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-   -   What a crappy week! (https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/friends-family-alcoholics/357524-what-crappy-week.html)

LexieCat 01-24-2015 04:09 PM

What a crappy week!
 
I've barely been home for the past month or so, between work trips and visiting my kids and then my Dad in Phoenix. This week, I was gone for four days for a training in Spokane.

I get back from Phoenix last Monday (holiday) to find the sewer backing up into my basement. Those of you who have read my story might recall that the same thing happened my fourth day of sobriety, back in 2008. (Neighbor showed up at my door with a cold beer, which I refused--politely--and it was what I think of as my "spiritual experience.")

I had a backflow prevention valve installed so it wouldn't happen again, but this time the water was coming in AROUND the valve. And it was flooding all over my nice new flooring I'd installed down there. So I call the MUA and a plumber, and the MUA managed to stop it but the plumber wasn't able to do anything till the problem with the sewer was fixed. I had the water remediation guys come out, they cleaned everything and set up fans to dry it all out.

A friend came over on Friday to shut off the fans, but he noticed there was still some water and so he left them on. He checked the "problem valve" and it looked OK--no water coming in.

I get home from my trip this evening, and walk into a house that smells and feels like a swamp. It's happening AGAIN!! Sewer water gushing into my basement.

So the MUA is here again to clear the lines (which they didn't do completely, earlier this week), and I'm trying to get the cleanup guys to come out BEFORE the plumber comes on Tuesday to replace the valve. The place, frankly, stinks, and it's making me feel a little nauseous.

I am SOOOO aggravated. But still sober.

Thanks for listening to my vent. (Actually, a bit of venting is what this place needs right now!)

AnvilheadII 01-24-2015 04:13 PM

gawd, first four days in SPOKANE and then home to backed up sewage?? how simply dreadful. i'll light some incense for you! is this covered under homeowners, I hope?????

dandylion 01-24-2015 04:16 PM

Lexie....you are a monument of tolerance to get through this so calmly.

for homeowners....outside of having your house burn down...water problems are the worst problems there are, in my experience!!!!

dandylion

Dee74 01-24-2015 04:28 PM

I enpathise...I've had that happen a number of times...thankfully in Australia such things are situated outside mostly.

You have a great attitude tho, Lexie - hope they really fix it this time :)

D

knowthetriggers 01-24-2015 04:30 PM

Backed up sewer because my teenager stuffed the toilet...overflowed from the bathroom thru the hall onto the new floor my AH installed. I thought for certain he would crack wide open! He maintained..not sure how but he did! As for myself, I laughed hysterically. You would have thought I was a crazy woman!!

Good for you for venting. Sure hope your week gets better. :e058:

LexieCat 01-24-2015 04:57 PM


Originally Posted by AnvilheadII (Post 5158848)
gawd, first four days in SPOKANE and then home to backed up sewage?? how simply dreadful. i'll light some incense for you! is this covered under homeowners, I hope?????

Actually, the trip to Spokane was better than anticipated (considering how disorganized the arrangements were). Ate at a couple of really awesome restaurants--especially the one at the Steam Factory (pretty cool architectural revision of an old steam plant--now housing shops and restaurant).

Incense, though, sounds like a good idea. I have a bundle of white sage I never burned--now might be a good time. Although I think a full-blown exorcism might be more effective.

My insurance adjuster (who has seen me through numerous home disasters) commented on how amazed he was that I could still crack jokes. But seriously, what good does freaking out do? (Though I AM slightly freaked out, but I know I just have to wait and take the action necessary to get through this.)

Sotiredofitall 01-24-2015 05:03 PM

Burn candles...burn incense. Take a few deep breaths (maybe outside?). Hugs and kudos for a job well done!

jarp 01-24-2015 05:52 PM

That sounds awful!!! I've always been envious of the American basement...but in times like this I'm glad our sewer stuff is outside!!! Good on you for handling it so well!!

Tiredwife88 01-24-2015 06:16 PM

Yuk I hope the problems get fixed quickly and correctly! Glad you're taking it in stride!

