u/PharaohOfParrots

I’m seeking some input on my situation because I’m having a difficult time understanding Apple’s reasoning and what my options should be.

I have an iPhone 14 Plus. I recently backed up my phone, and afterward I was prompted to install a software update for the phone. I proceeded with the update, but during the installation something went wrong and the phone apparently suffered a logic board failure.

I took the phone to an Apple Store, where they ran diagnostics and determined that the phone was effectively dead. They told me they would order a replacement logic board and install it in my phone. When I asked how long it would take for the part to arrive, I was told approximately five days.

While I was at the Genius Bar, another customer at the same table was also dealing with a phone that was unusable. However, Apple provided that person with a loaner phone. I asked why I was not eligible for one, and I was told that the distinction was that Apple was sending the other customer’s phone away for repair, whereas my phone would still be in my possession while waiting for the part, I apparently did not qualify for a loaner.

I accepted that explanation at the time, although it seemed unusual to me. However, once the five days had passed, I checked the repair status online and it simply said “No status available.”

I then called Apple’s national support number. They were also unable to see any tracking information or an estimated arrival date for the part. They ultimately contacted the local Apple Store where I had originally taken my phone. The local store reportedly confirmed that they had ordered the logic board, but apparently there is no tracking information available and they have no idea when it will actually arrive. National support also confirmed that they are being told there is currently a parts shortage.

This is where I’m having trouble understanding the logic of the situation.

Apple has determined that my phone is unusable, and I have now been waiting beyond the original five-day estimate with no new estimated completion date. I also apparently cannot get any information about when the replacement part will arrive. At the same time, I am not being provided with a loaner because I technically still have my original phone in my possession—even though the phone is completely nonfunctional and Apple has already determined that it requires a replacement logic board.

Wouldn’t this be exactly the type of situation where providing a loaner would make sense?

I even offered what I thought might be a reasonable alternative: since my phone is a yellow iPhone 14 Plus, I offered to trade it for another (even used) iPhone 14 Plus of a different color and simply consider the matter resolved, particularly given the parts shortage. I was not given a definite yes or no to that proposal, other than to wait.

I’m trying to understand whether I’m missing something about Apple’s repair/loaner policies or whether there is some other solution I should be asking for.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation? Is there a reason Apple would refuse a loaner when they have determined that the customer’s phone is completely nonfunctional and the repair is being delayed because Apple cannot provide the necessary part? And is there anything specific I should ask the store or Apple Support for at this point?

Sincerely, phone-less, until we are uncertain when...

I am getting a robotic mastectomy (consult late this month), but I am pretty certain I want over the muscle implants for quicker healing.

(I am doing a lot of looking before I jump).

However, from what it sounds like, this surgeon will be teaming up with a surgeon that does under the muscle implants primarily or DIEP; and from other patient and his rehab specialists feedback, he expects to do 4-16 surgeries until he will say he is complete. I don't have that type of time, support, nor money.

To go back to the robotic concept:

I cannot for the life of me understand why we would do such small incisions for my mastectomy to spare me from large wounds, just to make a hip to hip incision with a long recovery.

I am a caregiver to my mother, and over the muscle direct implants with a robotic surgery makes the most sense.

A robotic surgery with DIEP, does not as it sounds like a long recovery time.

Does anybody have experiences with either of these surgery combinations?

Does anyone know if Oncor will raise a sagging electrical line?

Will it be at my cost or theirs?

Bare with me, because this actually is roofing related.

Due to rules of brand names, I can't name it...

I have stone coated steel shingles, that are placed over a lattice made with wood, over a roofing wood deck, and that is what my roof is -- it is popular in New Zealand ( I am in Texas).

I am very nervous and inquisitive of how to do this properly, more-so.

I have warned my electrician about it, and he says this will be a piece of cake with a hole saw. I have asked my roofer, and I am still awaiting a response.

I am somewhat paralyzed with fear over the thought of calling Oncor to ask what this fee might be (if there is any), so I am hoping somebody else may have gone through it.

Is there a fee for Oncor to come out and disconnect your electricity (physically, cord rolled up) and then reconnect it? Reason being is I am replacing everything -- weather head, meter, indoor and outdoor panels, disconnect -- the whole canoli, and Oncor will be used for this.

I am terrified of just another bill not mentioned yet for this whole process.

I am coming up for a day trip in late July, and I would love to kick the day off with a breakfast that’s unique, amazing, or fancy.

What suggestions do you have from living in Oklahoma City?

I am going to be going to River Sport afterwards.

Per the fine details of my policy, it appears I am in Tier 2.

I should be under Tier 1 (O-5).

From a scroll of the web, it says to call in and inquire about this.

I just wondered if anybody else has gone through this and could share their direct experience.

What happens when you return an "Item Not As Described" and they decline the package?

I am possibly looking at having this done in the fall.

I never thought of my Ehlers Danlos, until I remembered it because somebody I know always remarks on how silky soft my skin is.

Well, now I am thinking about how my skin (and collagen) will cope with this upcoming surgery.

How did yours go?

What did you wish you knew?

