Calling Tex

[jodibelle352]

Hi Tex:

I truly hate to bother you with yet another incident but I could use your help if you don't mind.

On Oct.3rd, David and I went to the Wal-Mart Super Center Store in Caro, Michigan 48723 which we usually do each and every month when David receives his S.S.

After we had finished our shopping and David had gone to the front of the store oxygen tank in tow I was left to check. Welllll............ I started to feel ill and knew immediately what was happening. I asked to leave my cart at the end of the check as I had to use the restroom which the clerk was understanding and agreed.

As I went to the restrooms closest to the check out it was just my luck that there was a sign outside the door "Cleaning".
I knew I didn't have time to wait so I went inside and there were 2 men inside cleaning. I started to explain that I had a medical condition and really needed to use the restroom that it was an emergency and even told them I had a card explaining. I even tried to take my card from my wallet to show them and I was dismissed with "You can not use these restrooms we are cleaning. You have to use the clean ones in the back of the store." I then begged for them to just allow me to use the restroom because I didn't think I could make it to the back of the store. But once again was told "No."

Racing as fast as I could to the back of the store ended up being fruitless as I had messed myself before I got to the Ladies Room. I was a mess, and couldn't quit crying as my everything had leaked up the back of my Depends and even through the leg area of these unique panties. The back of my sweatshirt was soiled as well as the light blue pants I was wearing.

From out of "no where" I was sent a Guardian Angel who asked me if I was all right and asked me what had happened. I never saw this ladies face and don't even know her name but she fed warm paper towels to me under the bathroom stall so that I didn't have to clean myself with cold toilet water. She told me she was going to leave for a minute but she would be right back and was going to try and find someone to help me. When she did return she slid under the stall door a Wal-Mart bag which had a new pair of undies and a new pair of drawstring pants for me to wear.

I finally cleaned myself and the bathroom stall I was in the best that I could and as I was washing my hands and trying to get my shi* together a lady manager came in and I told her what happend. She took my Crohn's/Colitis Foundation card from me to copy and said that she would take care of the situation and that it would not happen to me or anyone else again.

I thanked her but by this time all I wanted was to get back to David and get the HELL out of that store without anyone noticing me because the shirt I was wearing was still wet, damp and soiled in the back from trying to clean it in the toilet.

David was still upset as well as I was when we did get home so he called the store manager to find out that he had NO IDEA that anything had even happened. This was 2 or 2 1/2 hours later and the employee who had first come to help me hadn't even told him of the situation.

Now that you have the story, I had told my brother about what happened and he took it upon himself to make some calls and yesterday about 3p.m. and attorney called me (James Perry) and told me that I should write a letter or send an e-mail to Wal-Mart's Corporate Offices and let them know what happened and that I deserved at least a sincere apology from the store in Caro as well as from the men who refused me axcess to the Ladies Room. He also asked me if I belonged to any Support Groups which I told him "yes". He said, that it would really help if I could get one of the administrators to send a letter or e-mail nicely explaining that what happened to me was not acceptable and why.

I truly could use your help and wouldn't ask but I do feel that I am intitled to an apology as well as the assurance that they did follow through on their promise to make sure that this never happens to another customer. To be quite honest, this incident ruined my very favorite "angel sweatshirt" as it was White trimmed in light blue and I'll let you use your own imagination on what the back of my sweatshirt looked like at the end.

I have NO intentions of sueing Wal-Mart as this incident is NOT in anyway, shape or form worth millions of dollars. But the embarrassment and humiliation of this incident I DO NOT want to hear of anyone else having to go through.

Love and God Bless:
Jodi

[Babsey]

Jodi,
Your story breaks my heart. I stopped going to Walmart months ago, only because I was tired of standing in the check out line for 30 minutes or more while they had very few lanes open, but they could have 32 open.

After what happened to you, gives me even more reasons not to go there.

I feel your pain and I'm sorry that happened to you. Hopefully, you will get an apology and at least a gift card to get a new angel shirt!

My thoughts are with you and I can't wait to hear how things work out! there has to be a happy ending for you!

[JLH]

http://www.crohnsandme.com/thescoop/adv ... es800=true

[Babsey]

How can we change that to include microscopic colitis along with the Crohns or start one seperately?
MS gets no recognition.

[jodibelle352]

Hi Babsey:

I really appreciate your support. This type of thing happens to all of us even if we think were prepared and have taken all precautions but as in this case even that wasn't enough.

I just feel that I deserve a genuine apology and the knowledge of knowing that the 2 employees were told what their choice to not allow me access to the restroom created.

Thank You once again.

Love and God Bless:
Jodi

[tex]

Hi Jodi,

Sure, I can do that. It will be sometime this afternoon before I can finish it, though, because I have a couple of errands that I can't postpone, and I don't want to send a rushed, poorly-worded document. Would you rather I send a letter or an e-mail? What contact information do you want me to include for you? I have your e-mail address, of course, and your physical address, and I looked up your phone number, so I can provide whatever you wish, just let me know, so that I don't send them something that you would rather I didn't.

Love,
Tex

[Dee]

Jodi!
What you have shared is an outrage as far as I'm concerned!
My heart goes out to you!
If I ever come across this type of a problem in a store, my little butt will not leave a restroom no matter if someone states No, because they are cleaning it.
Plus, you even attempted to show them a card explaining your health issue???
I would have told them that I'll shi* right on the floor that your cleaning if you don't allow me to use one of the toilets.
What could they have done to you for just taking yourself into a stall and going to the bathroom??
NADA!!!!
This post has struck a nerve with me ....
I hope to hear that you get a much deserved apology!

