Wow, 2 blogs in less than 24 hours?! Seriously, what hit the fan and died?!! =]
So after my oh so very eventful morning (like it could get any better) my dear friend Correna and I headed to Ramstein to get WIC done. Yeah, I could have gotten it here in B-town, but the produce is much better from the air base. Heck lots is better in the Air Force...that's another rant though. Our car was back in the shop because the idiots ordered the wrong part for it. Now its fixed and we're back in business. Anyways, so I couldn't drive. So Correna said she'd take me and off we went!
We spent a good few hours wandering around the PX. Amidst the constant yells for Correna's boys, we had a good time. Kaylin got a few new outfits out of the deal and some sitting up in the cart time. She liked it, though she is getting too big for her mommy's liking.
Off to the commissary we go, 4 kids in tow. Its already after 5, the boys are hungry and done, Kaylin is hungry and wanting to go to bed, and I'm emotionally drained. But I need to fill the WIC, Kaylin is running out of formula. Well the extra stuff would be nice too, ya know the milk and eggs and cheese. But she is my main priority, naturally. I fight through the crowd of people trying to buy things for dinner at the last minute, feeding Kaylin with one hand, trying desperately to steer the cart and get the necessary food off the shelves. I tell ya, that itself is a challenge!
So finally after navigating multiple aisles and endless frustration I have finished the WIC checks! Woo hoo, all the angels are singing, okay well maybe its just me but I was happy to be almost done. All we had to do was check out, Kaylin was doing her usual howl because she was so exhausted and I was overwhelmed. Frustrated, I begin loading my groceries onto the belt. Fruits and veggies, milk, cheese, eggs, cereal, juice, beans, and formula. I hand my checks, my WIC booklet, and my military ID to the cashier.
Cashier: "Are these in order?"
Me: "Sorry?"
Cashier: "Are these checks in the order you want to use them?"
Me: Are you kidding me? Can you not read? I have to seriously put them in order? Be glad I at least separated the crap by check! "No, they aren't."
Cashier: "Well I need you to sign them."
I took the pen she handed me and began signing my name on all 6 checks. I began shaking from the low blood sugar and frustration from listening to Kaylin crying...yet AGAIN.
Me: "Here you go."
Cashier: "Can you tear them and put them in order?"
Me: Again with the order? WTF!! Lady you are at least 18...meaning that 1, you can read and 2 I do not have to tear WIC checks apart for your convenience. Its not like its 10 minutes to closing or anything! "Sure."
I take the checks again, separate them and put them in order. Okay not hard, done. I go back to Kaylin and give her pacifier, hushing her and rocking the cart back and forth. The lady messes up on one so a person with a key has to come over and finish out the transaction. It happens, I worked at Wal-Mart, I've messed up too. However my patience is running very thin, I've had quite the day. During the transaction another cashier comes up with her till, obviously taking over for the cashier that is currently checking me out. Been there, done that too. Well she begins ringing up Kaylin's formula...and this is where the fun starts. The take over cashier notices the formula that I've gotten for Kaylin. It used to be Enfamil Premium Lipil, and the name has been changed to Enfamil Premium Infant. Same thing as she's always had, just a new name. The formula is still WIC approved, the sticker is on the shelf at the commissary, and the receipt still says WIC. Sweet, no big deal...everything is covered and we're on the same page. OHHH NOOOO that belief is very short lived. The replacement cashier takes the formula and says:
Cashier 2: "You can't get this. They've stopped allowing it on WIC."
Me: "Since when? This is what I've gotten for my daughter the entire time I've bought formula. It says it on the check. Lipil premium..its the SAME thing just a new name."
Cashier 2: "Well we've been told you can't get it."
Me: "There's a WIC sticker on the shelf..."
She proceeds to take the can of formula to the office and speak with a lady. Meanwhile, my lovely spawn is acting up again...not a great moment Kaylin....PLEASE!
Out of the office comes Formula Nazi. The conversation below is for your entertainment.
Formula Nazi: "You can't get this on WIC."
Me: "Why not?"
Formula Nazi: "Because we aren't getting paid for it anymore because of the name change. So we aren't allowing it to be sold."
Me: "EXCUSE ME? It says WIC on the receipt, your shelf says its WIC approved, the CHECK says its WIC approved. You can't deny me the formula."
Formula Nazi: "We got our report back for December and we lost over $2,000 because we aren't getting the money back for this product. WIC won't reimburse us. You need to go to the WIC office and speak with them."
Me: "YOUR SHELF SAYS WIC. If you had this big of an issue with it, someone should have marched themselves back to the shelf and placed a sign for all WIC families. They haven't, so give me the formula."
Formula Nazi: "I can't ma'am. We'll end up paying for it. They do not reimburse us. You have to go to WIC and have them change your checks."
Me: "My daughter needs this formula. We have no more left. I can't afford to be buying this." Okay I can, and she has formula left. But you do not need to know that.
Formula Nazi: "I'm sorry ma'am. They don't reimburse us, so we can't give it to you."
Me: "This makes NO sense. Its what I've gotten for her since I switched her. I'm not changing it now, unless you want to deal with my fussy, gassy, crabby, teething baby. So you can just give me the formula and we can go on. Your register and this receipt say differently." Holding up the receipt to show her that it still is approved.
Formula Nazi: "Ma'am it is WIC approved but since the name is different we aren't getting paid
back for it. So we need you to go talk to the WIC office and get them to change the check."
Me: "That doesn't sound logical, it WIC approved but I cannot get it because YOU aren't getting the money for it? That sounds like your store needs to take it up with the WIC offices. And then in turn they need to contact people that have WIC and are using formula and make sure they can fix this problem. So now you can give me the formula."
Formula Nazi: "I can't ma'am."
Me: "Well here then, obviously since I can't get the formula I've already used the check for, GET ME THE CHECK BACK. And then YOU better walk your happy butt (yes I said butt) back there and take the little sticker off the shelf and put up a sign to your customers. This is terrible customer service." I shoved the receipt back at her, completely pissed beyond belief.
Formula Nazi: "I will ma'am, you can have the formula she's already rang up and we'll just eat the loss. But you can't have the rest. You have to get with WIC."
Me: "FINE." I snatch the checks back from the woman, still not believing what she is telling me. I mutter to myself all the way back out to the car, where Correna and the kids are patiently waiting. I start telling her my story and how I cannot believe what terrible customer service I had at the commissary. Top it off I can't even remember the lady's name! Ugh!!
I called WIC this morning and the lady had NO idea what I was talking about. She said she'd call her supervisor and get back to me, but I haven't heard anything in hours. She said she couldn't change the checks because their system still says the Premium Lipil. So even the freaking WIC office has no idea about it!!!!
I've also filled out an ICE card about the experience, she was quite rude because she knows I have no other place to go to fill this...except another commissary. Gosh sometimes living over here SUCKS!
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