Was your surgeon skilled at patients with the skin fragility of ehlers danlos, and would you recommend them? (I'm in Texas).

Share all the tips, advice, anything, please!

I purchased an item for $400 from a pallet seller on eBay.

Upon arrival (Saturday), it did not work - despite the amount of troubleshooting I tried.

So, I started the return for it the day after (Sunday) I received it under Item Not As Described, because despite the listing stating it did - and mailed it Monday, today.

The generous seller is now saying I can purchase his other set he has for $200, free shipping - but how would he accomplish this per eBay rules?

Would it be another listing?

Almost 20 years ago, I had an electrical fire with a Federal Pacific breaker box. When I had the fire, USAA stated that my electrical panel was safe, despite all the "rumors" (Internet is not the same as it is today...) I was hearing that it was not.

I have had it since, and since then, I have noticed that my friends have had to change their panels to switch home owner's insurance, and in some cases, sell their homes, because of the dangers of these panels.

I am sitting here with USAA homeowner's insurance getting steadily higher and higher, wondering if they even remember they denied the replacement of my breaker box with how 'safe' it was of the time to them, and that the cost of my homeowner's is because I have been with them too long and need to shake things up -- or if I would call and say I replaced that 'safe' panel, if my prices would actually go down?

PS Yes, I am actively working on getting it replaced, it's just a thought and wonder if anybody else has experienced this.

Almost 20 years ago, I had an electrical fire with a Federal Pacific breaker box. When I had the fire, USAA stated that my electrical panel was safe, despite all the "rumors" (Internet is not the same as it is today...) I was hearing that it was not.

I have had it since, and since then, I have noticed that my friends have had to change their panels to switch home owner's insurance, and in some cases, sell their homes, because of the dangers of these panels.

I am sitting here with USAA homeowner's insurance getting steadily higher and higher, wondering if they even remember they denied the replacement of my breaker box with how 'safe' it was of the time to them, and that the cost of my homeowner's is because I have been with them too long and need to shake things up -- or if I would call and say I replaced that 'safe' panel, if my prices would actually go down?

PS Yes, I am actively working on getting it replaced, it's just a thought and wonder if anybody else has experienced this.

Hello,

I am looking for either a counselor or a psychologist that accepts or specializes in DID patients.

Many decline these types of patients, so I am hoping to find one without doing the telephone game again.

Do you have any suggestions?

Is there a directory anywhere to look?

Thanks for your assistance. <3

My spouse-to-be has long expressed an interest in exploring their gender identity. They have wondered whether they may be male-to-female transgender and have discussed the possibility of pursuing transition in the future.

We are both 33 years old. One factor I think may be relevant is that they have never lived independently. Their entire life has been spent in the same household with their mother, father, and sister, who is now 30. They are scheduled to move out in October and begin living elsewhere on their own.

Over the years, they have frequently described womanhood through the lens of what they observe in their family home. In that environment, their mother and sister are entirely exempt from household responsibilities and accountability.

For example:

• Household chores and responsibilities are exclusively handled by the men.
• When the mother or sister have conflicts with others, the men are expected to repair the relationships or manage the consequences.
• The sister contributes only one bag of dog food monthly to the household.
• The mother does not work outside the home, yet is able to make major spending decisions, including luxury purchases, even when household necessities or bills may be affected. Any financial shortfall ultimately becomes the responsibility of the men in the household.

Because of this upbringing, there have been times when my spouse-to-be has expressed a desire to be a woman during periods when they feel overwhelmed by responsibilities or frustrated by unequal expectations. They have specifically remarked that being a woman appears to come with no obligations and greater freedom from accountability within their family system.

Of course, realistically, everybody except that household realizes that being a woman does not exempt anyone from the consequences of their actions. The concern is that their understanding of womanhood may be heavily influenced by the unusual dynamics of the household in which they were raised.

Ironically, I am a woman myself, and I serve as a full-time caregiver for my mother. I manage virtually every responsibility necessary to keep our household functioning. If I do not do it, it would not get done. Many of the things my spouse-to-be struggles to associate with women—household management, financial responsibility, caregiving, maintenance, repairs, and problem-solving—are things I do every day. Interestingly, these are also many of the qualities they tell me they admire most about me.

We have agreed that therapy would be beneficial, particularly with someone experienced in gender identity, family systems, and individuation.

My question is whether there are other helpful resources as well: books, exercises, support groups, or other forms of guidance.

I am also curious whether living independently may provide clarity. Once they are no longer returning each day to the family environment that shaped these beliefs, they may gain a broader perspective on how responsibilities are distributed in the real world.

Living alone may teach them lessons that cannot be learned in theory—the dishes do not wash themselves, but neither does the lawn mow itself if they decide they want to embark on becoming a woman of what they think it is like.

I wonder whether that experience will help separate their understanding of gender identity from the family dynamics that have surrounded them for their entire life.

Thanks for listening.

This has been overwhelming, and I’m unsure what else to do next to help support and help give them guidance other than a therapist.

