Thanks everyone for the input. Not sure if posting here finally got it the visibility to get resolved or if it was just serendipity but AA finally approved my refund about an hour ago.
Good riddance, glad this is done.
Glad that resolved for you.
I saw your post last night and was logging back on this morning to tell you, frustrating that it is, don't assume something is wrong till it has been a month. Last time I had a similar issue the live person I finally got ahold of told me it took that long for it to get to the front of the line and be considered delayed, and till then any request to expedite was ignored. Which is pretty much the way the time frame went,
(I know, I can't stand to just write a note on my calendar and come back a month later either).