WELL...I SPOKE TOO SOON

I just received notification from unemployment that my former employer filed an appeal to my case. I am disgusted & appalled. I guess they feel they haven't put me through enough already.

It's okay though, because I haven't done anything wrong & I have proof. If they want me to fight, I'll fight. And I'm going to do it with a smile.

 slap 'em with a smile

OH HEALTH INSURANCE

I received my insurance cancellation in the mail. And I made my first (super expensive!) COBRA payment. Ugh. This happened to coincide with reaching my out-of-pocket max for the year. Double Ugh. I called the company to inquire about their policies for individuals purchasing their own insurance. I began to explain my situation, told him I had Endometriosis. "You have what now?" This guy couldn't pronounce Endometriosis after I clearly stated it three times & spelled it twice. He asked me to describe it & (annoyed) I responded, "It's complicated."

He needed to check with his supervisor to see if they would even consider offering me any plan at all (given my condition) & get back to me by the end of the day. (Which he didn't & still hasn't). How frustrating! I'm suddenly not good enough to insure. I seem to remember my insurance payments taken from every single check I received. So why all of a sudden don't you want my money? Interesting.

I'm not a health care expert, so don't get me wrong. But I can't help but think this is backwards. When I go to the market, they sell food & if I can pay for the item, I can buy it. The owner doesn't ask me a list of questions to see whether or not he will sell me the food. Why isn't insurance the same way? If you offer plans in my area, why can't I just sign up & pay a reasonable fee for it.

Or better yet, if you need medical care, you can go to a hospital or doctor's office & receive care. It doesn't matter what your job might be or if your insurance validates your condition, if you need help you can get it. I'm not gonna pretend to know the best way to enact this, but it seems morally correct to me.

A WIN FOR JENNDO!

I'm waving my YAY flags today!!

Well Friendos I received some super great news!!! I qualified for unemployment, despite my former employer's shady efforts. (HA!)

Here's an excerpt of the letter I received:

"The claimant was discharged by ******************** on ***********. Facts
establish that the claimant's absences were due to medical reasons and beyond his/her control.
Legal standard that determines if a discharge is without just cause is whether the claimant's acts,
omissions, or course of conduct were such that an ordinary person would find the discharge not
justifiable. After a review of the facts, this agency finds that the claimant was discharged without just
cause."

Discharged without just cause...thank you!

I am so grateful. It really takes some of the pressure off while I look for a new job. I am thrilled that my former employer did not get away with trying to deny my rights. Now I can wash my hands of that stupid job & all the stress it brought me & move on with my life. YAY!

TWITTER + KEEPER LOVE

I'm not yet a huge tweeter, but here's why I love twitter. It's a fun way to quickly share links to all kinds of random, cool stuff.

First of all, twitter recommended that I follow KeeperCup. This alone was very exciting since I didn't find the Keeper on twitter when I looked myself. (If you want to read more about my Keeper Love, here's my post about it).

I checked out the twitter page & found a link to a contest to win a free Keeper. The deadline for submissions is August 31st. If you are curious about the Keeper & wonder if it's right for you, this is the perfect chance for you to try it out for free.

Also, be sure to click the "check this out" link in this post. It shows pictures of the amount of tampons you won't have to use & consume if you switch to the Keeper. It's an awesome visual.

Good luck, I'd be so psyched if one of my Friendos won the contest!

Gracias @KeeperCup & http://www.ultimatemoneyblog.com/ for running the contest.

MARRIAGE VOWS

Today is my first wedding anniversary!

Wow, what a year it has been. Before marrying my husband last year, we were together for nine years. So he has seen me struggle through ten years of painful periods. He knew all about my moods, tears, cramps and suffering. We had only been married for five months when my endo took over my life (and therefore our life). This is not at all how we envisioned the beginning of our marriage.

We wrote our marriage vows together & proclaimed these same vows to each other. They included this promise, "I will stand by your side wherever our path leads."

Unfortunately, our path has already led us somewhere difficult & draining. He watched me agonize through our newlywed days. I haven't been able to work in months, so he's taken on all of our financial responsibilities. As the bills pile up, including my exorbitant medical bills, he calmly tells me my only job is to feel better. He helps me fight feelings of guilt & anxiety. He has already waited in the hospital through two surgeries this year. He felt my sadness & disappointment when my surgery was postponed. I just had to look at him to feel his empathy. He called 911 when I was curled up on the living room floor, bawling and vomiting. He drove me to the ER twice. He rubs my aching back. He picks up my prescriptions when I can't drive, makes me tea when I'm nauseous, cooks me delicious meals & makes me laugh when I'm sad.

