One of THOSE days

[bochead]

I've broken my specs this weekend, and as my script is 8+ both eyes + I only have one function eyeglass lense things the world's a bit blurry lol! Only £130 left to pay for the new pair at the opticians (started paying a bt a week a month ago)- but on benefits how am i supposed to find that quick smart?

The ex took DS out alone for the first time ever yesterday (hard to take a small child out when you can't see). It went really well, except that he lost his DS and his Pokemon games.

Cue very upset son and bed wetting etc last night. As our boiler is broken this isn't good as washing etc with a kettle takes soooo flippin' long. He used to be a terrible bed wetter, but has been totally dry for a few months so it's a negative regressive step to see it happening again too.

DS is due to go into hospital and will need a GE before the end of term. He NEEDS his DS if it's not to be meltdown supernova time on the ward

Our ancient telly's given up the ghost too. (Though to be fair neither DS or I really miss it).

My sister is realy ill and my stepson has got himself into a world of trouble.

I'm just too skint to get things sorted pronto and it's depressing, so I'm having a good o' winge on here instead. Just feels like one of those days iykwim. Sometimes it's REALLY irritating to get no maintenance and be on benefits. Beurgh!

Hi boc, i dont know what to say, except that you are right it was a shit day.

I hope today is a bit better.

Is there anyway you can get help to pay for the glasses. You need to ask, although i am sure you have.

Our optician is fab and because we have known him so long will let us pay for more or less everything monthly.

Dd3 has just had coloured lenses and he managed to get us some funding too.

Hope you have a better day today

god those kind of days are awful.... hopefully things will get better soon although i know that not much consolation

sorry for typos typing 1 handed

I'll feel much better once I'm not doing a cyclops and my vision is restored to me. I can't see the top letter on the eye test board and concieved my son with George Clooneyto give you an idea of my sight - severe astigmatism. My spec script is complex so the £300 is for the cheapest (free frames etc, etc) and after an NHS voucher etc. .

Don't get maintenance cos he's an arse and the CSA are utterly useless against men who really don't want to pay, (taken it as far as my MP etc, etc in the past -before conceding it really is an unwinnable battle iykwim). I can just deal with this normally as it is the way it is and carting a truckload of resentment around is not good for my mental health.

He also spends a fortune on his 23 year old son, who is NT and so able to earn the money for the £50 T-shirts and fancy trainers his Dad pays for, yet apparently my DS is expected to do without what I consider to be necessities like hot water . The blatent favouritism pisses me off.

The bedwetting is a direct result of DS's emotional state and his little nintendo is a crutch he relys on for situations he finds a bit overwhelming, like train journeys or the doctor's etc. He looses himself in his DS when it all gets a bit too much for him, so I tend to take it everywhere in my handbag "just in case" as it heads off the meltdowns so well. He also plays on it for 15-30 mins to relax at bedtime as it helps him get off to sleep each night.

The GE is cos DS has a dodgy mole/growth/wart? on his face that they want to remove & do a biopsy on. From a clinical perspective it's a very simple straight foward procedure but from an ASD pov it'll be a challenge.

Will the arse of an ex stump up for a Nintendo DS, considering your DS was his responsibility when it was lost? I can see that it might be a hard conversation, but does your ex understand how important to your DS it is?

Bochead I've also got a v complex prescription but the other way -14. I get my glasses from Asda www.asda-contactlenses.co.uk/opticians/complete-pricing/ £50 a pair and that included the very high index (thinned) glass lenses. Might be worth a look to see if there is one near you.

Sorry you're having a tough day. I remember when DS's DS broke (we were stuck with the volcanic ash in Tenerife at the time). It was the end of the world - literally Has he got any other bits and bobs that he could cash in at CEX to get a 2nd hand replacement?

