...and now this

(yes, this is my second post today - can you say, lhoo-sahhhh? 'cause that's me.)

Now I'm going back and forth with the plumber and the home warranty people to get our money back. The plumber is refusing to refund our money because AHS told them today that the work *isn't* approved. I called AHS. Apparently, the person who told me it was covered before 'had no authority' to tell me that, and they need to talk to the plumber, because the person who did the work didn't call for authorization for what they actually did, rather than what they had been told they wouldn't be paid for. Basically, the plumber guy screwed up, and now if they want to AHS can deny coverage because they didn't approve it before it was done. Since we had to give the plumber our credit card before they did the work, which we had been told wasn't covered, anyway, they had our number when they found out it wasn't what they thought it was, so still charged us. Since they actually did the work, we're not going to be able to dispute the charge with the credit card company, I think, like we would if the work wasn't actually done. So, AHS is waiting to talk to the plumber guy, AGAIN, to verify what was done. The plumber has no real motivation to say that it was something that was covered, since they already have their money, so if he's more interested in that than honesty, we're screwed. I do have a bill that has his writing on it that says it was a busted pipe near a joint, but I think he wrote that on just my copy, as an afterthought, so that won't help me, either.

The girl at AHS did say that if it's what it sounds like, it sounds like it might be covered, but it's all hinging on the plumber calling in, and then the company agreeing to refund our money. Basically, it's a contractual problem with AHS and the plumber, but we're caught up in it.

I am finding that I am increasingly unable to deal with stress, to the point that things like this make me almost come unhinged. Where DH would ordinarily be here soon, since he's away, I'm just here, stewing in my own stressed-out juices. I tried to call him (he's just going to a few seminars, nothing all-day), but of course he's got his phone off again. He does that all the time, to the point where I'm not even sure why he even has the phone if he's never going to answer it. This is a LOT of money, and I've been nervous all along that it wasn't actually going to work out. I have actually been avoiding calling about our refund because I was afraid this was the news I was going to get. Then I get mad at myself for being so childish and not just dealing with things - I mean, what's the big deal about calling someone? But any time it deals with money, in particular, I will do ANYTHING not to make that call. I think this is a problem.

So, supposedly AHS is going to call us back when they get the poop (haha, I made a little joke there, aren't I funny?!) on the pipe procedure. I'm sure we probably DO have a recourse if the plumber refuses to refund our money, but that would mean more calling and dealing with various people, and I'm not sure what stresses me out more - owing money or fighting with people about our owing money and then potentially still owing money anyway.