Okay, so remember how I was gonna avoid Retail Therapy during this particularly vulnerable time and concentrate on Selling? Well... one more Complication sent me over the edge and into a Retail Therapy Avoidance Lapse. Since I no longer have a Truck Payment, because it's totalled and Paid Off... and I don't have my own Vehicle anymore, buying a Funky 1800's Masonic Knight's Templar Hat in it's original Case was much Cheaper than a Vehicle Payment would have been anyway. I have this Funky Old Hat Fetish and this was a killer addition to my Collection of them. It soothed the Temptation to go over the Edge with this New set of back to back Complications I'm now Dealing with too.
You see, as if enough Drama wasn't already playing out and I wasn't Stressed enough, two more serious Complications decided to hit right now back to back. First, the Attorney representing The Son's Accident Case, and Princess T's Injuries and Expenses from it, called me to say that the Hospital that treated Princess T was now refusing to release her Medical Records because all of a sudden, they aren't recognizing my Custodial Guardian Paperwork because it's outdated and want me to find my Daughter to have it renewed!?! Are you Serious?!?!?!
This Paperwork has been recognized and acceptable since birth for both G-Kids for Medical Treatment, School and all kinds of Agencies... but NOW this Hospital wants an Updated Custodial Arrangement, preferably run through the Court System and a Judge! That's if we could even locate or keep track of our Daughter... which we haven't been able to do for years. I just know she's somewhere Homeless in Mexico and has been for almost six years now, with only very sporadic contact, since she's Seriously Mentally Ill and Paranoid Schizophrenia Trusts no-one and makes sustaining Relationships difficult for the Afflicted. And that's even IF she's still Clean and Sober and hasn't fallen off the Wagon too and gone back to the Life?
So, litigation and compensation for the Child's Injuries could be compromised due to this unexpected Technicality and turn of events involving the Hospital. I don't really want to have to Deal with the Family Court Systems and those Expenses too right now, I don't have it in me and wouldn't even know where to start or how long it could take?!
And then DES, the Agency that I receive the Children's Medical Assistance through... and the paltry Financial Assistance they offer Custodial Grandparents... screwed up the renewal of their Services... big time! First they send FIVE conflicting letters... on THE SAME DAY... each one contradicting the other ones about what was Approved and when New Services would be in Effect. So, I spent another four days trying to contact the Hotline to find out what was what?
When I FINALLY got through, the Caseworker who answered my Questions about our Case lied and said everything was fine and there would be no interruption in Services, Assistance or Medical Insurance Coverage. You know how I found out it was a lie my Friends? I spent an hour at the Grocery Store doing the Monthly Grocery Shopping that the Cash Assistance should help pay for in part, including the Diapers the Princess still wears at Night... and the Card Declined because there were no funds for the Month of September and it had been 'Closed'!!!
You see, I never got an Approval or a Denial Letter to the Cash Assistance portion of their Case, just Five Conflicting Letters about the Health Care part, but as I said, the Caseworker had told me over the Phone when I made the inquiry, that everything was Fine and Dandy with our Case... apparently NOT, she was either shining me on or very confused... incompetent... didn't really give a damn... or whatever? Sometimes I wonder if they give out Bonuses to their Employees who make things more difficult and discourage folks... and you'll understand why in a Minute as the Story and Drama escalates.
So... the next Morning I arrive at their Office almost an Hour before they even Open... after dropping The Force off at School. You have to show up way before they even Open, otherwise your 'Turn' will never come up because the line is already snaking around the building Hours before they Open and they don't take Appointments anymore... it's first come, first served... and they Serve at the Speed of Death. So... if you show up anytime after say, Eight in the Morning, you probably won't be seen that day and you've wasted your entire day sitting there until they Close and kick you out without having been 'Served' at all. Repeat next day... and so on.
They do have an Online Application Process, but it hasn't been Working properly... and kicks you off before you can complete the form and submit it... and if you've got Complications with an Existing Case, its not going to be able to accommodate that anyway, even if it was Working... which is why so many folks are there in Person! So... I'm there for over Three Hours waiting for my 'Turn'... along with several other frustrated Parents and Guardians of Special Needs Kids so at least we had something to talk about while standing in line and a camaraderie. I didn't Feel singled out or Personalize the Issues... apparently it was happening to them all and is the new Status Quo... not that it makes you Feel any better either though.
So I finally get my 'Turn' to talk to a Receptionist... who brings up my Case on her PC and tells me she doesn't know why things are so screwed up or why they Approved the Medical but didn't Approve nor Decline or Process the other Benefits that were ON THE SAME RENEWAL FORM submitted a Month ago!??!??! She allegedly Verifies that at least Medical IS Approved Effective September 1st... I certainly HOPE this is the Truth, we'll see, since the Kiddos have Chronic Health Issues and lotsa Meds they're on... but insists I have to fill out ANOTHER Application now for the missing Benefits!
I ask her for the Forms, which are sitting right beside her left arm in a large stack, so I can take them with me, fill them out AGAIN, and bring them back. Since I don't have sufficient Time to languish there in the Office all day to wait for a 'Turn' to do it Electronically in the one of only half a dozen kiosks they have and you have to wait for one to become Available behind the masses of peeps pouring in by the second. So that then you can be given a Phone Interview in the Kiosk by a Caseworker hiding behind the partitions somewhere in the abyss of the back office... which is a New Procedure so they don't have to see or talk to you in Person anymore or Schedule Interviews at YOUR Convenience... say, if you have a Job, Kids to pick up from School or a Life beyond your request for some Help.
