Archive for March, 2010
Help Wanted
0I’m desperately trying to figure out how I’m going to make it to the end of the month. It’s the first time I’ve had to pay for Nuvigil (my first month was free), Zomig (and am already running low) and Lunesta all in the same month. And not just that but instead of taking a med that’s a few dollars to try to sleep now I’m taking meds that are over $80 to stay asleep, and then another $80 to stay awake. Well, now I’ll be taking more Nuvigil, so that will be over $100. Which is money I don’t have. But I really need to be able to stay awake during the day. And I’m taking Fiorinal again, Dr. Wilkin hopes that will help with the daily migraines I’ve been having, most of which are triggered by my shoulder. Plus I have to pay the $60 left on my COBRA for this month. Nevermind that the changes in meds are because I went to see the doctor yesterday which was another $50. I don’t have that money either. Oh yeah, and I still need to pay my rent.
We’re again coming to the point where we’re grasping at straws. Trying to fix at least part of something because, to (poorly) paraphrase what my doctor said yesterday, “There isn’t anything I can tell you to do to help you that you’re not already doing.” Not that I could afford anything else anyway.
To put it mildly, I’m freaking out. My family can’t afford to help me any more than they already have this month. I’m desperately trying to get my nerve block next week, but was told they may not be able to give me a time. All patients are being moved back to Oak Park because the cryoprobe in Chicago is broken. My lung pain is back to the point where it gets so intense that it makes me cry.
After seeing how much pain I’m in my mom told me to try and get in. But it’s like $1000 just for MY part. I don’t know how we’re going to pay for it. And I don’t know how I’m going to get there. I really don’t know what I’m going to do.
Oh yeah, and my insurance runs out on the 10th, so my doctor wanted to schedule me for the 9th to see if the medications changes work. That’s another $50. And I have to try and get as many prescriptions filled before then.
I hate being stuck in this position. If there is any way you can help, please, please do. And if you can’t donate, please pass on the word. I appreciate anything you can do.
I can’t begin to tell you what a blow it is to hear that things may not get any better when I’m barely holding on.
Bad Luck O’ the non-Irish
0In case you forgot about my epically bad luck today I
- found out my “savings” account was overdrawn by a sizable amount as a result of an auto withdrawl (by my bank, which means there is nothing I can do about it)
- had a pen leak on my quilt
- managed to stab myself in the thumb with the serrated blade of a tape gun
- bled all over my work
- missed DLD ticket sales
- got my shoulders worked on only to have my migraine come back worse
- speaking of that, still dealing with weird/wrong tastes in my mouth… not sure if that’s a migraine thing or new med thing
- got pulled over driving home because I had forgotten about my (lost and thus not updated) car registration
- Oh, and why am not sleeping? Hiccups. THEY. WILL. NOT. END.
Though to be fair the guy was really nice and suggested that I go to the secretary of state and they could take care of it without needing my lost paperwork. Then I should take that to court and he said judges are usually pretty nice about it. Here’s hoping. I have to look up where an office is tomorrow. Thankfully I had my right insurance card. And on a funny note I did realize that the police were out because it’s St. Patrick’s Day. If they quotas the guy was probably grateful to deal the a pleasant girl who wasn’t drunk. He was like “I’m sure you’re going to take care of this so I won’t hold your license as bond.” But oh man, registration is like $99, right? Is there a late fee on that? Oh, $8/month. :/ Not so bad. I wish I would have just realized that it was the same as the drivers license place! I would have gotten it done when I first realized I lost it. People, do not let me forget this!
At least I didn’t lose my Lunesta, I may need to switch pill cases again. I love this one but it doesn’t latch closed so things on the end that open first have way of coming out. I ended up finding it in the pocket of my purse. They’re a few dollars each.
Ooh. I’ve gone on long enough the hiccups have FINALLY gone away, and the migraine is easing up a little. A little more and I might be able to finally sleep. At least I’m not like a lot of poor schumcks spending the night in the drunk tank! I’ve got my kitty and heating pad (which may have to be repaired with duct tape for now) and my nice soft bed. Hopefully I’ll actually be able to sleep now. (Forgive any spelling/grammar, etc. errors – exhausted + sleep meds + not wearing glasses + migraine = well, a deck stacked against me in terms of writing!)
Much love to:
- Eilene
- Tim
- Rob
- Patty
- Dawn
- Missa
The Cost of Normalcy pt.1
0The cost of my medications is high, despite the fact I have insurance. I’ll total it up for you later, but it’s a couple hundred dollars a month for the “essentials”. Occasionally a drug company will see me post something about the cost of a medication and will tell me to contact them for help. Then I’m told that because I currently have insurance there isn’t anything they can do. I’m starting to wonder if it would be better for me to NOT have insurance and sign up for assistance programs. (Unfortunately) It seems I’ll be finding out sooner, rather than later. My COBRA is about to run out.
If I cannot afford my medications I will be unable to work. No work means no money. No money means no medications and… well we’re back to the beginning of what becomes a vicious cycle.
And, as it turns out, I make too much money to receive food stamps in Illinois. They count only my car payment, rent and utilities as my necessary expenses. Great. Except it is necessary for me to have my medications. What am I supposed to do now? I did the math before, about how much of my income every year is considered …gone, for lack of a better word, by the government. It was over $5000. I even tried itemizing my taxes, but despite being more than the percentage needed to claim medical expenses it wasn’t more than the standard. It adds up to tens of thousands of dollars lost to medical expenses over the years and there’s nothing I can do about it. That’s money I would have if I were a “healthy” (again, for lack of a better word) person. Them’s the brakes, apparently. And I’m still in constant pain from my lung. I need a $10,000 procedure, and that only lasts 6 months. Even with insurance it would cost me over $1000, which I don’t have.
It’s just the cost of normalcy in my world.