Mindless Bureaucracy

One of the most tiresome things about having a child with a disability is the endless paperwork that needs to be dealt with. Bureaucracy is certainly a fact of life for everyone, but I have more paper floating around this house than a stationery shop. And I have to wonder, how much of it is truly necessary? Every time we see anyone (at the same hospital, mind you), we have to sign yet another consent form and yet another privacy form and then we get another pink copy to take home to add to our collection.

We live in SILICON VALLEY. There are such things as computers and email, people. Wouldn't it make more sense to sign something once, then have the records electronically? Wouldn't it save money? Wouldn't it save time? Wouldn't it save space?

But that isn't the nature of bureaucracy, now is it? The most frustrating thing about this current piece of "absolutely necessary paper" is that it's a checked box for a procedure she's had done not once, but three times before (general anesthesia). Why is it suddenly so important now to have a pediatrician's sign-off?

Nevertheless, in the interest of not creating more bureaucratic nightmares, I have Bean scheduled to go in to the pediatrician this afternoon to get the stupid box checked.

I just wish there was one for "Is this a waste of time yes/no".