I have a friend needing some advice. She is trying to get an idea of sm

• I have a friend needing some advice. She is trying to get an idea of sm - Friend
  • Court reporters pay scopists (their 'editors') $1+ per page - current employee
  • Easy enough - doesn't take a rocket scientist - just me
  • A lot of factors come in per page. - How much will she need to fit on a page?
  • When I subbed in Oregon, my MTSO SM - Chickadee
  • $6.00??? - countdownMT
    • Are you serious? My girlfriend worked freelance for - attorneys 25+ years ago for 1/1.50 per page!
      • Per page amount - LinK
        • Legal documents - babydox

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My friend and her boyfriend of 5 years recently obtained custody of the boyfriend's now 7-year old daughter.   You talk about a handful of trouble, that's exactly what has been packaged into this mini sized monster child.

Bear with me because this will be quite lengthy.  I  will call the girl by her nickname, Tater.

Tater was 5 when my friend (S) and her boyfriend (D) started with the custody proceedings.  Every time Tater would come for visitations, she was full of these wild stories that were quite alarming to S and D.  She would come and tell them how her mom walks around the house naked all the time with all of these different boyfriends, how one of those boyfriends held a pillow over her (Tater) face one time, and how Tater and her baby brother were often left alone for hours at a time and sometimes overnight while her mom was out "getting drunk" with her boyfriends.

Naturally, S and D were really upset by these stories and so they got an attorney and really pushed for custody.  They got custody in March 2005 and their life has been a living hell since she has come to live with them. 

Less than a day or so after she moved in, she started telling them how one of her mom's boyfriends "did things to her" so S and D were once again in an emotional fit because they thought someone had molested Tater.   They called a psychologist and the police.  Had her evaluated, everything.  Even had Tater talk to a detective that works child abuse cases.  His findings and the psychologist's findings were the same.  She had not been abused and, in fact, had a severe problem with delineating fact from fantasy. 

Tater now sees the psychologist once per week.  The goal of the treatment was originally to get Tater to understand the difference between telling stories and the truth, along with dealing with the fact that her mother now has absolutely no contact with her.  It's been rough for S and D as well as Tater. 

Things went well for a short time, then school started 3 weeks ago.  Since starting school, S and D have been called to the school numerous times because Tater has either said that she couldn't do her homework because her daddy was "all drunk", that when S dropped her off at school she was "drinking wine from a bottle in the car" (it was green tea in a glass bottle,) and that they don't allow her to talk to her mother, which is not true. Her mother has supervised visitation but chooses to opt out. 

She has told her aunt and uncle that S killed her cat on purpose when it was actually her aunt who accidentally ran over the cat but Tater didn't know that.  She told one of the neighbors that her mommy had her (Tater) picture taken once and was in a naughty magazine because her mom got money for it and Tater would get it when she was old enough.  OMG yet?  Yeah!  This kid is something else.

She also made a little boy cry in class by rudely saying how he was so stupid and slow during outloud reading time.

S and D have tried all of the things the psychologist have recommended, taking her toys, taking her TV, radio, making her write apologies and hand deliver them, and sit directly behind the bus driver (for even more trouble on the bus.)

She also missed the bus home purposely last week because she was going to go to a friend's house.  Her grandmother had to come all the way into town (they live about 10 miles out) to get her.   When D and S questioned her about what she was doing, she screamed at them that it was "HER LIFE" and she could do what she wanted if she felt like it.  Remember folks, this kid turned 7 last month!

Now, a few minutes ago, S called me in tears.  She got another call from the school because Tater had told some of the boys that another boy was threatening her and making her scared (which was a lie) so she wanted them to do something about it.  These 3 little boys proceeded to gang up on the other boy and he was hurt.  Not seriously but that he was hurt is bad enough.  These 3 boys and Tater are now suspended.  These are first graders and this is a very small town.

S and D are ready to snap.  I don't know what else to tell her.  The psychologist told S and D that she was afraid that Tater had multiple personality disorder but couldn't make that diagnosis on a definitive basis because, as of yet, there are no clear cut documented cases in children of this age.  They usually don't start developing these tendencies until they are in their mid to late teens. 

