This is the correct amount of effort for a thread like this. Four months in on a bread attempt and it lines up.

Small wins count. Walking to the mailbox is a data point.

It gets smaller. Not easy, smaller. That distinction kept me going.

Written confirmation email after every phone call. Cheapest insurance there is.

Ask for the longer appointment slot. Ten minutes is not enough for a complex history and pretending otherwise wastes both your time.

An inconclusive account is useful if it stops the next person mistaking a story for a controlled comparison.