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Form hell

Just when I thought I’d documented every detail of my personal life for the insurance company and the social security administration, Thursday and Friday more forms arrived from both entities. I almost burst into tears right there at the post box.

I could tell from the thickness of the insurance company envelope that it wasn’t from the insurance company telling me they’d reviewed everything and believed me and would approve my disability benefit. It’s the same with the Social Security Administration – a large yellow, thick envelope just wasn’t a good sign.

The insurance company irks me because these are the same forms I’ve filled out twice now. I called them on Thursday to find out why I hadn’t heard anything and discovered nothing had been done with my paperwork. So, I’m hoping this is an error, but I’ll be calling Monday to make sure.

The social security forms are another matter. It’s just one of the hoops you’ve got to jump through for them. But, it irritates me that in this 15 odd pages there’s really only one question relevant to a visual disability – the health issue I’m filing under. That’s the question, Can you drive?

Granted, the other questions that have to do with how far you can walk, whether you can bend, lift etc. are also somewhat problematic, but somewhat beside the point.

I can’t seem to help it. Filing out these forms makes me so depressed. I just don’t like to document everything I can’t do over and over and over again. I don’t like to relive every embarrassing moment etc. I prefer to concentrate on the things I can do and the things I enjoy. I know this is necessary – part of what you just have to do – but it is a real downer none the less.

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