- M
- J
A week ago, 8 months into Declan’s Leukemia diagnosis, we found out Paul was let go from Virginia Tech by the new head coach. We were supposed to be entering a time of rest and rebuilding as we started Declan’s last round of chemo, but now we are facing a chaotic whirlwind of fast-paced changes as we try to uproot and move our lives in just under 4 weeks.
Our next university, which we will announce once all the negotiations are complete, comes with a LOT of new things. Some of which are exciting, like a new house, and a new town, but most are overwhelming and stressful.
We’re grateful and blessed to have a place to land, but we’re facing some steep costs in the next few months we’re going to need help covering.
We’re going to be switching to a new insurance plan which has MUCH higher Out of Pocket Max limits, which we currently tend to reach within 3 months of it resetting due to Declan’s meds, spinal taps, and anesthesia needs. This normally isn’t a major financial problem. Everyone has to pay up to their Max Out of Pocket limits. Having a kid with cancer doesn’t change that fact, so what’s the problem?
The problem comes in because the new school uses the calendar year instead of the fiscal year. We’re going to reach that max twice in a 6 month time span: once by December, and again by March after it resets January 1st. It works out to be over $15k in medical expenses alone.
We also have to pay all of our moving expenses, minus the $1,500 that the new school will pay out. Again, everyone has to pay their own moving expenses, what makes us so special that we’re asking for help with it?
Well, this one boils down to the simple fact that we’re just plain tired and worn out. We’ve been getting blasted for the last 8 months as a family and suddenly having to move in less than a month is too much to handle.
Had we known for two or three months, we would’ve packed ourselves over time and easily stayed within the $1,500 allotment by renting a truck and driving it up ourselves.
But we don’t have more time and we need help. We’re trying to make our last 4 weeks here as low-stress for our kids as possible, since their lives have been nothing but stress since November. In order to do that, we really should hire movers to pack, load, and drive everything up to the new house. But it’s another estimated $5k-$6k price tag. (We’re still gathering quotes, which is why the amount isn’t finalized yet.)
But wait! There’s more!
The third and final piece of this crazy puzzle is that Paul’s new job only pays out once a month.
Again, so what? That’s not anything special. Deal with it! But it means that we won’t collect a check for an entire month after we get there, and if you’ve been adding up the numbers, you already know, we’re strapped. Even with careful budgeting and thoughtful saving, it’s hard to miss an entire month’s salary right now, especially with only 4 weeks to prepare for it.
And while we did get a small pay bump from the new school, a couple hundred dollars a month doesn’t even begin to offset the cost of these necessary expenses. We’re going to be under on more than $25k of unavoidable, unexpected expenses that will all accrue in under a 7 month time frame.
So why aren’t we asking for the full $25k? Well, 1-because we’ve already had to ask for so much. And 2-We’re hoping that the bonuses Paul usually earns in the spring will help cover the rest. We’re also hoping Declan’s Medicaid will be approved again by then. It took 6 months for it to go through in Virginia and we expect it to take just as long or longer in our new state, which of course means we’re still on the hook for most of the second MOOP, just hopefully not all of it.
Moving in a month is a lot for any family, let alone one still grappling with a recent pediatric cancer diagnosis and all the havoc it’s wreaked on us. Our family is WORN THIN. We have to QUICKLY deal with not only transitioning all the usual things like schools, doctors, insurance and the like but we also have to tackle switching cancer clinics, setting up IEPs, getting chemo meds approved (again), and saying goodbye to our ENTIRE support system since we know literally NO ONE where we’re moving to.
So basically, We. Need. Help.
If you’re able to, we would be immensely grateful. If we could do this any other way, please know, we would. Our family is at its limit and we need help. Thank you for all y’all have done so far to keep us going. And thank you for all that you continue to do as we navigate this new hurdle.
Our next university, which we will announce once all the negotiations are complete, comes with a LOT of new things. Some of which are exciting, like a new house, and a new town, but most are overwhelming and stressful.
We’re grateful and blessed to have a place to land, but we’re facing some steep costs in the next few months we’re going to need help covering.
We’re going to be switching to a new insurance plan which has MUCH higher Out of Pocket Max limits, which we currently tend to reach within 3 months of it resetting due to Declan’s meds, spinal taps, and anesthesia needs. This normally isn’t a major financial problem. Everyone has to pay up to their Max Out of Pocket limits. Having a kid with cancer doesn’t change that fact, so what’s the problem?
The problem comes in because the new school uses the calendar year instead of the fiscal year. We’re going to reach that max twice in a 6 month time span: once by December, and again by March after it resets January 1st. It works out to be over $15k in medical expenses alone.
We also have to pay all of our moving expenses, minus the $1,500 that the new school will pay out. Again, everyone has to pay their own moving expenses, what makes us so special that we’re asking for help with it?
Well, this one boils down to the simple fact that we’re just plain tired and worn out. We’ve been getting blasted for the last 8 months as a family and suddenly having to move in less than a month is too much to handle.
Had we known for two or three months, we would’ve packed ourselves over time and easily stayed within the $1,500 allotment by renting a truck and driving it up ourselves.
But we don’t have more time and we need help. We’re trying to make our last 4 weeks here as low-stress for our kids as possible, since their lives have been nothing but stress since November. In order to do that, we really should hire movers to pack, load, and drive everything up to the new house. But it’s another estimated $5k-$6k price tag. (We’re still gathering quotes, which is why the amount isn’t finalized yet.)
But wait! There’s more!
The third and final piece of this crazy puzzle is that Paul’s new job only pays out once a month.
Again, so what? That’s not anything special. Deal with it! But it means that we won’t collect a check for an entire month after we get there, and if you’ve been adding up the numbers, you already know, we’re strapped. Even with careful budgeting and thoughtful saving, it’s hard to miss an entire month’s salary right now, especially with only 4 weeks to prepare for it.
And while we did get a small pay bump from the new school, a couple hundred dollars a month doesn’t even begin to offset the cost of these necessary expenses. We’re going to be under on more than $25k of unavoidable, unexpected expenses that will all accrue in under a 7 month time frame.
So why aren’t we asking for the full $25k? Well, 1-because we’ve already had to ask for so much. And 2-We’re hoping that the bonuses Paul usually earns in the spring will help cover the rest. We’re also hoping Declan’s Medicaid will be approved again by then. It took 6 months for it to go through in Virginia and we expect it to take just as long or longer in our new state, which of course means we’re still on the hook for most of the second MOOP, just hopefully not all of it.
Moving in a month is a lot for any family, let alone one still grappling with a recent pediatric cancer diagnosis and all the havoc it’s wreaked on us. Our family is WORN THIN. We have to QUICKLY deal with not only transitioning all the usual things like schools, doctors, insurance and the like but we also have to tackle switching cancer clinics, setting up IEPs, getting chemo meds approved (again), and saying goodbye to our ENTIRE support system since we know literally NO ONE where we’re moving to.
So basically, We. Need. Help.
If you’re able to, we would be immensely grateful. If we could do this any other way, please know, we would. Our family is at its limit and we need help. Thank you for all y’all have done so far to keep us going. And thank you for all that you continue to do as we navigate this new hurdle.