take time to warm the house through!