I have looked online for any kind of research or specialists that can deal with this but it's very difficult to find information even on pre-adolescents that are out of control. 

I am asking for your help.  If anyone knows of a professional or group that can help S and D with Tater, PLEASE post here ASAP.  At this point, I'm very concerned about THEIR well being. This kid is a serious danger.  There is much more but I think I have told you enough already.   We are in Washington State too, just in case anyone has any ideas where to go for help.

Thank you so very much if any of you can help.

Hubby and I had a stupid fight.  I was watching a television show last night, really engrossed in it when DH decides to fuss with the candles on top of the entertainment center and stands right in front of the TV.  I thought it was rude as he had just walked into the room and had not been in there previously plus he knew that I was just sitting there spacing and watching a show.  So then after 2-3 minutes he turns to me and says he needs help with something he's holding in his hand, a model he's working on.  I just say, okay, now that you've stood in front of the TV and I was watching it, what is it you need?  He storms out of the room and doesn't say another word to me the rest of the night.  HOW STUPID IS THIS!!!!  I can hear that little girl Stephanie on that old TV show saying "how rude." LOL.

So he didn't really need my help obviously, I guess he's survive.

I just needed to come here and vent to you guys.  I don't post here much, but I do come and read a lot of the posts.  I think there are a lot of wonderful people on this board.  I just needed to come and express myself somewhere other than my husband and friends. 

To start with my mother has COPD and has been unable to work since March of 2005.  She is not on disability yet, because we were both naive and kept waiting for someone to contact us after filling out the paperwork online.  Anyway, I have been working at a casino job for 12 years and I have let her have my pay checks for the last 3 years to help her out with bills and other things.  I also work full-time with Spheris.  I work 60-65 hours a week.  I also try to do her grocery shopping and do errands for her on my off days.  I don't mind doing this, and if I had to work 3 jobs just to keep her here on this earth with me, I would.  We have always been close.  She doesn't have any insurance, so she doesn't get to go to the doctor as much as she needs to be going. 

The thing that is really bothering me is the fact that I am the youngest of 4 children.  I am the ONLY one who calls her every day and asks her if she needs anything.  I have told my siblings that I cannot do it alone anymore.  My older brother did start helping somewhat over this past year with the prescriptions and going to the store on occasion.  But he will only do those things if I call or my mom calls him.  My middle brother, about 2 years ago, won 50,000 dollars at a casino, called my mom to brag to her about it and never did one thing for her!!!  He also about a year ago won 30,000 total in one night, and NEVER called her, and never came by to see her or anything.  Last week, he wins ANOTHER 54,000, and yet, again, the very same thing.  

In 1997, my mother and I took out a 15,000 mortage on our house to do remodeling.   We ended up being taken advantage of by a guy that we had known for many years.  We didn't have a contract drawn up, so there was nothing we could do.  He came out and tore out a wall and concreted the add-on area, made a concrete porch, and then left everything else torn up.  She has squirrels that get in her house from time to time from some hole somewhere.  I absolutely kills me to see my mom in the terrible health that she is in.  I try so hard to help her.  I can't afford to get her house fixed up, but it kills me to think of her passing on without seeing her house fixed up.  She deserves so much more.  She and my father were married for 32 years when they divorced--due to his infidelity.  I have tried talking to my siblings and it just doesn't work.  How can a child be so cold to their mother??? I told my sister that I hoped that some day when they becamed aged, that their kids didn't do the same thing to them; also, I hoped that they didn't get in that type of health. 

My sister has a gambling problem and doesn't do anything to help her either.  She will call her and tell her that she will bring her something down, and then never shows up.  I am just so tired.  I have a 4-year-old son and a husband, 2 jobs, and the rest of my family JUST DON"T GET IT~!  

I am sorry this was so long, but I just can't take it anymore.  Thank you for listening. 

