Taking Care of Business

Getting Mom settled in her new home has proven to be a bit of a challenge. She is still in her temporary apartment, so she hasn't been able to unpack much of anything, knowing she would be moving very soon. This situation has drug on longer than we expected.

Mom wanted to open a local bank account, so we went to a bank near where she is living. They were very happy to have her as a new customer until they realized that she did not have a State issued Texas ID card, and that her New Mexico driver's license had expired ten days earlier. She hadn't seen any reason to renew her NM license or get a NM ID card, since she was moving to Texas and would no longer be driving. That left her with NO acceptable ID for opening the bank account.

"No problem," they told her. "Just go to motor vehicles and get a Texas one." We decided to put that off until Wednesday of this week, since she also needed to take care of some medical issues as soon as possible.

Stoney Brook requires either a TB skin test or a chest x-ray. Mom knew she'd need the x-ray, because the skin tests always come back positive for her. We thought we were good-to-go on this, because she had just had a chest x-ray a couple months ago, when she was experiencing some congestion. But nothing is that easy. We got the x-ray results, but they weren't accepted, because they didn't specifically rule out TB.

Secondly, Mom's NM doctor had sent her with orders to get a weekly blood test, for her coumadin levels, and have them sent to him to monitor until she is established with a Texas doctor (first appointment we could get was August 25). The clinic that did the x-ray couldn't do the lab work. We went from there to an urgent care clinic. They couldn't do the blood work either. Then on to the Belton Scott and White clinic, where they are willing to do the blood work AFTER they get her NM doctor entered into their system (he does hold a Texas license). So we're on hold for that for a couple days. (I pray they won't require an ID card . . .)

On Monday we checked with motor vehicles to find out what documents she would need to bring with her to get the Texas ID. The friendly young clerk at the front door told us: "Your birth certificate, Social Security card, and this form, to be filled out by Stoney Brook, verifying your residence." I asked if there was a waiting period before she could get an ID. "No, just bring these things in and we'll issue it to her."

So Wednesday morning we carried the requested paperwork to Motor Vehicles, and waited an hour for our number to be called. When we went up to the counter we found that 1) The form filled out by Stoney Brook wouldn't suffice. We need a notarized letter, on letterhead, with very specific information in it. 2) The birth certificate is, indeed, necessary, but she also needs to bring in her marriage license to prove that her name changed from her birth-name. And 3) There is a 30 day waiting period.

When I mentioned to the clerk that we had been given misinformation at the front desk, she just waved her hand and said, "They are just young hourly employees." As if that made it all alright.

So, we are waiting for Mom's doctor to get entered into the Scott and White system, so we can get her lab work done. We'll get Stoney Brook to write that notarized letter, dig into Mom's still-packed boxes and locate her marriage certificate, wait the required 30 days, and go get her Texas ID card. After that she should be able to open a bank account. Oh, and Mom was told, last evening, that she will finally get to move into her assigned apartment on either Monday or Tuesday.

It will all work out eventually.