State:: Nebraska

Occupation:: Disabled, employed part-time

I became disabled after a doctor messed up while putting a pacemaker in. This apparently wasn’t usual procedure and I also have congestive heart failure that we couldn’t find treatment for for 2 years or so. I, during this time, developed a muscle disease as well. I fell into depression while trying to be a wife and mother of three busy children, since I just couldn’t keep up anymore. I had been very active. I slept for 20 hours a day during the years the heart failure wouldn’t respond to meds. I was, later approved to receive SS benefits, though I really just needed the health coverage at the time (we had been paying nearing 800.00 per month for health insurance and copays, at least monthly, for Dr visits and 300.00 per month, at one time, for meds that finally allowed me to have enough energy to work part time. My husband became overwhelmed and depressed and turned to drugs, without my knowledge, and life became unbearable. His mind was affected and as soon as the children graduated high school it was time to find another place to live. The drugs had made him do things that frightened me and when he refused to get treatment, I left. This past spring, only a couple of weeks after I left, I was informed that I would not receive SS benefits any longer. Since the job that I was working paid a bit higher wage than I had and I met some amt of hours I needed to prove I was not disabled, I simply didn’t qualify any longer. Since the position is a seasonal position I still have 5 months with no pay and my now ex-husband was required to pay the health insurance premium until the end of the year-today. Tomorrow I have no health insurance since I cannot afford to pay the Medicare premium. I will, then, not be able to have my check-ups or buy my medicine. I am only able to earn enough to pay my expenses today and therefore can’t even see myself finding a decent person to share my life with, when ready, because all that I am reading says that you need a net worth for anyone to be interested. I, right now, earn just above level or income to get anyone to even look things over for me, and apparently my medicines do not count toward this. I likely will end up homeless this summer. With no health care and no ability to buy medicine. Funny that it is thought that I have enough income even though I have to spread the earnings out over a year. I am a tad older, have a disability and with this economy, have had difficulties finding a job in the first place. This is frightening for me, but nobody cares…seems they are trying to just let the ill disappear.