Paulette

Here in the SE AT&T had internet outage this week and now 1 of my computers is asking for the IP address, trying to get back on line. Where to find this? TIA.

I wanted to post because I have had a very eerie feeling lately and wanted to see if anyone has been experiencing a similar thing... I was a home MT working directly for a hospital for many years and a high producer.  Then, the hospital cut our incentive and many of us ended up with a MTSO after that.  Well, after being with the same job for many years, I spent over 2 years with the MTSO and found out that my line counts were very low because the platform was not counting my lines in a well honest (to me) way.  I thought I was losing my talent, but after finding out about this for sure by looking at the minutes versus the lines over a couple of weeks and checking with other MTs (finally) I found out it was not me.  I since have been working for a very reputable MTSO (no hospital jobs around directly that I could find by me) and something is happening. I am struggling to get my line counts again, and I did a study with the minutes and though not as bad as the other MTSO, the same thing is happening AGAIN! (dont mean to yell, just emphasizing).  It is so hard to look for yet another job...My question is this: Is it my imagination, am I just losing my talent and my mind, or are most jobs now counting the lines differently than before say 3 years ago when I left the hospital job. And, if I can't produce that much anymore because they count lines differently now, how does one find at least a job which is moderately easier to get more than minimum? Look, I used to make over 50K a year and now I am eeking out perhaps 27 a year and feeling like I am losing my talent.  Any advice would be appreciated here. I don't want to go through job after job, stress after stress.  BTW: My husband will be able to provide benefits in a couple of months, but until recently I have been the one to have to provide health coverage and this has figured heavily into where I work.  Thanks in advance for your opinions.  I don't want my hand held, just a little reality check.  Thanks in advance.

I have to say I consider myself still fairly new.  I have been a Transcriptionist now for just almost a couple of years.  I am a little upset because I have at least 99.6 QA score each month.  I work on several different accounts and we are always told to push, push, push the reports and get them out. Because if we don't meet our standard line count amount then you will get canned.  But, my question is this, on the accounts I work on, it is hard to make normals for all of them, which does save time.  So, when you are flying through your documents and trying to proofread as you go, you are sure to miss a few MINOR mistakes.  I do not understand this field and sometimes I wish I would have never spent the money to get into it, because we are yelled at if we don't get our minimum line counts and get yelled and told to slow down if you make a few small mistakes---nothing that would put the life of a patient at risk.  So, please tell me where the happy medium is.  Again, my QA score is never below 99.5. 

Seriously thinking about getting into a different profession.  Thank you for listening. 

Hey everyone, I'm Canadian and am currently researching possible MT schools. I was originally thinking Canscribe, but am not so sure anymore (I read on another forum that they don't train students enough, and I want the best possibly training so that I am great at my future job). I know M-Tec and Andrews School are seemingly the top two schools in America, but I kind of wanting to attend a Canadian based school possibly. If anyone can help me out, I would really appreciate it. Also, if someone knows a Canadian based MT forum please let me know. I have been trying to find but it doesn't seem like there is any out there.

Thanks so much for your time!

:)

I've been job hunting, testing, sending out my resume for 2 weeks now and no bites.    I'm not a new graduate.  I worked for 2 years but have not worked MT for a little over a year now.  I have 3 toddlers and finally am able to have enough time to work full-time again.  My family really needs the extra income right now and I'm finding it very frustrating that so far I am not able to contribute. We live in a very rural area and driving into town for a job plus daycare for 3 toddlers would kill any income I'd get. 

I get answers from companies saying I have a good resume, experience, and even tested well but they are only hiring people with  #+ years RECENT experience. 

*sigh*  I'll just keep looking, emailing/faxing resumes, and testing... one will want me eventually. 

/rant.

I live in a very remote area and am unable to get DSL but can get it through Alltell cell phone.  Is that good enough for internet transcribing?  Also where could I buy bulk durable micro-cassettes ? 

Thanks cb

That's what this board is for.  Well, that's what most of us believe.  Some us like to bash people and argue and just be plain mean, but ignore them.

