12-08-06 @ 7:11 am EST

Well, I guess I don't meet with the new psychologist until after the New Year. Tells how high priority I am.

Even worse, I received this in the mail yesterday...I'm not entirely sure what it means, but it doesn't look good.

Benefits from Social Security (RSDI) and the federal portion of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will increase in January. The increased income will affect your cash grant and/or food benefits.

If you receive food benefits and someone in your household receives RSDI or SSI, the increase may cause you to receive fewer food benefits or your food benefits will stop on or after January 1. For example, if your RSDI increases from $500 to $525, your food benefits may decrease by $7.

If you receive FIP, SDA, Refugee Assistance (I), or Repatriate Program Assistance (R), and someone in your assistance group receives RSDI, your grant will be reduced on or after January 1. If you receive SDA and someone in your group receives SSI, your grant will be reduced on or after January 1.

*If you receive FIP, I or R and this increase causes your grant to be reduced to under $10 but not less than $1, you will continue to receive Medicaid but you will not receive a cash grant.
*If you receive FIP, I or R and this increase causes your grant to be reduced to less than $1, your grant will be cancelled. If you still need medical assistance, you should reapply.
*If you receive SDA and this increase causes your grant to be reduced to under $10, but not less than $1, you will not receive a cash grant. You will receive a separate notice if your Medicaid benefits are affected.
*If you receive SDA and your grant is reduced to less than $1, your grant and Adult Medical Program if any will be cancelled.

This is the only notice of these changes that you will receive.

I'm going to have to try to convince Ma to call them and ask exactly what this is about (and I can already imagine her complaining...this entire process is nothing but a tedious chore to her)...but I can guess what it means. Social Security benefits, the ones I just can't seem to get approved for, are going up...at the expense of the measly benefits I HAVE been approved for. This, now that I've just been put on a new drug, and my jaw/teeth are starting to hurt, and the weather is getting hideously cold. And a hundred other things which have always been hanging over our heads and which I had hoped to alleviate with the measly grant I'd already been given.

All this because I kept telling myself, "Well, if I don't get approved for Social Security, at least I have this." Now it's looking like I won't even have that.

The couple of people who were so insistent once I started out on this process that I would SURELY be approved, I had NOTHING to worry about, just KEEP TRYING...where are they now and what have they to say? Doesn't seem like any of this trying is getting anything done. -_-