Bochead what a crap day. Your poor ds, i take it they both went back where they had been looking for his ds/pokemon and asked in shops or called any bus co/train co if they were on public transport. Im with Ellen i think you ex should buy a new one after all it was his responsibility especially when he knows how upset his son will be without it. Hope today is miles better

Agree the ex could fork out for the DS. He must know how stressed DS would be without it. Even if he stumped up a bit and you may get a second hand one on Ebay or something?

How about applying for a crisis loan towards fixing your boiler. They might help seeing as you have children in the home?

Hope today gets better for you xx

I've had the "hard" convo with the ex re the replacement DS, hell my neighbour had a go at getting thru to him today. Sadly the ex suffers from a terminal dose of watless arseholitis Some ebay jiggery pokery'll sort it over the next few weeks, once I can see well enough to flog summat to raise the cash.

Thanks for that tip re the Asda Optician - I'm gonna investigate that re a spare pair of specs & for the future - being as blind as a bat is a non-discretionary spend the NHS doesn't seem to cater for. Even if it saves £20 it all helps!

Thanks also for the crisis loan tip - I'll investigate that tomorrow. The replacement part is £130, but am not sure of the labour costs yet (10 min job but tradesmen have call out fees + vat etc so lord knows what they'll inflate it to). I know what's wrong but ony a fool does DIY on a gas boiler, and I'm not a complete idiot.

If you like I could keep an eye out on our local for sale or swap FB site for a DS

I did look for you earlier as they come up all the time. There was one but its gone but to give you an idea it was a DS lite with 3 games and they had it up for £45 but accepted £30. I can always collect and post it to ya if I find one

Another one is a local GAME shop as they sell pre-owned games and DS's for about the same price. If you dont have one give me a shout as there is a store near me x

Which Pokemon games did he lose Bochead?

I have a spare copy of Black and White, as Amazon messed up the delivery in time for ds1's birthday last year and ended up sending me two copies. I'd be happy to send it to you.

Wish we had a spare Ds I could send you as well.

Ds1 has just sat and had a run through what's available on ebay with me.

There is a silver DS Lite up at around 9.30 pm tonight which is still at about at tenner. It's a silver one, not perfect, a few scratches here and there, but I would be happy to see if I can win it. It I can get it for not too many £££s I would be happy to get it and send it to you.

My ds is exactly the same and just couldn't cope without his beloved DS and Pokemon. I can't bear to think of your boy without his.

Your ex is a twat of the first order.

My son may be able to help as well re DS Pokemon. He has a wide selection of Pokemon games and I think he would be more than happy to help out a fellow gamer. Do let us know.

If there is a CEX near you, it is worth having a look see as they often sell reasonably priced second hand DS games and DS's.

Watching a couple of ds lites, but they've both gone over my price limit I'm afraid.

Will keep looking out for one for you though and as I said, you are more than welcome to the Pokemon game.

Can I just give everyone who posted here and pm'd me a massive hug?

You are all so kind and I really appreciate it, as I was at such a low point yesterday morning when I posted. Your kind tips and comments really did help.

The neighbours teen has sourced an old DS console this morning for DS, we just need to get a charger off ebay for it. The optician has patched me up so I'm no longer seeing double and the godawful headache that I had all weekend is dissipating. I pick up a new pair of specs next Tuesday.

The stinky sheets are in the wash, now I can see the dial and I've started to tackle the housework to restore a bit of order to my surroundings.

Tomorrow I'm off to the DSS to see about a crisis loan for the boiler repair, so I dare say that'll get sorted over the next few days too.

THANK YOU!

:) Glad alls on the positive today.

If you have an Argos near you they sell a charger that is suitable for all DSs. I got one at xmas and it was 4.99 :)

That sounds a huge amounts of positives. I'm so pleased. You sound so much happier. :)

Glad things are looking up Boc - it always seems that all the crap seems to pile together :( but glad you are getting through it.

I am so pleased things have improved for you Bochead.

PM me if you would still like that Pokemon Black and White game.