SM stands for "see message."

NM stands for "no message."

Do you have an abbreviation expander?  If not, I would suggest PC Shorthand.  In my opinion it's the easiest to learn and use and it's affordable.  If you choose or already use PC Shorthand, then I would follow the Mary Morken link that someone posted below and download her abbreviation and Expander list as it is formatted for PC ShortHand and it would be a great starting point for a new MT.  I would take the time to print out her list as well so you can read over the abbreviations and expansions and become familiar with what you're using.  Then start adding your own abbreviations to the list.

My kids and their friends threaten to video me on their phones and post it on YouTube or something because.... honestly, sometimes I get really rockin when I'm working.  Heee heee

Then I came across this video the other day and I thought.... Oh My!  That could be ME caught in a "moment" one of these days.

Will try to link to the video.  Hopefully it works.

If you had the choice between a shift lead type position at somewhere between $14 to $16 an hour or production on an account with a lot of normals.  The shift lead gets you experience editing, supervising, etc., but the production account you are just transcribing. You can make a lot more money at the production job, but the shift lead will get you started in a more management type of position, which would you choose? You will be stuck at that hourly wage with the lead position, but there are possiblities of moving up with the company.  But, the money on the other account is quite good, as there are a lot of free lines.  I am just so confused and have to make a decision, as I cannot work them both at the same time.   Any suggestions, comments, or feedback?  Thanks.

Can anyone give me a good program to invest in that would allow me to keep a line count and also provide invoices? Also, is there a recommended HIPAA approved transferring site to transfer files through the net? Thanks a bunch!

I have been an MT for over 10 years.  I also am getting burnt out, tired of my job, day in day.  However, I do love transcription and make excellent money at it, have grossed over $50,000 per year the last 5 years.  I decided to go back to nursing school and am very happy with my choice.  However, over these 10 years of transcription I have had my ups and downs.  My biggest issue with being at home working is lack of socialization, being home day in and day out with just the kids and the animals really gets to a person, sure hubby is home at night and thinks working from home is the easy life, thus the return to school and boy has my overall enjoyment of life changed once I realized I was the problem, not everyone else and I needed to find myself again.

Anyway, my biggest advice to you three-fold:

1.  Get into counseling for yourself, find out who you are and what your needs are, whether or not you think you need to, I sense you are feeling overwhelmed and need someone other than your family to talk to that can be nonjudgmental to your feelings and needs.

2.  If you're only making $100 after you pay preschool you can either keep doing it and be miserable, or quit because you are lucky enough to have a husband who can support the family without your income. (See how fast his mind changes just by losing the income you do have as to whether your job means anything.)  Or look for a different company or office that you like more and are more productive if you really want to do transcription (lots of fish in the sea as far as companies).

3.  Find a local "mom's" group where you can get out and socialize.  MOPS (mother's of preschoolers) is an excellent one that is nationwide, they have a website.  Also Mom2Mom is in a lot of areas.  They provide a once a week time for moms with kids the same age to get together, socialize, (some offer spirtual guidance some don't) and each week a different mom takes a turn watching everyone else's children at the facility that hosts it so the other moms can talk about things they have in common.  Every stay-at-home and work-from-home mom needs to socialize with adults, without their kids, or they will have a nervous breakdown eventually no matter how much they love their kids.

Sorry so long but it does get better but you have to take the first step at making yourself happy.

Junior League was like a full-time job sometimes, but I loved it. Now that I have to work, even though it is from home, I still volunteer through my son's school.  I am a school teacher in my previous (pre-MT) life, so I volunteer my tutoring services for children who need the help beyond what the schools are able to provide but whose parents cannot afford to pay for private tutoring. I also know how you felt about being afraid.  I was strangely afraid before I joined the Junior League.  It was just the unknown. But I was SO blessed by being able to help.  Honestly, I am sure that it helped me just as much, if not more, than I helped others.  Go for it.  You won't be sorry.  (Just remember that you have to say NO when you have to say no, okay?  Remember that and you will be richly blessed by the experience!)