Needing To Vent A Little!

[sjprice23]

I have been recieving food stamps for a little while now since I have been out from work on medical leave, but I went back to work for a whole 6 and 1/2 days shortly after getting diagnosed to see if, now knowing what triggers the attacks better, I would be able to handle and adjust accordingly at work. But after struggling through every day I was there (and they weren't consecutive days), I wasn't able to handle it, i.e. my production went from, on average, being in the top 5 of about 200 employees, down to the bottom ~ the symptoms and near fainting episodes were controlling my day.

So, after letting the social worker for the food stamps know that I was back to work, I let her know immediately that I was out on medical leave again and receiving less pay than before (I had short-term disability when I first signed up for food stamps) and that I would send her my check stubs at the end of September in order to get food stamps around the 9th of October (the normal time I get them each month).

Okay, so after two months now of communicating via me leaving messages for her and then her sending me a letter in the mail to respond to my messages instead of calling me back (who does that?!?), going back and forth with me that the check stubs will be fine if they show what I earned the entire month of september (which they do, obviously) to get food stamps for the month of october, then I would just have to get a statement from my employer that I am not working and if I continued not working, I would only be receiving such and such money (not much at all) of vacation time until the end of the year.

Then, I get a letter about a week after that saying that she needs the letter in order for me to get food stamps for october, the check stubs will not be good enough. What?!? I know they would be good enough, what more proof do you need than a larger company's payroll checkstubs for an employee stating exactly what was made in the previous month?!? After I received that last letter, I called her, left her two messages (used up all the time on the first message and had to call her back to leave another one) telling her that they are good enough, but I will still be sending the letter ASAP to verify for the next coming months! I politely explained, with my voice cracking, near tears that I am sick and tired of her not calling me back when I have questions for her and getting a response three-four days later in the mail(!), and that I have a real health problem that I need certain foods and beverages (gaterade) that I cannot afford most of the time because, duh!, I'm not working and that I can't just go to the food pantry because they load you up on carbohydrates and dairy...I cannot eat a lot of either of those!

Needless to say, she called me back within that business day, told me she still needed the letter from my employer, etc. But then, a week later, yesterday, I get a message on my voicemail that the checkstubs are good enough and that my food stamps will be on my card tomorrow! (today!!!~and they are!!! Finally!!!)

Sorry for this, just another struggle to get what we need~not what we want, what we need!!!

Sarah

[Sophia3]

WOW~!

Sorry for the headaches and bureaucratic tape you have to go thru just to get FOOD! And never returning your calls....even more frustrating.

I hope you are able to get the things you need to supply you with food.