Life Gave Me Lemons aka Medical Bills

Hi y'all,

Here we are in 2022 and I can't seem to catch a break. Since December 2021 I have had emergency expensive car repairs, my cat Vesper was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and so I've had a couple months of unexpected expensive vet bills, which led to depleted savings. And then yours truly caught C. Difficile. Not only that, but I also have a chronic sinus infection which is how I got c diff in the first place. Apparently, I had picked up the c diff bacteria (unbeknownst to me) and the antibiotics for the chronic sinus infection made my gut a perfect breeding ground for the infection to take root. And if that isn't enough, at the same time I have been suffering from a blocked tear duct in my right eye, which causes pain on top of the chronic sinusitus. So. Head pain, check. Fatigue from losing all the electrolites due to c diff, check. Fatigue from fighting three different infections all at once, check. My day to day life is filled with head fog, restricted diet, and I have been put off work by my doctor after spending Wednesday 4/6/22 in the ER with 8/10 head pain.

I found out today that not only am I out of FMLA (aka job-protected leave) because of last year's PTSD fiasco (I should write a novel, there's been so much health drama), but that means my health plan through work will go on COBRA so I have to pay out of pocket (about $780 per month) until I can heal enough to get back to work. I'm also on state disability, which is 60% of my salary, so I'm at an $800/month income deficit to begin with. Plus, there's that pesky 7-day waiting period where I get zilch from anyone - no vacation time or sick time, either, because that's the end-stage capitalist society we live in. I have specialist appointments to pay for; my ENT and my eye surgeon. Rent is due on the 25th ($2200/month), and I've other bills and such like my car payment and food, not to mention $240 for blood work for my cat. And, if I'd like to breathe this month, my asthma meds are up for refill too - and those are $150. The final nail in the coffin this morning was remembering that my car registration is due - another $250. If I was still medically covered... I'd just live on credit for a month and mop up the damage somehow at a later date. But there's no way that I can make all of this work without shooting myself in the foot in a BIG, BIG, way, financially, and thus... this fundraiser.

It humbles me greatly to even have to ask for help. I'm not a fan of handouts; I'm stubborn enough that I'm having a hard time accepting help from my mom, who has offered to come cook/clean/shop/help out around the house right now. I hate that this is the way things are in my life, especially because I wanted to pay off my debt this year, not grow it. So, if you can help, I'd be eternally grateful.

Yours,

Jessica