Recovering Life for Amy Joy
Spende geschützt
Financial Needs at this time are
Final month (May rent $515) of lease on campus apartment rent
Labs ($550)
Health insurance for May, 2021 has been paid in full :-)
THANK YOU!
________________________________________________
(Original Post)
(Posted originally in late March, 2021)
In August, 2020- I moved to St Louis to begin grad school to train and become a licensed therapist. I moved and was working full time as a nurse and taking three courses for the Fall semester. Then in January, took one winter term course (Addictions Counseling), then ended up withdrawing from the four courses in the first week of Spring semester. Some day, living life in recovery from anorexia and PTSD, active in my nephews' and niece's lives, I hope to become a Family Nurse Practitioner in order to serve rural communities as a nurse with the skills of a therapist- but, right now, I am needing treatment for the eating disorder and healing from PTSD.
I have struggled with an eating disorder the majority of my life- so I now regularly invest to have supportive measures to maintain recovery- which includes working with a therapist and dietitian (when I am working, I am able to afford to pay for these out-of-pocket). As a birthday gift for myself, hoping to return to intense physical activity, and long runs- I began meeting with a therapist (an exercise and counseling psychologist and specialized in treating eating disorders). I had been working with a dietitian specialized in helping clients with eating disorders long before my "birthday gift" to myself, just to "maintain" my recovery. The therapist communicated with the dietitian and the dietitian communicated with the therapist. I never got my "running" plan to begin training. Instead, around Christmas- therapist and dietitian told me they thought I needed more support than they could give me on an out-patient basis. The struggle worsened.
Anorexia is the most deadly disorder of all mental health illnesses. Unfortunately, this almost proved true for me on February 12. My lab values were off. My brain- starved- not clearly thinking. Discouraged I was struggling- both with worsening PTSD and anorexia- not having yet recovered- despite my best efforts and investing in so many ways in my recovery and my dreams. Without recovery- my dreams in many ways are unattainable- and life to the fullest- definitely impossible. This discouragement led me to contact the NEDA (National Eating Disorder Alliance) support line through text on February 11th. The individual I contacted the 11th provided me the number for the suicide support line (just in case). February 12th, I texted the number provided the previous evening. I had three plans. I wanted the struggle to be over! Because! If I had fought so hard since 2008- was recovery in any way possible?!!
I went to the emergency department and was admitted to the hospital where I worked as a nurse- I did not want to go to the same hospital where I worked- but it was the closest hospital- and I did not trust myself to go very far with such a darkened mindset. I kept Dante (my dog) with me.
After discharge from the hospital, I met with my PCP to get a "return to work letter"- I did not get the letter. Instead, the doctor's note read that I would be out of work to receive treatment for "PTSD and complications thereof." The doctor's note indicated my ablity to return to work would be re-evaluated once treatment was completed.
I went to residential treatment- thankfully, the most comprehensive treatment I have encountered to support me in recovering from the long-standing eating disorder and PTSD. Less than a week from when I entered treatment, I had the call with HR and my nursing supervisor. They were "releasing me from work" because they "need to fill the position I was holding" and they said, "when you can return to work, you can reapply here." This meant- insurance- which was necessary to afford treatment- was in question. Subsequently, I was stepped down to partial-hospitalization programming at the facility rather than residential- being told by the residential treatment team that they anticipated I would need to step back up in level of treatment once insurance got worked out because stepping down to PHP was not the "appropriate level of care" but they saw it as better than completely discharging me from treatment.
Monday this week, the PHP treatment team said PHP was not working and I would need to step back up to residential- but insurance was still needing to be worked out. Today, I found out insurance is being worked out- I have made many calls since March 1st. I am thankful to finally have answers to what is needed- but, now being out of work, I am asking for help. Would you please help me afford the treatment I am needing? I have paid the out-of-pocket max (and arranged payment plans for this which I will finish once I return to work)- the help I am needing is paying the monthly cost of insurance for March ($567.63) and April ($567.63). Having to step down to PHP has also lengthened my treatment stay, unfortunately- this means I am not back to work as soon as planned- this leads to needing to pay for April's apartment rent ($515) and still not being back to work.
I look forward to returning to work. For now, though, I ask for help as you are able- prayers, pennies, or a portion of your profits (or all three). Your encouragement and presence means so much! Thank you for encouraging and loving words!
I am believing recovery is worth it (the struggle and the hard work of treatment) and possible (With God, all things are possible).
I want to be an example for the next generation of what living life in balance and in health means. I do not know what is next, but I know it is good. I want to be present for my nephews and niece. I want to laugh with my brothers and sister-in-laws. I want to have lunch with my friends and not be afraid (all of these battles- once only inside my head- now here on the screen for you to see), I want a doctor to say I can return to caring for my patients! As I have prayed through this season- initially, I thought the seeming impossibility of finances meant the dreams of grad-school were out of the question and a casualty of my struggle with anorexia and trauma- but through prayer- I am sensing these dreams may still have life- even if the financial strain just makes the journey take a longer.
My unexpected is God's expected!
Take care, family and friends (and if you're a stranger- thank you, too!) Thankful for each of you! Life to the full!
