arrggghh - the Paperwork Monster...

Over the last months, I have been working at moving all her bills and business contacts over to her new address, and, autopayments over to her new bank accounts. It's unbelievably frustrating.

There are her phone bills (former home bill, new home phone bill, long distance, and mobile). Her internet service provider - both ending the old one, and setting up and paying for the new one. Numerous medical insurers, as well as doctors, hospitals, both in her former address and her new location. Change social security payments and providers and payees. Change investment accounts.

There is just the matter of finding out all those accounts. When I took over for her, she had proudly delivered her box of important papers - but, I found that she stopped filing in about 2004. She also had sheaves of papers scattered around in corners and piles, evidence of important contacts but all in a muddle. Some I discovered when looking at her old bank account, and finding auto-deductions for services.

Also, since I'm not HER, I am required, appropriately, to provide proof that I can speak for her. Finally, one at a time, I am getting my name on her account, but I doubt if I'm halfway through the list.

Just as an example - I was getting her Medicare prescription drug coverage plan changed to the new address, and, changed to her new bank. I called several times, then spent 45 minutes slowly and meticulously giving someone all her information. That person gave me a case number, then needed to transfer me to a licensed agent. I got transferred to the wrong place, then got disconnected. AARRGGHH. But I thought, no problem, I have a case number and can pick up with relative ease. However, when I called back and finally got through to a licensed agent for our state, there was none of the information I'd provided that was included in the case number. I spent another HOUR on that phone call. Two hours total. During work hours. So, I had to work until 11 that night to make up for the time lost.

Today I work on applying for benefits from her long-term-care insurance. I'd sent out sections to her physician and her Assisted Living facility. I'm nervous because I found paperwork that her former doctor had filled out, saying that she had no problem with any of the "ADLs" (activities of daily living - continence, dressing, transferring, etc) which could mean a denial of the application for benefits. However, that doctor never was informed about the fact that she has frequent continence problems, she leaves poop on her toilet seat, she started fires when she prepared her own meals, and had frequent low-blood-sugar episodes because in her independent-living situation, she snacked constantly instead of good meals. And, with her existing care in Assisted Living housing, she no longer has some of those problems (no kitchen fires since she has no kitchen; fewer medical emergencies because she takes her meds regularly with help of the staff). I will submit the application but I'm concerned that her old doctor's opinion may give the insurer a reason to deny the claim.

Then there is the other to-do list:

• get a handicapped placard so that when we go out, she can walk less.
  
• get her an identification card so that when she flies or writes checks, she has local ID.
  
• pick up an ink cartridge for her printer.
  
• bring hammer and nails to her apartment to put up the clock.
  
• order the lighted magnifier on a stand.
  
• order her diabetic supplies.
  
• every weekend, go over and set out her pills.
• get stuff out of storage that may freeze, or, that she may need.
  

AND - groan - in a week or two she will move to a new apartment, a 1-bedroom. And I will need to change ALL the addresses again. And, that will create a new to-do list of emptying out storage and stopping that payment. And putting up pictures and putting things away.

I feel overwhelmed. I have my own challenges - we just found that our own credit card was being used fraudulently in Florida, so we had to cancel and get new ones. And for my OWN bills with autopay, I must go thru them again and change the card#. And our own office is piled high with disorganized papers and work we're trying to do. We have our own printer that needs fixing. Seems everywhere I look there is a to-do list. And my job... very highly stressful. Eeks indeed.

Well, like eating an elephant, I guess I'll just do it one bite at a time. And let the rest of the work just wait until I can get to it. We are warm and she is cared for and life will go on.