Cleo1234 01-24-2015 11:42 PM

Aww sorry to hear about all that.... hope all is sorted out quickly!

NWGRITS 01-25-2015 12:53 AM


Originally Posted by AnvilheadII (Post 5158848)
gawd, first four days in SPOKANE and then home to backed up sewage?? how simply dreadful. i'll light some incense for you! is this covered under homeowners, I hope?????

This made me laugh so hard I almost woke my toddler who's sleeping next to me. Woooo Spokane! Lol

You need an aromatherapy necklace. I call mine my Woosah Medallion. I holds my Calm the #&$! Down blend.

Fandy 01-25-2015 02:11 AM

i will now stop complaining about the dirt on my floors and cat litter crumbs and just do the mopping, swiffering and vacuuming.
i have no basement. when the toilets backed up this past fall, it went into my shower stall and the main bathtub. the homeowner's association got a plumber here on a Sunday, as it was the entire building. i was hauling out the sewage from the tub in one bathroom, the shower in another in a giant home depot bucket at 5 am. i figured it was the lesser of 2 evils.
i'm sorry about your new floors.

NWGRITS 01-25-2015 02:16 AM


Originally Posted by Fandy (Post 5159450)
i will now stop complaining about the dirt on my floors and cat litter crumbs and just do the mopping, swiffering and vacuuming.

Right? I'll try to go all day tomorrow without complaining about my two-year-old's perpetual crumb trail. We do have a basement, and our sump pump alarm got stuck not too long ago. Came home to a flooded garage (how it didn't come into the house, I'll never know). Thankfully we're on city water. Well, for sewer purposes. We won't talk about the price gouging for services.

Hawkeye13 01-25-2015 04:40 AM

Sending you hugs and good smells remotely Lexie

CodeJob 01-25-2015 04:58 AM

This is frustrating in the repetition. I'm so sorry Lexie!

LexieCat 01-25-2015 05:08 AM


Originally Posted by CodeJob (Post 5159631)
This is frustrating in the repetition. I'm so sorry Lexie!

It was frustrating in the singular--I don't even know what to call it in the repetition.

The guy keeping an eye on my neighbors' house (they are in Fla for the winter) went and checked their basement (our houses are attached townhomes) and, just like the last two times, their house has escaped any problem. I'm trying to be really relieved for them, but in the back of my head is "why ME?"

The smell seems a little less bad this morning (or maybe I'm just accustomed to it now, the way it gets when you spend a little time in the big cats house at the zoo). Hopefully the cleanup guys will come today. The last message I got, they wanted to wait till the check valve has been replaced (which is scheduled for Tuesday), but I shouldn't have a basement full of sewer water for two days. I called them back and told them I need to get this cleaned up NOW.

Fandy 01-25-2015 05:13 AM

Oh no definitely not, not to mention the mold that growing. Does the sheetrock need replacing too?

LexieCat 01-25-2015 05:30 AM

The sheetrock may need replacing. My carpenter friend who did the work in the basement is the one who came over to check the fans, so he's aware of it. If it needs to be re-sheetrocked, he will do it for a reasonable price. He wants to check it after it's all dried out.

Fandy 01-25-2015 05:35 AM

What a flipping nightmare, if it is any consolation, you have inspired me to just shut up and clean my own house today, stop procrastinating. Is it warm enough to open the windows for a bit to get some fresh air in the house?

freetosmile 01-25-2015 06:37 AM

I have been down the plumbing thing before. My daughter and my niece decided to play "extreme Barbie". This is a make believe game where Barbie apparently is forced to do extreme stunts. One of these stunts was diving head first into the toilet. I'm. Sorry to say but Barbie did NOT make it out alive. She was flushed, abnormally long legs and all. And of course got stuck! VERY stuck! Needless to say "extreme Barbie" is outlawed.

that is one incident of MANY regarding my children and toilets....

So sorry Lexi! How frustrating!
hugs!!!!!!


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