Love
Dee~~~~~

[jodibelle352]

OMG! Dee:

Laughter is the best medicine in the world and your comment about "shitting on the bathroom floor" ................ROTFL!

The attorney that called me yesterday asked me soooooo many questions and part of me was glad this man took time to call me and another part of me was angry that my brother had called an attorney.

If that Guardian Angel who helped me HAD NOT been in the bathroom at the same time I was and helped me. I have NO IDEA how long I would have been stranded in that bathroom with NO WAY to get out.

Love Ya!
Jodi

[JLH]

needs to be commended and the female manger needs to be flogged. I don't know what to do to the cleaning "men."





Jodi, Michigan has Ally's Law pending. Please go to the site in my previous email and sign. I'll post this and look for the link.

[JLH]

http://www.myibd.org/RestroomMedAlert/index.html

http://www.crohnsandme.com/thescoop/adv ... es800=true


I'm just going to repost both important web sites.

This potty access card is complete (doesn't say MC, though) and says MEDICAL ALERT Restroom Access Required. It is plastic like a credit card.

[MaggieRedwings]

I am outraged and agree 100% with Dee and have had this happen before to me but I disregarded the cleaning staff and had my explosive D right there in a stall and the heck with them if they heard. I refuse to not have a loo when I need one.

Love, Maggie

[Carol Arnett]

Dear Jodi,

What a horrible, humiliating experience for you to endure.
I agree with Dee...I would have said "Then turn your heads, boys, because what you are about to see will not be pretty."
You were so blessed to at least have a "Guardian Angel" to help you out to some extent but that should never have been necessary.

I only had a similar experience once on a trip. I told my DH he had better stop at the next rest area. He did but by the time I got out of the car it had already happened. Thankfully, I had clean clothes in the car and took them with me into the stall along with some Charmin wipes. I wasn`t clean, clean by any means but at least felt better.
At least until I decided I couldn`t carry the soiled clothing with me so threw away a new pair of $40.00 jeans, socks, undies, even my shoes.

I hope you at least get a good apology and perhaps a promise that changes will be made. Hugs, Carol

[jodibelle352]

I e-mailed Wal-Mart yesterday but still have heard nothing from the Corporate Offices nor have I heard anything from the store manager at the Caro, Michigan Wal-Mart Super Center Store.

I was promised by both; a store manager;Shawn as well as another employee who I spoke to when leaving the restroom. I truly feel that all either wanted was for thie emotional, smelly, half crazed lady to leave the store without further incident.

I wish I had been more vocal like all of you but I just wasn't using my head I guess. I just knew I needed to get to a toilet and fast and the 2 men cleaning the ladies room were not moving nor were they going to clear the way for me to get to a stall.

I actually felt completely helpless and knew deep inside that I was NOT going to make clear to the back of that store. It had to be at least 2 football fields away. At least that's what it felt like to me.

Tex said when he got his errands done today that he would do whatever he could to get a letter or e-mail out to Wal-Mart. I trust Tex very much and know that if my words I e-mailed yesterday don't get a responce that Tex's words will at least get me a genuine apology.

Love Ya All:
Jodi

[tex]

Hi Jodi,

Walmart's e-mail form doesn't allow enough room to say everything that I wanted to say, but I did the best I could with the space that I was allowed. I just e-mailed the following message to their corporate headquarters:

Gentlemen:

It has come to my attention that one of the members of an internet discussion board for which I am the site administrator, was recently the victim of a very unfortunate incident, related to her medical issues, while shopping in one of your stores, (store # 1798, located in Caro, Michigan). The discussion board to which she belongs, offers support and information for people who have Collagenous Colitis, Lymphocytic Colitis, Microscopic Colitis, and Related Issues. These forms of colitis are types of inflammatory bowel disease, (IBD), similar to the more widely-publicized types, which include Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. There is no known cure for any of the IBDs.

One of the symptoms of IBDs is diarrhea, and frequently, when the need to use a toilet becomes apparent, the disease allows very little time, (usually a matter of a few seconds, to a few minutes), before explosive diarrhea can erupt, despite the patient's best efforts to suppress it. That is why many IBD patients carry cards, explaining the urgent need to have immediate access to bathroom facilities, if they find themselves in a situation where time is of the essence.

While checking out, after a shopping session, the member I am writing about, suddenly felt the urgent need to use the bathroom, so she asked the checkout clerk if she could leave her cart, (which had just been checked out), while she went to the restroom at the front of the store. When she reached the restroom, there was a sign outside the door, announcing that the restroom was being cleaned. She tried to explain her medical condition to the two men who were working inside, but they just told her to use the restroom in the rear of the store. They wouldn't even look at the card that she tried to show them, and when she begged them to make an exception, and let her use the restroom, again, they told her "no", and demanded that she go to the restroom at the rear of the store. Of course, even though she hurried as fast as she could, she was unable to get there in time, and suffered a very humiliating "accident", of the type that absolutely destroys all dignity. No one should have to experience something like that, especially in the greatest department store chain in the world.

Contact information for the lady who experienced this indignity, is listed below. It's my sincere hope that she will receive an apology for the unfortunate treatment that she was subjected to, and some assurance that changes will be made, so that this sort of incident will not happen to other individuals with similar medical conditions, in the future.

Thank you for your support.

Wayne Persky, Site Administrator
Discussion and Support Forum for Collagenous Colitis, Lymphocytic Colitis, Microscopic Colitis, and Related Issues
my contact info
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/index.php

Jodi's contact info

Love,
Tex

[Babsey]

TEX. Awesome letter, I hope Jodi benefits from your help!