Limbo

After a death you are in many ways in a limbo regarding processing of governmental and financial business until the certified copies of the death certificate come. Following the funeral until the following Thursday I dug through papers trying to find what I didn't know and get ready to do things once the copies arrived. I found the OPM website and the FEGLI site and filled out forms to have them ready - bank, Social Security. copies to the readied envelopes to go in the post office. The copies arrived on Thursday and I started out copies in hand dealing them out in stop after stop. Additional concern was centered on the proposed federal government shutdown on the Friday next. Would that impact my application? I called Blue CrossBlue Shield and was given a special caseworker to help me through the necessary changeover to the new  person who would own the policy - me. This wonderful lady gave me all sorts of info and the phone number for OPM! Then came my big news both good and bad. I found out what my monthly check would be, the monthly insurance deduction but it is illegal to tell over the phone whether or not there is life insurance or how much there is. since I was talking to someone in the east somewhere I don't know how else I could reach  for info. Can I call back to see the progress? No Can I call someone else? No. Can I. . . .? No. No. No. Is this logical? No. When will I know? Sometime in 4 or 5 weeks - By middle of May .How does one plan with this dearth of information? I don't know The really good news: benefits offices would not shut down even if other offices do. So nothing except the physics of the thing will slow the process up - or speed it on its way.