Success!

Very brief post here, but I wanted to jot down what happened at the Department of Health and Human Services today. I got there an hour early (Because, face it, it's not the kind of appointment you want to miss; they can give and they can take away.) My new caseworker was so much better than my old caseworker, who made me cry. Of course, at the time, I'd only been out of the hospital a month. But this caseworker wasn't trying to tell me that a cell phone bill didn't count as a phone bill and yada yada. In fact, when I told her I never meant to have Jb on my food stamps account, she went ahead and took him off, even though I'm technically supposed to send in a form. And get this, with him off, my food stamps go from $58 to $168. Wee bit of difference.

As for the Temporary Disability/Cash Assistance, that's reviewed in December, and she's going to review the food stamps in December, too, since she wants to be efficient and not make me come in more times than necessary. She also said that as my medical assistance (i.e. health insurance through Maryland) lasts until April, my food stamps and cash assistance will probably be approved and renewed until then as well. Whew. One less thing to worry about.

On the down side, I still haven't received the packet from the medical assistance program that has my card or the information I need to start receiving those benefits. And the two therapists I was referred to through the mental health program don't work for the assistance program anymore. So yet another set of strike-outs. I swear, getting a therapist has been the hardest thing I've ever had to do out here. One guy offered to take me, but only for $350 up front and another $200 each session. I nearly cried I laughed so hard.

Oh! And my stimulus check came from the government. $600 big ones. And all of it is already spent. Go figure. But it's on necessary things. Some very expensive, out-of-pocket medical things, a couple new blouses to do interviews in when I'm ready for that, and a haircut that I've been dying to get. So, things are looking up. And despite the nerves, I felt okay today.