Cutting Off an Over-Demanding End-User?

SpaceNeeded asks: "Numbers of you will probably recognize the start of the situation. Because I work with systems, I perform occasional builds. This occasionally crosses over to support (especially where it's my kit I'm asked to support). This isn't a problem, nor is it a problem when I get the occasional support query from someone I haven't supplied a system to, but who needs assistance. This is all well and good, but I've had pretty poor year personally. I've lost two relatives and a third is in a pretty bad way in hospital. An eleven year relationship ended a couple of months back, and I'm now having to perform _all_ the domestic tasks that used to be shared. Between these few things and my regular job I'm finding I have a whole lot less time to allow to support calls. What methods do you know of for gently cutting off someone, support-wise?" "I have a regular end-user who is the one that we all dread. They have little interest in PC systems for itself, and regularly call up with problems, usually related to Windows spy-ware/Trojans/Viruses. I haven't supplied the systems, which comprises of two Dells and a Tosh laptop. Although I quite like them personally, I really don't need the hassle of their regular calls at the moment.

Before the regular cries of 'Supply Ubuntu' get too loud - that will _not_ work. They aren't up to Windows after a couple of years, and will expect interoperability with Windows systems (through college/employer) and don't have the technical skills to manage a *nix system."

Comments

Re:Work hard, but don't work harder than the patie

[hacker]

"And I give them homework. Measure your blood sugar twice daily..."

I seriously hope you're not giving this kind of advice to diabetic patients. If so, you're doing a lot of harm to them as their medical mentor. At the BARE MINIMUM, if they're diabetic, they should be measuring their blood sugars at least 5 times a day:

1. When they wake up
2. When they eat breakfast
3. When they eat lunch
4. When they eat dinner
5. Before they go to bed

My wife is a diabetic and a celiac, and she checks herself no less than 7-8 times a day. Granted, she's also a very athletic woman, and that means she's brittle, and sugars can vary wildly between meals and before/after exercise, but a stoic person with diabetes should be checking at LEAST 5 times a day.

I've had conversations with people who say: "I check twice a day, and I'm 120 both times", and they think they're fine, but when I ask them to check more often for a few days in a row, they find out that they're spending the entire day over 400, and then dropping at the end of the day before bedtime. This all-day 400 is doing PERMANENT DAMAGE to their liver, eyes and feet (neuropathy).

Checking more often can give them a better baseline to work from, and extend their lives.

I'm not diabetic, but I'm married to one, and she's opened my eyes to an entirely different world of treatment and medical practice.