[AlexisMarie1961]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this forum and am so glad to have found you all! I'm a nurse, and practiced nursing for 26 years before I had to go onto SSDI Disability b/c of heavy lifting, herniating disc, etc... I also have Fibro, Myofacial Pain Syndrome, Depression and severe chronic pain 24/7 for the past 8.5 years. Last Oct 2009, my mom became ill and was in the hospital for 10 days. She had to have an ICD Defibrilator implanted. It's going on 6 months since she's home and isn't recovering at all. I'v always lived on my own and I loved it! When I got sick and lost my job, I lost everything b/c of medical bills. I lost my home, fiancee, friends, etc... I had to move back home with my mom and s-dad. I grew up in a very dysfunctional atmosphere and have PTSD, alot of that stemming from my s-dad. We don't get along. I can see my mom going downhill fast, yet she's not one to really take care of herself, and since she got sick last Oct '09, she seems to have given up. She's only 69 years old. I hurt so bad on a daily basis that it's hard for me to get out of bed, but now it's become my resposibility to care for all of the cleaning, all of the vacuuming (which I've been instructed NOT to do at all), doing all of the laundry, etc... I feel like Cinderella. I pay them a good amount each month to live here, but feel so unappreciated. Does this sound familiar to anyone here? I am seeing a therapist, and her and all of my doctors have told me that "I Must get out of this toxic environment or I'll continue to get more ill myself." I am getting worse physically, and emotionally I'm starting to feel like a basket case. I cry most all of the time. I'm having panic attacks. The pain is much worse. I'm terrified that I'm going to find one of them dead b/c both are in such bad health. I found my real father dead in Dec 2000, on the second day at his house. I was going to live with him for a while. I never even unpacked.

I know I'll need to get my own place, but I have no money to move. My only income is from my disability once a month. I cannot get any type of Assistance b/c the DPA/DPW considers all of the person's living under the same roof as "my income too." It's so unfair. My meds alone cost me over $220 a month.

Tonight, a "friend" told me that I must get a place of my own, and that I may have to give up my dog. I have a 2 year old Pomeranian and I just love him. I feel that he's all I have and I feel that I'd have a breakdown if I lost him. I just can't lose my puppy!

Any suggestions, hope, your own stories, encouragement and guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Alexis

[RRU96]

First of all welcome! I do have one suggestion for you. I am a medical assistant. Worked in a gastro office for awhile. We constantly had patients that couldnt afford there medications.. mainly our hep c patients. The costs got into the thousands of dollars for a month of prescriptions for our patients. One thing we always did was to let our patients know about different patient assistance plans. As you might know, almost ALL pharm. companies have programs to help those who have a hard time paying for their medicines. Some people are afraid they make to much... but in the case of a particular 'purple pill' we dealt with, they did not ask for any form of proof showing income. It may not be the kind of help you are looking for right now, and I wish I could offer more, but it has been a rough night personally.

Get a list of your medicines... if you are on generics... find the trade names of your medications. Then do a simple search online of the manufacturer of those particular meds. Visit that companies website and search for patient assistance.

It may not help on all your medicines, but every little bit you can save on medications, is that much more you can apply towards getting a place of your own.

I hope this helped some, and I am sure others with a fresher mind than my own will be around to do what they do so well... Take care

[possum220]

Have you got any sibling that could help out? Can you go to your Mums primary physician and let him/her know what is happening? And go to your doctor and tell him how things are. Surely some kind of Social Worker can help.

Maybe this "friend" who suggested that you move out has a spare room? Then you could apply for assistance?

Being from another country I am unsure what else to suggest as I don't know what support services are available.

So sorry that you dad passed. My heart felt thoughts go out to you.

[AlexisMarie1961]

Thank you for all of your suggestions! I appreciate them...really I do! I'm sorry I haven't replied sooner with a huge "Thank You"! I hope you're feeling better at present. I was on a PAP for my anti-depressant for years, and this year my PCP (the only dr. I have) isn't cooperating with the pharmaceutical company (Pfeizer), and I've been denied any assistance b/c of the dr. office's non-compliance. I've done my part. I've s/w Pfeizer customer service on several occasions, and have sent my "proof of income" to them at least 3 times. One Pfeizer rep. said I did everything right, and another later said that I had to get the dr. and my info to them 'on the same day'...I didn't understand that response. I only see my PCP 4 times a year and they're very hard to deal with at his office. If I make an appt. at a time that's not scheduled months prior, the dr. office charges me for an "emergency visit", which costs me a lot more. I've been in touch with the dr. office re: Pfeizer, and I can't seem to get anywhere with them. I will continue to try and get Prescription Assistance for my other meds as well. Thanks SO much for helping! I do hope you're feeling better today.

Kathy

Originally Posted by RRU96

First of all welcome! I do have one suggestion for you. I am a medical assistant. Worked in a gastro office for awhile. We constantly had patients that couldnt afford there medications.. mainly our hep c patients. The costs got into the thousands of dollars for a month of prescriptions for our patients. One thing we always did was to let our patients know about different patient assistance plans. As you might know, almost ALL pharm. companies have programs to help those who have a hard time paying for their medicines. Some people are afraid they make to much... but in the case of a particular 'purple pill' we dealt with, they did not ask for any form of proof showing income. It may not be the kind of help you are looking for right now, and I wish I could offer more, but it has been a rough night personally.

Get a list of your medicines... if you are on generics... find the trade names of your medications. Then do a simple search online of the manufacturer of those particular meds. Visit that companies website and search for patient assistance.

It may not help on all your medicines, but every little bit you can save on medications, is that much more you can apply towards getting a place of your own.

I hope this helped some, and I am sure others with a fresher mind than my own will be around to do what they do so well... Take care

[AlexisMarie1961]

Hi Possum,

Thank you for your reply! I'm sorry I haven't replied sooner. I've had PC router issues. I'm back online now and am catching up. Thank you for caring and for your ideas. My mom's primary care physician is a small town doctor and he won't treat me for my chronic pain issues b/c he doesn't believe in prescribing the "stronger pain meds", and I have severe pain 24/7 for the past 9 years and although I do ration my pain meds, I still need them in order to be able to function at all. I've been to multiple pain mgmt drs. and several specialists, none of which would treat me successfully and/or none that treated me with any success. I don't have insurance, so I'm not welcomed to any other drs/specialists. I can't afford any other medical treatment. I do see a therapist once a week for the depression, which has become severe, and all I do is cry. I fear I'm going to lose my mom to the cardiac problems she now has. Things are not going well. I do have 2 half sisters who I never see and I don't know. I've tried to be close to them but they weren't interested. I also have 2 step-sisters, and one of them speaks to me, but has many of her own problems. I feel so alone. I am alone in taking care of my mom and s-dad. In addition, my chronic pain issues are bad. I think I'm in a flare with the fibromyalgia and myofacial pain syndrome. I'm lifting heavy and doing so much to take care of others, and there's no rest for myself.

Thank you for caring and for your reply! It means alot! Really it does. I hope you're doing well.

Kathy

Originally Posted by possum220

Have you got any sibling that could help out? Can you go to your Mums primary physician and let him/her know what is happening? And go to your doctor and tell him how things are. Surely some kind of Social Worker can help.

Maybe this "friend" who suggested that you move out has a spare room? Then you could apply for assistance?

Being from another country I am unsure what else to suggest as I don't know what support services are available.

So sorry that you dad passed. My heart felt thoughts go out to you.