ROME, March 22 An Italian woman who was mistakenly reported dead has won a year-long battle to have her existence recognized by the government.Pension agency INPS issued a formal apology to Maria Giuliani and reinstated her into its databank after removing her in January 2006 when another woman by the same name died, ANSA reported Thursday."But they only did it because the local media got hold of my case," Giuliani said of the apology. Giuliani's removal from the databanks caused her pension rights to be revoked and she was removed from municipal and health computers."The first I heard about it was the following March when I went for a check-up." "My GP fell back into his chair and said, 'But you are dead!'"'No, I'm alive and kicking and I want to be examined,' I said. But he said he couldn't do it because officially I no longer existed." Giuliani said she's tried to keep her sense of humor through the ordeal."All you can do is have a good laugh about it, I suppose." Copyright 2007 by UPI