It is a terrible feeling to not be able to help your spouse when she's in agony. I know he felt helpless, but he always stayed strong. He prayed for me & believed I would get better.

Though it wasn't in our actual vows, it turns out the following was implied:

When your endometriosis symptoms rage, I promise to care for you with patience & love.

Thanks Baby for all of your compassion & support! Happy (very first ever wedding) Anniversary! I am so blessed to be your wife & have you as my husband.

PONDERING MY PERIOD

Between my recent surgeries and the drugs I was taking (NuvaRing for period suppression & Zoladex for faux-menopause), my menstrual cycle is quite confused. (Can you blame it?). I haven't had a period since my surgery, over two months ago. I have to admit, this respite has been delightful. (I may have even forgot for a few days that I will ever shed blood again). But over the last few days, I have noticed a feeling of dread creeping into my thoughts.

It must be coming...it'll probably be today...

The anticipation is grueling. Every time I go to the bathroom, I cringe, and look for the crimson drops to appear.

I am especially anxious to experience my first post-surgery period to see how I'm going to feel. My periods have been so painful, for so long, I can't imagine it being any other way. I did not experience any relief after my first three laparoscopy procedures. So it is difficult not to be skeptical, even though I know this time my surgery was completed correctly. My doctor assured me I will feel like a brand new woman. I hope he's right!

In the meantime, I need to focus on enjoying my current period-free days & know I'll deal with whatever comes with my next period. I wish I just knew what day I was going to start...

MY FMLA

I am so grateful for FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act). When my endo took over this year, I was unable to continue working. This was difficult for numerous (obvious) reasons. With my health in question, it was particularly scary since I held our insurance through my job. It was essential for me to remain insured during this time of frequent doctor and hospital visits.

I originally had no doubt that I would be able to return to work before my FMLA ran out. Unfortunately, I did not foresee all that was to come. (See previous posts for more info since it's a longgggg story). My employer approved an extension to my medical leave for one additional month. And when I still wasn't well enough to work, I was granted another month of medical leave. This was a HUGE blessing because I was reaching my out of pocket maximum for the year on my policy. I was able to retain my insurance plan, but I had to pay the entire monthly payment instead of sharing the cost with my employer. Still, it was going to save me thousands of dollars in the long run.

As the end of the second leave extension approached, I was still too ill to work. I supplied my employer with another note from my doctor explaining my condition. My employer responded with a letter stating that I had "voluntarily abandoned" my position by not returning to work. You see, they are attempting to deny my right to unemployment benefits by claiming I chose to quit my job.

Interesting, huh? Does this mean, in their opinion, that I chose to spend the past six months of my life in agonizing, debilitating pain? Did I voluntarily sign up for endometriosis so severe that my doctor called it "Stage V" endo? I don't remember signing up for this, in fact I wouldn't wish this on anyone, ever. So I would hardly call this a voluntarily situation.

I've applied for unemployment. Now I have to wait it out. I have no idea how long it will take once they attempt to deny the claim. I hope they aren't allowed to get away with it.

(Shhh...the truth is I never liked my job. I took it for the paycheck. And I needed to go back for the paycheck again, especially after six months with no income. This economy is very scary, as we all know by now. It is not the best time to be looking for a job).

While I look for a new job, we will have to rely on COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act). It is crazy expensive, but at least we will remain insured. So I need to be grateful for this too.

I know better things are to come. I am beyond blessed with my post-surgery recovery, considering how severe my endo had become. I am choosing to see this as an opportunity to find a job I can love. (Or at least one I don't hate). I have anxiety...but I am not going to let it get me. All I can do is remain positive and keep looking!

OUR BODIES, OURSELVES

Here's a tried & true fave book of mine.


I discovered OBOS a few years ago while perusing bookstore shelves. It has been a helpful resource for me ever since. I wish I would have owned it when I was a young girl. What a great gift for daughters, granddaughters, nieces (or any young woman) to help educate them about their bodies and encourage them to take an active role in their health. Though much progress has been made, unfortunately many subjects about women's health remain taboo & myths continue to thrive. OBOS offers detailed information to debunk these myths & encourage self awareness.

Click here for a link to all their publications. If you are interested, you can also sign up for their newsletter or follow their blog on this website.