So then she tells me, wait for it... her Supervisor isn't Allowing her to hand out any of the Paper Forms TODAY!!! We MUST try to find a way to do it Electronically TODAY, even though it is Apparent their System is 'down' on their Website and it would never accommodate every Client there to wait for a 'Turn' in the few Kiosks in their Office to do it. Honest to God!!!
Apparently they just make stuff up as they go along on a whim or wild hair up their ass, because it made absolutely no sense why she couldn't just hand me a form sitting right there beside her in a huge mound of them?!? So I ask her WHY? Of coarse she doesn't know... and when I request the Supervisor who is denying Clients these Paper Forms to even be able to Apply for Benefits, conveniently she isn't available... why, of coarse not, why would she be? It probably wouldn't be Safe for her to be given the angry mobs that were now being jerked around right, left and center. Yeah, peeps were going off all around me... I was Proud of myself for just walking away Calmly... tho' I was seething on the inside!
Since there was no way of Applying again... and I'm on about my Tenth Appeal Process anyway regarding the meager Financial or Nutritional Assistance for the Kiddos that we Qualify for as Custodial Grandparents... Luckily I still had a Lone Appeal Form for a Fair Rights Hearing still in my possession! Ah Ha!!! They Hate the Appeal and Fair Rights Hearing Process and now I don't mind burying them in the Paperwork since they're being a hard ass about Helping me sort out the mess they've made of our Case and Benefits. It's not the first time it's happened and it probably won't be the last... I just didn't need the added Burden of it all right now, with everything else we're Dealing with.
But as you can Clearly see... a little Retail Therapy Purchase of a Funky Antique Hat... and re-stocking the Showrooms with Inventory and re-styling each was good Therapy for the Soul and Spirits right now... it helped me Maintain my Sanity amidst all of the current Insanity. And now I can Vent in a semi-humorous Post about it... because I've found that Laughter is like a Good Medicine and it sure beats Crying about it all... a bucket of tears won't change a thing or move anyone in The System as it stands... but a Good Laugh and finding the Humor in the Absurdity of it all does make me take it more in Stride.
And Sourcing Halloween Inventory and Styling with it always Cheers me up... how can you NOT Smile when you're foofing your Space with Severed Hands and Feet or Puppet Bats?!? *Winks* And The Son REALLY Cheered me up by agreeing to Babysit the G-Kid Force for me on the Night of the 18th so that I can Attend the Halloween Inspired Preview Party Event this Month at SWEET SALVAGE!!! *Color me Happy... I Desperately NEEDED an Evening Out this Month!*
He may have to bring his Girlfriend's three Kiddos with him, so that should be Interesting. *LOL* The Son has never been a Parent yet, though he's been an Uncle since he was only Seven... so juggling Five Kids, three of them Teenagers, and of coarse two of them being the G-Kid Force, oughtta be quite the Experience and Adventure! *Winks* I simply told him not to allow them all to completely destroy the House or kill each other, since he's coming here for the Gig. *Smiles*
I'm gonna try not to think about the carnage that could be going on at Home whilst I'm at the Event enjoying myself. *Smiles* The Preview Party is only Two Hours long, plus the Commute, and if I provide Pizza and Video Games here it should pacify and Entertain the Kiddos long enough that The Son won't have my Cell on Speed Dial begging me to hurry Home?!? Not that I'd be inclined to answering any Calls mind you. *LOL* And he's a Young Guy, so if unlimited Free Food and Video Games is involved he's usually Content enough to join the Kiddos in the Revelry.
He might not ever Volunteer again if things go South on this Gig, but that's Okay, I got my Fav Holiday's Event in so I'm Golden 'til next year... and it will be a Restorative Evening for me to Relax and Unwind with Friends and around an Incredibly Styled Event. *Smiles* I was actually Surprised he Agreed to it so readily, but since he's still out of Work due to his Accident, he's been bored out of his mind and wanting to DO something that he could still physically do in spite of lingering neck and back pain... and especially to Help me out... so sitting in his Dad's Recliner by the front door and making sure no Kids Escape or Maul each other in a four hour period should be do-able. And I'm Jazzed to be able to not have to pass up yet another Invitation to something I really want to attend and don't want to miss.
I thought about bringing this Old formidable Weapon Home from Halloween Display in Showroom #133 for him to pretend to weild in order to keep everyone in line since it looks so impressive. *Smiles* But, they'd probably take it away and use it against him... after all, he'll be outnumbered and they're sneaky and one could easily distract him so the others could get away with Murder... so probably a bad idea, huh? *LOL*
Her Kids are pretty Good actually... but his Niece and Nephew could Corrupt them, they have Leadership Ability and Charisma like that, so I never Underestimate their Persuasive Powers to Stage a Coo against any responsible Adult in charge. *Smiles* And they think of their Uncle like a Big Bro' since they were Raised with him, so they'd show him no more Mercy than they show each other in a Conflict or Conquest! *Winks*
Should I be Feeling Remorse or Sorry for him? Nope... remember, I Raised him too and he was no Angel Gabriel when he was a Kid either! *LOL* He gave us about half of the Experience we have in Raising a High Maintenance Child... though he turned into a Fine Adult Man... so always hold onto Hope if your Kiddo is a handful, because sometimes they even turn out Okay no matter how much of a Rascal they were in Childhood! *Smiles*
I always told him his Pennance would probably be having Kids just like he was... which is probably why he's never had any?!? *Winks* Of coarse that's the same Line my Parents told me... so... I must have been Delightful as a Child... *Bwahahaha!*
I Hope you've Enjoyed my descent into Madness and the Sneak Preview of some of the New Inventory I'm bringing into the Showrooms? *Smiles* More to come, Drama AND Inventory... Stay Tuned...
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian