It’s not enough considering my bills and my former employed pay. I’ve already been forced to move back home, and I’m now in debt.

I’ll check out the link.

I know a little something about life bringing one nasty surprise after another. It sounds like you’ve been pretty much dealing with exactly that.

I had a random, esoteric, neurological illness at 19. After four months in the hospital (most on a ventilator), I got out of the hospital and right into denial. Kept trying to work and kept not being able to, thanks to the illness leaving me with severe fatigue.I ended up going on disability, though I’m now beginning to do some part-time work and hope to be off it one day.

And my husband has some physical disabilities as well, so he’s in the middle of working with Dept of Vocational Rehabilitation to see what it is he can do, since he lost his job one month before our wedding.

I am sorry that life sucks so much — especially when you know that you’ve done everything you were supposed to. You keep trying to work and to survive.

But you know all this so I’ll cut to the advice that you’ve probably already thought of (but just in case you haven’t): Go to your Dept of Social & Health Services (aka Dept of Health & Human Services in some states, and a few other variations). Apply for state medical insurance help. If you don’t qualify for that, remember that any hospital you go to should have a financial aid office, so you can prove you can’t pay medical bills right now. And most of the drug companies have applications for free or reduced-cost prescriptions, if you need them.

Also, since you have a chronic illness, you probably qualify as disabled (don’t bristle yet, I’m not done). Have you checked out the Dept of Vocational Rehabilitation? They have a lot of useful resources, including helping figure out what jobs you can do with any given illness or physical limitation. In working with them, you may be able to get a more secure job — plus support as you adjust to any new work environment.

I know the whole disability thing is particularly bad for males, with the whole macho/provider mentality. It nearly killed every iota of my pride and self-esteem to apply for disability, even though I knew it was a short-term measure. (I had worn myself down for so long trying to work when I physically couldn’t, it took me almost two years just to get back to a good baseline.)

But consider playing the system a bit. You pay taxes (when you’re actually allowed to keep a job) for these sorts of services. Now that you need them, take advantage of them. The word “disability” is a hard one to swallow/accept but don’t let that keep you from help you may genuinely benefit from.

And if your bills situation gets desperate, check all local organizations, from United Way to religious organizations (even if you’re not Catholic, they have some of the better organizations for this stuff). They can help you keep a roof over your head/utilities on.

Good luck. I’ll be interested to see how things progress — however much grim humor/gotta-laugh-or-you’ll-cry stuff is involved.