Feels like forever since I last posted. It’s that time of year.
So, what’s been going on? Well, we had an IEP meeting at the end of the school year. I finished and mailed off the paperwork for the application to become CJ’s Guardian Advocate. And I dealt with the yearly renewal for benefits through the State of Florida’s Agency for Persons with Disabilitites (APD).
This year we had to provide additional documentation. Things got interesting. We had cashed in some savings bonds I found in a file drawer that were in CJ’s name. He cannot have more than a certain amount of money in his name by the time he turns 18, as that would screw up the Guardianship application, so I knew they needed to be cashed in ASAP.
Of course, we all know that when you loosen a screw in one location, the universe is obligated to tighten a screw somewhere else. It’s a cosmic law or something. So APD now had to make sure that CJ didn’t have too much money. Fair enough. However, they had to make sure he didn’t have too much money RIGHT NOW…as in, right away, as in within days.
Tick tick tick tick.
My favorite part of dealing with them is the math. The letter they sent was dated 5/22. The letter stated that if I did not get the requested information to them by 6/3, his benefits would be cut off. (Oh, they will do it, too.) I received the letter on 5/25. Naturally, it was a holiday weekend. The soonest I could do anything was 5/28.
I ran around calling places, calling people, holding the line and then holding some more. Calling APD, calling the bank. Since my husband is the parent listed on CJ’s account, Chris had to run down to the bank on his lunch hour to sign mysterious paperwork and then he had to fax everything to APD the next day. We got it all faxed on 5/30. By 6/3, I had nearly recovered from the experience. We can now officially say that CJ does NOT have too much money to do anything more than buy Air Bud DVD’s on sale.
Then we went on vacation.
Next week, I have a meeting scheduled with a company that runs group homes for people with varying needs, several of which are owned by foundations. I am searching the community for people who are already doing what I’m planning on doing, even if their end goal is different than mine. I am currently working on a very long list of questions, as I still have a lot to learn. After this meeting, I expect to be a lot closer to launch date for CJ’s House.
It seems that no matter how much I get done, my “to do” list just gets longer. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. There’s no train, but it just seems that the hurdles are getting more and more visible.
See you at the next jump.
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