New Year....What to do?
I spent some time in December typing a letter to be sent to a lawyer to appeal the Disability determination but have not had husband sign documents. We had sixty days to appeal and I am sure the time has passed. I guess we will start over again but don't know when.
Husband says he feels a lot better but still so unsure about everything. He did not go out into the Christmas crowds to do any shopping. We have had extremely cold, windy weather but no snow. If he goes out to get the mail from the box, he bundles up in warm coat and hat. He never did this before TN. He would exit the home door sometimes with only a t-shirt and retrieve the mail.
A friend of ours gave us a list of numbers to contact to see if we could get any type of unemployment training or other benefits to help my husband with financial issues. Our friend has spent several years involved with this due to other medical issues. He is now officially "disabled" and is collecting benefits. It took him a long time to battle his situation.
We had an extremely small Christmas, being thankful for what we have and not worring too much about what we don't have. Money is tight with the extra burden of heatin the home and the increase in everything. We have found that insurances went up, cable is up and many other things are going up. We are getting some help with heat and food. I am so thankful but also feel that there are others in worse shape than us. I do know that my income as well as the fixed income supplied by my mother - in - law covers most of the basics but there is little to no extra for any surprises. We just stay home and tighten the belt. No unnecessary spending, explaining the small Christmas.
I know I need to take the reins and get husband out to the new number contacts but I seem to keep puttting it off. Here in upstate NY, I might get an appointment and find on the day he is to go, an abundance of snow may appear. I rather just stay home those days and not worry about the travel. I think that is why I didn't follow through with the lawyer. The one we had information from is in Rochester, about 1 1/2 hours drive ( North ) from our home, so I was reluctant to get involved with someone that far away and experiences more snow than us on a normal season. Working and being the transportation department for the household is one of my stressers and I have been trying to reduce all driving adventures due to rise of gas prices. I usually go to work, pay some bills, pick up meds and do grocery shopping. Like I said earlier, we are tighten the belt.
I am currently thinking about when I can file my Income Taxes, praying for a refund. I fear that enough wasn't removed from the "cashing in" of my husband's 401 K. Last spring, he decided to get what money he had in the plan out and use it to maybe start something on his own. He wanted to try to do something! He bought a few things to work with but he found he couldn't work with the tools but for only so long and had to break. Surely this shows that he can't be hired for a 8 hour job anyplace.
Anyway back to taxes, they kept a sizeable amount for the early withdrawl, but I am not sure if it covers the amount we will need. I have been placing extra through payroll deduction into the IRS and State funds. Then I realize that my son, my only claimed dependent, is not in school now and I may not be able to claim him this year. Boy, this tax situation might be screwed up. Cross your fingers and hope for the best.
All I know, when my husband took the 401 K out, the home did get 3 items it needed to make things easier on me and him. I purchased a new stove because the oven quit on the old ome that was included in the house purchase. I inquired about a repair but due to the age of the stove and the prices charged to check and repair cost , I found it was beneficial to purchase a new one with the rebates being offered by the store and state.
I also bought a new washer. Old one quit and I was making weekly trips to public laundry, costing me a fortune to play the quarter drops in the washer and dryers. Time was a big factor here too and husband couldn't help. All the motion and people bothered him too much.
The other major purchase was a riding lawn mower. We had been using a hand mower, able to do the yard, but time consuming and the vibrations, pushing and pulling was not good for my husband. He didn't do any of the mowing in the summer of 2009 and I managed to do yard about 2 to 3 times total. I know the neighbors didn't like the unkept yard, but the illness was really in full swing that summer. After buying this riding lawn mower, my husband found he can do the yard, but not long stretches. I can too and it is a time saver. I only wish trim work was done but the weed trimmer is not something my husband finds he can do again. The vibration and noise again.
Anyway, I am long writing again but I just had some things on my mind and felt I needed to write. Writing things out sometimes just makes me feel better. If anyone reads them, they might also understand how I feel.
Husband says he feels a lot better but still so unsure about everything. He did not go out into the Christmas crowds to do any shopping. We have had extremely cold, windy weather but no snow. If he goes out to get the mail from the box, he bundles up in warm coat and hat. He never did this before TN. He would exit the home door sometimes with only a t-shirt and retrieve the mail.
A friend of ours gave us a list of numbers to contact to see if we could get any type of unemployment training or other benefits to help my husband with financial issues. Our friend has spent several years involved with this due to other medical issues. He is now officially "disabled" and is collecting benefits. It took him a long time to battle his situation.
We had an extremely small Christmas, being thankful for what we have and not worring too much about what we don't have. Money is tight with the extra burden of heatin the home and the increase in everything. We have found that insurances went up, cable is up and many other things are going up. We are getting some help with heat and food. I am so thankful but also feel that there are others in worse shape than us. I do know that my income as well as the fixed income supplied by my mother - in - law covers most of the basics but there is little to no extra for any surprises. We just stay home and tighten the belt. No unnecessary spending, explaining the small Christmas.
I know I need to take the reins and get husband out to the new number contacts but I seem to keep puttting it off. Here in upstate NY, I might get an appointment and find on the day he is to go, an abundance of snow may appear. I rather just stay home those days and not worry about the travel. I think that is why I didn't follow through with the lawyer. The one we had information from is in Rochester, about 1 1/2 hours drive ( North ) from our home, so I was reluctant to get involved with someone that far away and experiences more snow than us on a normal season. Working and being the transportation department for the household is one of my stressers and I have been trying to reduce all driving adventures due to rise of gas prices. I usually go to work, pay some bills, pick up meds and do grocery shopping. Like I said earlier, we are tighten the belt.
I am currently thinking about when I can file my Income Taxes, praying for a refund. I fear that enough wasn't removed from the "cashing in" of my husband's 401 K. Last spring, he decided to get what money he had in the plan out and use it to maybe start something on his own. He wanted to try to do something! He bought a few things to work with but he found he couldn't work with the tools but for only so long and had to break. Surely this shows that he can't be hired for a 8 hour job anyplace.
Anyway back to taxes, they kept a sizeable amount for the early withdrawl, but I am not sure if it covers the amount we will need. I have been placing extra through payroll deduction into the IRS and State funds. Then I realize that my son, my only claimed dependent, is not in school now and I may not be able to claim him this year. Boy, this tax situation might be screwed up. Cross your fingers and hope for the best.
All I know, when my husband took the 401 K out, the home did get 3 items it needed to make things easier on me and him. I purchased a new stove because the oven quit on the old ome that was included in the house purchase. I inquired about a repair but due to the age of the stove and the prices charged to check and repair cost , I found it was beneficial to purchase a new one with the rebates being offered by the store and state.
I also bought a new washer. Old one quit and I was making weekly trips to public laundry, costing me a fortune to play the quarter drops in the washer and dryers. Time was a big factor here too and husband couldn't help. All the motion and people bothered him too much.
The other major purchase was a riding lawn mower. We had been using a hand mower, able to do the yard, but time consuming and the vibrations, pushing and pulling was not good for my husband. He didn't do any of the mowing in the summer of 2009 and I managed to do yard about 2 to 3 times total. I know the neighbors didn't like the unkept yard, but the illness was really in full swing that summer. After buying this riding lawn mower, my husband found he can do the yard, but not long stretches. I can too and it is a time saver. I only wish trim work was done but the weed trimmer is not something my husband finds he can do again. The vibration and noise again.
Anyway, I am long writing again but I just had some things on my mind and felt I needed to write. Writing things out sometimes just makes me feel better. If anyone reads them, they might also understand how I feel.
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