My spouse-to-be sometimes expresses that they are unsure about their gender. They are okay with the pronouns they/them, because they are unsure -- but it is a possible male to female transition.

A few things that commonly come up as questions are:

How do you find a therapist to navigate through all the self-questioning?

They are concerned the therapist will not have their best interest at heart, and that they will be biased one way or the other -- not in accordance to their true feelings and self.

They have a needle and medication phobia, but they express if they find their true self as the other gender, they would like to surgically fully become the other gender.

I have tried to convey to them that I am unsure how it all works to avoid all of that (medications, blood tests, possible injections), other than what Google says, but I would look for a better inside idea here, where multiple-way conversations can be made.

Second to all of this is they are a journeyman electrician. They are concerned about what could happen to their employment, and to a degree, whether or not they physically would be able to do it (a male to female transition), and perhaps there are some electricians in this Reddit forum that can chime in how it worked out for them.

They are not interested in any other careers, and every time I mention about hypothetically becoming an independent contractor without concerns of an employer - it is voted down immediately.

I really appreciate all the insight you can give. I just really want to help them.

Hopefully somebody else local has had to seen it through this perspective, and perhaps can give me good insight.

My mother is disabled - she's had 5 cancers, and she also has a couple of her thoracic vertebrae shattered. It is on her bucket list to go watch the Olympics.

We purchased tickets for the canoeing/kayaking for the 2028 Olympics there (most affordable compared to softball -- and easier to travel than the others), but we also now have tickets for the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships this July.

I do know from the Olympic site I bought ADA tickets from, no wheelchairs were seemingly allowed -- but a cane seemingly was.

We thought to go without her to this one as this as an opportunity to scope it out to figure out how we will manage it in 2028 with her, but she really wants to go to this event, too.

So, here we are...

Has anybody ever attended an event there?
Is it shaded where you seat to watch the competitions?
Were there things you could and can't bring to events? I saw no outside food but water bottles were ok. (What should we bring?)
Are the lines long to wait to get in to the venue?

I can of course ask the venue, but I really am hoping for some practical been there, done that advice.

I wondered if anybody could share how they were able to get their parent's screened and diagnosed.

I am pretty certain, and so are those that are around her, that my mother has a form of dementia. She shows many signs. When I tell her that we should get her screened, she's very upset about the thought of it. I know she would not cooperate for a neuro-psychologist, but I wondered if that step was required and if you could use primary care and eventually a neurologist only?

She also commonly gets upset about her coworkers who pass from various diseases asking why they did not try certain treatments -- such as those new ones for Alzheimer's. I did try to use this to reason for why we should screen her to make sure we (those that are around her) are the crazy ones for thinking she has it, and she moves away from the topic.

The purpose of her getting diagnosed is to try anything we can for early intervention.

Little bit of a vent; little bit of a query.

I was sent to sleep medicine by my primary care physician, because she thought I had narcolepsy. I have a TBI that has caused me nothing but problems.

Sleep medicine acted like it was too burdensome to schedule me for a full sleep study, so they did the at home sleep apnea test called WatchPAT One. I tested negative for sleep apnea, but she could see that I woke up several times at the end of the night. She concluded I must have sleep maintenance insomnia, from the sleep apnea test.

Important to note now, I suppose: I also have idiopathic hypotension.

I can sleep anywhere, any time. It is not a problem.

Why am I being given sedatives, when going to sleep is not a problem, any day, time, or place? (Trazodone - although that was an off label use…) Ambien, Sontana, Belsomra, etc. Belomra is the newest that I am starting to be suspect to not go pick it up for the same end result. They also have not been helpful for me to get through a full night, either.

Do people with sleep maintenance insomnia receive sedatives, although they can sleep anytime without problem?

This feels rhetorical… but if anybody has gone down this path…

Why is she panicking that the sedative brings on hypotension episodes, and then quickly changes it? (I feel like this is a no-duh problem. Sedatives bring blood pressure down, and I already have idiopathic hypotension that comes in episodes…)

I have been battling it out with her, and she’s upset because I recently basically reaffirmed with her that I have not had a full sleep study, which is what my primary care sent me to her for, as she suspected narcolepsy, not sleep maintenance insomnia. Sleep medicine is now frazzled at me, for insisting on a full sleep study, and feels like I have to have a separate appointment about what a drag sleep studies are.

I am looking at purchasing the Pro Govee for my mother (70’s), so that I can have 5 years, 8 months, and some days (50,000 hours…) of peace and quiet with every holiday. She also has been excited about the idea, as well.

What makes me hesitant is that it might not work as Christmas lights necessarily when it comes to aesthetics, as it seems it heavily illuminates the house with eave lighting - which will sucker me right back into the seasonal holiday lights again.

Is that what I should expect out of a Govee light set up? More home illumination than just traditional Christmas light look?

I feel crazy for asking, but one of my older friends (70+) has expressed she has a visitor coming from out of town that has requested this for an arts and crafts project to do with her when visiting.

Is there perhaps a janitorial supply that has one that a person could chop the broom bristles off of?

For whatever reason, they have a paranoia of purchasing off the Internet, too.