Lunacy from Lunatics
Monday, 28 July 2014

It has been a bizarre and frustrating week the last 8 days! I had a good visit with my siblings and my mother last Monday, had a good visit at County Services on Tuesday to finally get an appointment with my case worker after almost 4 months, and of course I heard from my EPALS advocate, Cheryl, who is very helpful and who is still trying to get my Medicaid application from April processed.

Then, on Thursday morning the day of my appointment, my case worker calls and leaves me a voice mail canceling my appointment, and saying she will call me for a phone interview, but not giving a time. I called her number and left a message that I was available all day, but no response. I went in that afternoon to find out what happened, and after taking a number and waiting, I was informed that I had not been rescheduled for an appointment, and that Mrs. Denise Coleman-Barnes was out of the office.

I was asked to wait until a supervisor called me.

I was called into the deep bowels of the county service center (it is HUGE), and after a very long hike, was seated at a cubicle with a supervisor who asked what my problem was. I explained that I had waited 6 1/2 weeks for an appointment after being lectured that I would not be helped without a mailing address, even if I was homeless, and that I got an appointment scheduled when I came in person on Tuesday, but the case worker canceled it and didn't reschedule that Thursday morning.

Well, this lady then advised me that they don't allow PO boxes as mailing addresses, and that they couldn't assist me.

I asked why was I told when I specifically asked if a PO Box was acceptable, that is was? She said they never allowed PO Boxes.

I said I did not have another address. She asked where I take my showers. I said that I had a shower on Sunday night when I spent the night in my sister's hotel room, and that on Monday morning she paid to get me a haircut and a beard trim before going to see my mother at her Alzheimer's facility. Otherwise, I had not showered in 10 weeks!

She made a rude comment about my being well groomed and clean, and asked for my sister's address. I stated that my sister resided in Virginia and was only visiting.

I asked if I could use my friend Sheryl's address in Canton. She said "NO! It must be a Cuyahoga County address."

I asked, "So you are telling me that Cuyahoga County, cannot and will not help me?"

She said, "No, Cuyahoga County cannot assist you."

I got up and said I would pursue other avenues, thanked her for seeing me and left in huff!

I had a bad weekend. If it hadn't been for Cheryl (from EPALS) saying she would help, and then her calling again on Friday to say that her supervisor said that I could use the EPALS' Euclid Avenue address for Welfare, and they would either hold the mail or forward it to my PO Box!

I have been unable to advise anyone at County Services of the new address, because Mrs. Coleman-Barnes' number goes to an outgoing only message by someone else, stating she is not in the office.

After a bad weekend of storms, not sleeping, and sharing only a bag of oyster crackers and some cold canned chili with Denny, I headed to the Library today after the rain let up about 1300, and set up my laptop once I determined that the Internet was running (Welfare and the BMV were down according to Denny who went to find out why his approved EBT Card has not yet arrived, but they refused to serve him because their computer network was down), and then headed to the Bedford Post Office, where I received 2 letters, one from the USPS confirming my address change, and the other from the Ohio Dept of Jobs and Family Services, denying my food assistance application for not showing up to my interview!!!

I put in a call to Cheryl, who had just left for lunch, then sent her an email after asking that she call me when she had time this afternoon. We chatted when she returned, and she was perplexed as to why I am being treated like I am.

So now I need to refile for Food Stamps, and send in the request for the State Hearing Board!

I emailed Patrice, the paralegal handling my Social Security claim for my attorney, and she said there was no word yet, and that SSA should not be a problem like County Services. We shall see... !

I am watching the wind outside, the rain has stopped, but the trees are blowing hard. We had 4 possible Tornado touchdowns yesterday in Ohio, one nearby in Brunswick where several houses were damaged. Thankfully, no one was hurt or killed!

I don't know if I want to stay here, or head back to the truck. The radar shows Ohio clear of storms, though we have had some 3" of rain in the last 48 hours!

I will reapply for food Stamps online, and then find another Clive Cussler novel to check out (I finished "The Thief" last night, that I checked out on Saturday) and head back for another sandwich, as Dennis found 4 quarters and bought a $1 loaf of Italian bread @ Walmart, so we can make sandwiches with the 5# of jelly we have, and the 1/4 jar of peanut butter. I also have 1 can of tuna left, but Denny doesn't care for tuna!  

I am trying to stay calm while dealing with the MISFITS at County Services who don't seem to care or even have a clue about how to serve their clients there, but I will keep a smile on my face, and I will not make any attempt to harm anyone physically, who doesn't attempt an assault on my person. In other words, I am biting my tongue and sitting on my hands until this is all resolved and Denny and / or I have an EBT Card, Medicaid, and possibly Section 8 to get a place to stay in out of the cold this winter! Yes, this week begins August, and summer is half over! Cold weather, snow, and brutal winds are in the offing in another 2-3 months!

Plan "B", if Welfare and Social Security do not deliver (or even VA benefits), then we go into mountain man mode, and live off the land, somewhere nearby and rural. I am not saying exactly where! I can survive in the wilderness, and will, but it will not be a pretty sight for urban types and the weak hearted. I can trap, hunt, fish, field dress and butcher game and fish, build a shelter, and identify edible plants.

My mantra at present is to not advertise, not beg, not trespass nor steal (nor break the law in any fashion), so going feral may change that.

Stay tuned! I will keep updating, until forced to go wild!