ThatWasTheOldMe

I really should not have gone to the ER at the end of the last binge. Should have just risked a seizure.

Opivotal

Sometimes the hospital will forgive the bill if you can show hardship. Why not call them and see, ThatWasTheOldMe? If you don't qualify they will work out a payment plan.

This bill is not worth your life! I'm glad you took the safe route.

ThatWasTheOldMe

No, 45k a year (like 37.5k take home) isn't hardship. Even though it is since I went to college and have student loans but I'm too stupid to use my engineering degree so I work construction.

Being an idiot /=/ hardship
Being homeless = hardship

August252015

I'm not exactly following TWOTM - money problems all tangled and intertwined? Mine were- job/low pay/past med and ambulance bills....it's possible to get thru and out of it, but it took time and payment plans and ...

ThatWasTheOldMe

Well when you get an advanced degree in engineering but you're working construction because you can't stop working because you have bills, but the longer you keep working construction, the less likely you're ever to get an engineering job...

Rather than explain that, I'll just leave it at I'm a ******* worthless loser.
With that, I'll just go to sleep. Every time I get a bill, it just reminds me. Rubs it in my face.

tomls

As long as we stay sober, all those little things will be taken care of.

entropy1964

I relate to problem oriented thinking. I guess it feels kind of good in its victim oriented, self indulgent way. Been there.

But obviously going to the Er was a much better solution than a seizure which could have caused even bigger health problems and even larger bills. And if you had died getting cremated aint cheap. So there's that uplifting thought.

When you're ready for a solution, there definitely is one. Hospitals will negotiate bills. For sure. My late husbands cancer treatment was in excess of 2 million. Yes, million. I was left, after he died, with about 350k. I negotiated that down to 170k....and I did not have to demonstrate hardship. I used most of his life insurance to pay it off. I have negotiated my own hospitals bills, all from the exact same thing you went in for (my stays were sometimes 3-4 days), and have not had to fill out the hardship paperwork because I too am not broke. I was however able to negotiate them down, often as much as 50%, and make arrangements to pay them off over 3 years with no interest. So yes, you can.

Yeah, if I look back at the cost of my addiction it is huge. But ya know what? Its over. Its done. And today I'm not in the hospital, or drinking, or being a victim.

You can do it.

Newbeginning421

Thatwastheoldme as someone who is 32 and confirmed worthless loser I can tell you things I know will turn around just staying off alcohol. Yeah we might be in a garbage situation right now stay sober fix your situation and toughen up that is at least what I am doing

Dee74

Bottom line is I'd rather be aliveTWTOM.
I hope you can work out a deal of your debt,

The bill is not a punishment or any kind of judgement on you. Its a bill for services rendered, man.

It took me about a year to get solvent again.
It's something that most of us have to face

you can face it too

I live in hope you'll keep looking for a job where you can use your degree

D

least

I'm sorry you're feeling so depressed. Bills can be worked out tho, and your life is worth it.

Guener

My present financial situation is hugely daunting with what I make, but I am plugging along doing the best that I can. Don't let the monster of debt take you into another monster's hands that will make it just more painful. I don't know when I will be able to crawl out of my situation financially, but I will work at it, and you can also. It's difficult living at the edge financially but better than the abyss.

Anna

You did the best thing in going to the ER. I hope that you can work out a payment plan that will get you through the financial problems. Don't give up hope of using your degree. Keep yourself open to the idea that you will be able to do the work you are capable of doing.

Caprice6

If I recall you're still young, late 20's, right?

Maybe you need more sober time under your belt, give yourself a chance like 6 months-a year sober and perhaps you'll find the motivation to pursue a career as an engineer.

There's nothing stopping you but the booze and besides, construction is physically rough and will get rougher on your body with age, so take this opportunity to focus on just your sobriety and small goals. To some it's merely brushing their teeth in the early stages, it could've been mine too cuz it required a lot of effort to do twice a day. Just don't give into drinking again cuz you won't be able to do either jobs.

Hang in there, we're all rooting for you.

snitch

Hey, hey, hey. You are not a worthless loser. That is stinkin thinking and that is your head telling you that. I am learning in recovery not to listen to my head! Don't listen to yours! If you had had a seizure you could be dead. I would rather be alive with a bill to face than dead. Period. You have a job AND a degree. That's alot more than some people have. You also have your life and your sobriety. You are doing well!

Misssy2

No..NO...NO...you are NOT a LOSER.

You went to school and got a degree....You have become "ill" with alcoholism...

If you stay stopped..you will find a way to get into your profession because you will have the energy to do it.....Engineers are wanted everywhere...you are being too hard on yourself and this could be because of your recent recovery.....

Recovery is hard on the mind, body and SPIRIT...but once you start feeling better things start "looking" more positive and if you can BEAT alcohol you can DO ANYTHING.

Trust me.

ImNotThatGuy

THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS!

ThatWasTheOldMe, please stop using those words and thinking those thoughts. You are not a loser. You are just learning a lesson of some kind. Everyone goes through difficult periods in their careers. I was working in a grocery store with a Master's degree for a couple years. I felt like dirt. If you're a trained engineer, start thinking like one. Solve the problem. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Plenty of people have it worse than you.

First of all, keep sober. I'd be willing to bet that your career's health will follow your mental and physical health on an upward trajectory.

August252015

Missy- I want to print this out and put it on an actual sticky! It's so ....unbelievably true.

I'm one with a lot of education who took a job in fast food for my first sober job. Other details about debt and so on....and I simply could not fathom WHAT could possibly happen in my life when I got sober and looking at my life in 3+ yr now, I'd have planned none of it and it's totally different than I would have thought then...

TWTOM - taking the risk on what an uncertain future would mean, over a certain death by drinking, was the best "gamble" I ever made. And that whole "time" thing that everyone told me was needed for change? Annoyingly true.

I don't believe that any of us is meant to feel like a loser, to suffer, to loathe ourselves or our surroundings....I believe there is always hope and I KNOW that it can get better sober, if you're someone like me - that was the key.

Stay with us- one baby bite of the elephant at a time.

WhyNotNowMe

I can under stand what you are going through. I went to the ER 6 days ago and no insurance. Plus I lost my job with this last binge myself. So no job and a big bill coming. I'm not worry about medical bill. They are ways around dealing with it legally. Whats more important is your sobriety. With only 5 days under my belt, I'm focusing on myself and learning how I can stay sober and get my mindset well.

Good luck!

MyLittleHorsie

You know Thatwastheoldme, sometimes what we see as hardships are actually great blessings. You keep knocking construction, I have my MBA. I make significantly less than my construction working spouse. Put a 2 in front of your annual and that's close to his annual, he has his engineering ring too, although he got his much, much older. He got into the biz by way of another construction worker with no more than a college diploma, his retirement income is a quarter million. You are knocking a hand that could feed you very well.
Don't wallow, there are people far better off than you and far worse, you can't control either, but you never know which can give you a hand up. Life is what you make it, you are in control of your life.

dpac414