Final month (May rent $515) of lease on campus apartment rent
Labs ($550)
Health insurance for May, 2021 has been paid in full :-)
THANK YOU!
________________________________________________
(Original Post)
(Posted originally in late March, 2021)
In August, 2020- I moved to St Louis to begin grad school to train and become a licensed therapist. I moved and was working full time as a nurse and taking three courses for the Fall semester. Then in January, took one winter term course (Addictions Counseling), then ended up withdrawing from the four courses in the first week of Spring semester. Some day, living life in recovery from anorexia and PTSD, active in my nephews' and niece's lives, I hope to become a Family Nurse Practitioner in order to serve rural communities as a nurse with the skills of a therapist- but, right now, I am needing treatment for the eating disorder and healing from PTSD.
I have struggled with an eating disorder the majority of my life- so I now regularly invest to have supportive measures to maintain recovery- which includes working with a therapist and dietitian (when I am working, I am able to afford to pay for these out-of-pocket). As a birthday gift for myself, hoping to return to intense physical activity, and long runs- I began meeting with a therapist (an exercise and counseling psychologist and specialized in treating eating disorders). I had been working with a dietitian specialized in helping clients with eating disorders long before my "birthday gift" to myself, just to "maintain" my recovery. The therapist communicated with the dietitian and the dietitian communicated with the therapist. I never got my "running" plan to begin training. Instead, around Christmas- therapist and dietitian told me they thought I needed more support than they could give me on an out-patient basis. The struggle worsened.
Anorexia is the most deadly disorder of all mental health illnesses. Unfortunately, this almost proved true for me on February 12. My lab values were off. My brain- starved- not clearly thinking. Discouraged I was struggling- both with worsening PTSD and anorexia- not having yet recovered- despite my best efforts and investing in so many ways in my recovery and my dreams. Without recovery- my dreams in many ways are unattainable- and life to the fullest- definitely impossible. This discouragement led me to contact the NEDA (National Eating Disorder Alliance) support line through text on February 11th. The individual I contacted the 11th provided me the number for the suicide support line (just in case). February 12th, I texted the number provided the previous evening. I had three plans. I wanted the struggle to be over! Because! If I had fought so hard since 2008- was recovery in any way possible?!!
I went to the emergency department and was admitted to the hospital where I worked as a nurse- I did not want to go to the same hospital where I worked- but it was the closest hospital- and I did not trust myself to go very far with such a darkened mindset. I kept Dante (my dog) with me.
After discharge from the hospital, I met with my PCP to get a "return to work letter"- I did not get the letter. Instead, the doctor's note read that I would be out of work to receive treatment for "PTSD and complications thereof." The doctor's note indicated my ablity to return to work would be re-evaluated once treatment was completed.
I went to residential treatment- thankfully, the most comprehensive treatment I have encountered to support me in recovering from the long-standing eating disorder and PTSD. Less than a week from when I entered treatment, I had the call with HR and my nursing supervisor. They were "releasing me from work" because they "need to fill the position I was holding" and they said, "when you can return to work, you can reapply here." This meant- insurance- which was necessary to afford treatment- was in question. Subsequently, I was stepped down to partial-hospitalization programming at the facility rather than residential- being told by the residential treatment team that they anticipated I would need to step back up in level of treatment once insurance got worked out because stepping down to PHP was not the "appropriate level of care" but they saw it as better than completely discharging me from treatment.
Monday this week, the PHP treatment team said PHP was not working and I would need to step back up to residential- but insurance was still needing to be worked out. Today, I found out insurance is being worked out- I have made many calls since March 1st. I am thankful to finally have answers to what is needed- but, now being out of work, I am asking for help. Would you please help me afford the treatment I am needing? I have paid the out-of-pocket max (and arranged payment plans for this which I will finish once I return to work)- the help I am needing is paying the monthly cost of insurance for March ($567.63) and April ($567.63). Having to step down to PHP has also lengthened my treatment stay, unfortunately- this means I am not back to work as soon as planned- this leads to needing to pay for April's apartment rent ($515) and still not being back to work.
I look forward to returning to work. For now, though, I ask for help as you are able- prayers, pennies, or a portion of your profits (or all three). Your encouragement and presence means so much! Thank you for encouraging and loving words!
I am believing recovery is worth it (the struggle and the hard work of treatment) and possible (With God, all things are possible).
I want to be an example for the next generation of what living life in balance and in health means. I do not know what is next, but I know it is good. I want to be present for my nephews and niece. I want to laugh with my brothers and sister-in-laws. I want to have lunch with my friends and not be afraid (all of these battles- once only inside my head- now here on the screen for you to see), I want a doctor to say I can return to caring for my patients! As I have prayed through this season- initially, I thought the seeming impossibility of finances meant the dreams of grad-school were out of the question and a casualty of my struggle with anorexia and trauma- but through prayer- I am sensing these dreams may still have life- even if the financial strain just makes the journey take a longer.
My unexpected is God's expected!
Take care, family and friends (and if you're a stranger- thank you, too!) Thankful for each of you! Life to the full!
Organisator
Amy Young
Organisator
Creve Coeur, MO