Sage's Journal

[CactusFlower]

Thanks so much, all. Still enjoying the relief here. I'm probably also going to be dual-eligible, so that should cover more. For the non-USA readers, that means I get the disability, which is Federal-level, and Medicaid that I was already on, which is state-level for low income and disabled people. The Disability payments will still be at a level so I can have both. I'm hoping for that because my current therapist that I work really well with, her agency doesn't take the federal level (Medicare) alone. I think it'll be fine, though. I've set up direct deposit although it won't start until the June payment, but that's fine. now I'm just waiting on all the paperwork, ID cards, etc to come in the mail. Oh yeah, I'll have to tell my regular doctor's office about the change too.

It's interesting to see how many things this helps/touches. The company Medicaid went with for vision insurance this year doesn't cover anything but medical eye issues, so I wasn't going to be able to get a new eye exam and glasses.  Now I'll be able to. I had a subscription for an electric toothbrush I had to cancel (Quip, great company, sends replacement head and battery every quarter) that I can renew now. (manual's ok, but I like my Quip.) I can renew the pro level on the app where I track my health info. Just various things I had to pare down over the last year. The relief of knowing that I will be able to cover my part of the bills without worrying about the future is immense.

Needless to say, I've slept pretty decently the last couple of nights. Minus the cat wanting fed, LOL.

[sanmagic7]

o my heart, CF!!!  i'm so glad for you!  that is great! congratulations! 

it's so good to hear someone finally got it.  my D was turned down again, it'll be another year before they will make another attempt.  i get it about the anxiety in waiting for this news.  so glad it came out right for you.

love and hugs, my dear.

[CactusFlower]

Well, alas, the next visit with my therapist and psych med doc will be the last, as that agency doesn't take Medicare. But they were kind in the office and I'm basically finishing out this month for free.  plus, they emailed me a list of local providers who do take it so I can get started calling.  The BFF recommends his therapist, too, and he's on Medicare, so we'll see who I can find. It's been great working with my T these past three years (wow). We are keeping each other's phone numbers due to our love of recommending good local places to eat, LOL.

On the final stages of gluing on the crochet pieces for the little house project. I'll take pics when the gallery has the showing before the auction. I'm very pleased with how it came out. The front panel is adorable with the little flowers embroidered under the windows. I also made the door open! I hope it gets bid on well. Then also in May, I've got a local poet's society event to go to that has a piece of mine in the collective chapbook.

Winning my case has definitely helped with financial security anxiety. It never goes away entirely, but to be able to relax even a little on the austerity is a strange/nice/slightly scary feeling. I'm sure it'll take a while to sink in. I might even see if there's a way to pay for a little in-home assistance with cleaning or something like, once a month or so, since it's so hard for us. And Bro's chiropractor has now sad absolutely no vacuuming or sweeping or mopping with his back for the foreseeable future. Sigh.

Now to just meet for the last time next week with my psych meds doc and ask for a few more refills to tide me over until I find someone else. She's nice enough that it won't be a problem.

[CactusFlower]

The little house is now glued and sealed and ready for submission to the exhibit! it gets dropped off Monday.  here is the Cozy Victorian Cottage! (I have small hands; the base is 6 inches square for reference.)

https://imgur.com/gallery/FSxjWmc

[Armee]

It's darling, Sage

[sanmagic7]

just adorable, CF.  it's really cute.

again, so glad you got your disability.  my D finally got a diagnosis that could be what the board/judge is looking for during her next round, which will be in about a year.  i totally get the anxiety about finances - it's one of the reasons we're moving - we can't afford where we live anymore, she can't make enough money by working to pick up the slack from my own retirement stuff.  it's a horrific place to be stuck in, and i'm so glad you're out of it and on the other side.  yay!!!  love and hugs

[Little2Nothing]

Nice little house, well done!!!

[CactusFlower]

I'll go drop off the Little House in a while. This evening will be the last session with my therapist. I haven't really started calling around to find a new one yet. I think part of me is just waiting for the payment to drop to feel it's real. Although Friday was interesting. I knew I would need to pick a new healthcare plan since I'm now on Medicare, and I want to stay with Blue Cross Blue Shield. But I needed to know my Medicare number, and the ID cards haven't come yet, even though the letter said about 2 weeks. So I called Medicare.

