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

You are not imagining it and you are not being difficult. Document it and take the document in.

File early. The window is shorter than people think and it starts at the transaction.

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

This is the correct amount of effort for a thread like this.

It gets smaller. Not easy, smaller. That distinction kept me going. Not on packaging quality but the pattern is familiar.