2014/06/02 -- 03 Monday and Tuesday

I am writing this post about 9:30 PM on Tuesday. I’ve had some difficulties the last few days, but that’s not to say that the Kitty Kids and I haven’t had some really good things happen.

Because the first day of June fell on a Sunday, my pension check was not posted in my bank account until Monday. That may not sound like a big deal unless you realize that both the Kitty Kids and I have been virtually out of food since the middle of last week.

May was a terrible month financially: not only was it the first month I had to pay the

additional $100 in rent, but again the Department of Education had the Treasury Department withhold over $200 from my Social Security check. (More about that below).

$300+ is a lot of money taken from our limited income, which usually has not covered more than 3 weeks at the best of times. We would have been out of food sooner had not to dear friends assisted, one by donation via my PayPal account and the other via a Walmart gift card.

Sunday night I was restless and unable to sleep, anticipating my pension being available on Monday morning. About 4 AM I gave up completely and began checking my online account to see when the pension had been credited. That marvelous event was confirmed at about 5:15 AM. I was dressed, caring my portable oxygen condenser, and out the door by 5:30 AM. That’s when the first crisis struck.

Because I only had enough gasoline in the car to drive the half-mile or so to the service station, I had not been in the car for some time. Thus I did not know that I had left my keys in the ignition and the ignition set in the position to roll up my automatic windows. The battery was dead as it could be.

I almost panicked before I remembered that a couple of months ago I had invested in my renewing my American Automobile Association membership. After searching through lots of unopened mail, I found the AAA card and telephoned for someone to jump-start my battery. It took about 2 ½ hours for the service man to arrive, during which I nodding off at my desk.

After I was able to start the car I drove to the gas station, but in $40 worth of gas (about ¾ of a tank), drove around another half hour to fully charge the battery, and then went where I wanted to go for staying in the morning: the grocery.

 

Upon my return I was greeted by three very animated and excited Kitty Kids, who are aware that when I carried bags in the apartment there is usually something special for them. The first something special was their favorite wet cat food gravies. Following breakfast, they continued to surround me begging real Kitty cat treats. That continued until I was too exhausted to stay awake.

My adventures unfortunately had their negative affect on my body; not only was I exhausted all day, but I was plagued with a headache, and earache, and my bum leg so painful and weak that I could not easily move around.

I did sleep long last night and took several naps today, including one during which I had a very realistic and exciting dream. My week leg continues to be weak and my ear continued to ache, as did my head periodically.

 

The damnable part of today was that when I checked my online bank account, I discovered that again my Social Security check was $202 short. I was overcome by a sadness—almost a severe 
depression. Thoughts of another month like last month brought me to tears.

Now to the Department of Education: the best way I can explain the mess I am in is by quoting from the cover letter I mailed with my third or fourth request to have my seminary student loan discharged since I am, and have been, totally and permanently disabled since 2003.

This is at least the third time I have filed for discharge of my student loan since 2006. The only response I have ever received has been a telephone call stating that I must provide the reason the Social Security Administration determined me to be disabled. Following which, I contacted the Social Security Administration and was informed that the “reasons” are confidential and even Social Security employees cannot access them. I replied to the Sallie Mae representative with a letter from the Social Security Administration so stating.  I am 68-years-old, living alone, and have difficulty understanding bureaucratic workings and communication, even though I worked as a bureaucrat for the Commonwealth of Kentucky for twelve years, ending in 1983 when I entered seminary. It was only in the past few weeks that I learned my funds were being withheld by the Department of Education and again began this disability application process.

 

I have received one 3 ½ page letter regarding my application which was so complex that I needed to make three telephone calls to find someone to explain it to me. What I finally learned was that (1) my application has been received, (2) is being processed, (3) I will be notified of the results within the next 120 days. I thought the letter and the woman explaining it said that during the application process no further withholding from my Social Security check would occur. Unfortunately, as I learned today, that is not true.

The Kitty Kids and I are happy to have food. I am happy to again be able to purchase the nonprescription medications that I require. We have faith that we shall survive the month of June at least as we did the month of May.