I'm not feeling too positive this week, but it actually has nothing to do with finances.
I found out my aunt, who was like a second mother to me, has an aggressive and rare form of cancer. This all after my uncle just recovered from several years of cancer treatment himself, and my other aunt was diagnosed last year and has already been through chemo.
So, understandably she is low about it, and I'm low about it, because even though I try to be positive about everything, things like this make you question if you're ever going to see someone you love again. She lives very far away, and of course I don't have the funds to send her for tests, or gasoline for 9 weeks of daily chemotherapy and radiation, or even to go see her and introduce her to her second niece for the first time, and maybe the last time.
Her insurance company is giving her the run around on paying for tests and procedures, and so in the meantime her doctors have decided not to do a double mastectomy, but at great risk of the cancer reoccurring. Apparently that is a very real concern for her kind of cancer, but because she can't afford the genetic tests out of pocket to determine whether she for sure needs a double mastectomy, so they won't pay for that either without the test results. Ugh.
My other aunt who has already been through a rough time with chemo and radiation, is feeling very weak and is still facing the costs of more medical care and the possibility of re-occurrence.
I'm not the one facing this or fighting it, and I cannot imagine how much strength it must take for either one of them to face the day, but it's really gotten to me this past week. I'm weepy and sad and mad, and just don't have the gumption to do anything. Please forgive me for not posting much. I'm sure that once a little time has passed I will feel like it again. For now I am just concentrating on some freelance writing, and dabbling in my draft posts every now and then. Just thought I'd let y'all know why I haven't been around much this week.
On a side note, thank you so much to the person who donated $25 last week. It went towards our electricity bill, which is enormous. Luckily with the weather warm up it has been cut in half, so we will catch up soon. My family deeply appreciates your generosity, thanks for taking a chance on us.
I was happy to give you the $25. Had you posted the amount that your medicine cost you, I would have given that amount. I know all to well what its like to suffer medically, because of lack of funds.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the fight!
Thank you so much, that's really kind. Luckily I shouldn't ever have to pay that much at one time again, because they are all different lengths of treatment. It hurts to pay that much sometimes, but suffering through it sure costs a lot more in time and energy. I hope you are past that stage in your life where you have to chose between treatment and necessities!
ReplyDeleteThankfully, I have made it beyond that point. My wife and I both came from lower-middle class families. We have had some lucky breaks and access to some great opportunities, which moved us along.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading some of your older posts, I have a few suggestions that helped me get my financial house it order.
A book: "All Your Worth," by Elizabeth Warren. Your local library should have a copy. This book has a lot of helpful information.
A place where you can get a truly free credit report: www.annualcreditreport.com. This allows you one credit report from each of the major bureaus each year. You have to know what's on your report, to fix your problems. Pro tip: dispute everything. If they have not kept meticulous records, they cannot collect debt from you. In many cases, collectors will have to forgive the debt outright. At minimum, they have to stop calling you.
Go to consumerfinance.gov. This website (which is for the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) can be helpful in dealing with your bank. Make sure that all of the overdraft fees and what not are lawful. All complaints are forwarded to the bank, and often times, you'll find that banks are deceptive in charging some fees, and they will reverse them.
I hope this helps! Trust me. Becoming financially stable can be done. If you have any questions, leave them here...your blog is now in my favorites.
P.S. Your story on Huffpost is how I found your blog.