Ahhh, don't worry about bothering people by posting. It's kinda what we do here(!)

My son's ever so slightly older, and it can be part of the age too, that charge out into the world with some unrecognized naivité. Sometimes too much maybe, but there is something to be said for seeing the world in that way. I'd sure hope they'd not not be as cynical (and kind of paranoid) as me(!) Because as much as that has protected me in ways, it's also kept me from a lot of what might have been good things.

Sorry about the financial stress. When it rains it pours, doesn't it? The last time I didn't think I'd have rent, freak out would be putting it mildly(!) Rather involved story, but long/short -- I sooo get that. It's good to have that paycheck coming. Even if it doesn't cover, it will make a good dent in it, right? So that's something. One way to look at it anyway.
Short term leave or short term disability? Something there? Yeah, it's never enough, but some is better than none.

Deep breath. (Not to be bossy, lol.) Sometimes we just don't have as much control over things as we'd like. (Well, all the time really, but sometimes we really notice(!)) It's alright. No one really does. Sometimes we've just got to let go and trust it'll be ok.

(On a completely silly side note. Though I'm guessing your username flipper is about BP flipping, it made me think of Flip Wilson -- a comic back in the day, and guessing by the age of your son, you might remember him. Took a visit to YouTube memory lane. )