FFS. That was nearly an hour-long phone call. My part A had a different effective date than the part B, so it took a while to determine that yes, I am actually in the enrollment period and am in the 3 months where I can pick a plan. She also explained the bundling and copays and part D, blah blah blah. I didn't have the heart to tell her I'd worked in health insurance most of my career. I know she has to read a script. Fortunately, she walked me through signing up on the medicare.gov site to get my number and a printable ID card to use until mine come. Which, she could see, were sent out, but couldn't see when they were sent out and they actually have 30 days to do so, not a couple weeks... I'm glad I'm here now, but government stuff is such inefficient *. All that because I just wanted to know what my ID number is. Eh, I think I'm ok, I know how to search plans and also which one I want, so I gotta do that later today.

[Hope67]

Hi Sage,
It sounds like a really onerous system to do all of that.  I admire the fact you've been able to negotiate your way through it.  Sounds like you know what you're doing, and I hope it gets sorted later today. 
Hope 

[sanmagic7]

CF, i'm part of that system, and i think inefficient is a kind word to use for it.  i hate ever having to do anything with them.  i'm glad you got your stuff straightened out, tho.  yeah, script reading drives me nuts.  ugh!

just glad it's behind you and you're on your way to getting what you need.  love and hugs

[CactusFlower]

Thank you, san and hope, hugs back.  yeah, I can't imagine how hard this stuff is for someone with no experience in the industry.

The little House auction is tomorrow evening. I'm going to go and get pics of the house while it's on display. it's a silent auction (where people write down bids), so I'll ask if there's a way to find out what it went for after.

I've been enjoying a bit of embroidery here and there.  Finished a cute piece for the Bro that's geeky.  It's a side view of a brain, outline done in shades of pink, of course. Next to it, I put 4 important molecules. Dopamine, Serotonin, Caffeine, and Theobromine. (ha ha ha) he loves it. Next, I'm doing something even geekier. Takes way too long to explain and bore you, so just know it's a map from the Baldur's Gate 3 game, sorta.  The Poet's Picnic last Friday was lovely and I have a copy of the small chapbook they produced with all the entries.

My getting SSDI may have messed with our food stamps. Bro has to call and see, but they only loaded $23 for May. What a freaking insult. I don't have any of my payments yet at all, I still pay the bills, and now I might have to cover the food as well. I'm pretty ticked off if that's why it's that low. What is the blinking point of $23 for a whole month for 2 people? grrrrrrrrrrrrr. It definitely means more tight meal planning, which I suck at because Even if I buy something, that's no guarantee I have the energy to fix it on a set schedule.

I seriously want the stupid back payment to show up. The regular monthly payments will start this month around next week or so, but it'll be a paper check. Direct deposit doesn't start until June. I have to admit, just the idea of a check in the mail gives me anxiety. It feels so risky these days. Yay government, right? Sigh.

[sanmagic7]

hey, CF, that sucks about the food stamps.  my D and i also rely on a food bank in town to supplement her food stamps.  sometimes we get great stuff, sometimes not so much, but those things are throwaways, so we do.  when we move, she'll have to re-register in another state, and who knows what those requirements will be?  so, yeah, i get it.

some of the things i've decided i need for the move are my cross-stitch kits i've never opened cuz i ran out of energy to do them.  also knitting needles.  i love being creative w/ my hands, and i know you do as well.  i think the gift for your bro is brilliant!  love the whole brain thing.  such fun!

i hope you keep going w/ all this.  sounds like something you're not only good at but that you enjoy.  love and hugs

[CactusFlower]

HUGS!  thank you, san!  Bro just got off the phone. Turns out they did get notified when I won the case, but they go off the net amount, which is a hair too much. So he just went ahead and canceled the EBT. We'll just have to plan a bit tighter. I got a Costco membership so we can buy some stuff in bulk, at least. They did tell him I should be eligible for some state plan that basically reimburses you for the cost of the Medicare premium, which means it's like getting the full disability amount. That's something, I suppose. Poor gal on the phone was so apologetic, but it's not her fault, she doesn't make these decisions.

Glad you're taking your creative supplies. You never know when you'll be able to and it's better to have them than to get further depressed because you don't have that outlet. Here's the embroidered brain:  https://imgur.com/gallery/EdfWxYQ