Hi all.
So. To start this off, we’re a typical middle-middle-class-ish family. Married 17 years, 2 kids. DH works full time (annual income between $70-75k with OT). As of a year ago, I do work very part-time in my kids’ school district for decent pay and light benefits (but no medical insurance) - that’s about $15-17k/year. (Edit: I was working towards a master’s degree/teaching certificate, but I’m 1 year and about $18k away from finishing at this point).
He’s a flatbed truck driver who loads and unloads his trailer - it’s a physical job. He’s been employed there 12 years. He had a work injury last December where he fell off his truck and hurt his back. He’s been dealing with back pain on and off since, and it began progressing quickly some 3-4 weeks ago.
We’ve been just finally rebuilding our finances after some bad luck. (Lots of medical bills for myself - I’m 3-months post surgery myself, and DH lost his job 12 years ago). So, very little savings besides the 401k held through his work. That’s about $50k.
He has medical and life insurance through work. His work life ins totals just about $100k. We also have a term life policy which we’re 5yrs into that is $100k. We can convert that (costly) at any time. Unsure what the rules are here - does he lose the work policies immediately if he goes on work disability?
We think he has short-term disability but not long term?
Obviously we have some calls to make next week.
At this point we’re fairly certain that DH is at best looking at a period of disability. He has a tumor that is compressing his spine. He can’t walk well at all. Once they are able to complete the biopsy, he’ll begin a course of steroids and then likely radiation, regardless of whether it is malignant, but 90% chance of malignancy. Then probably rehab.
Of course this can change pending test results. Biopsy on Monday.
The bad: We rent our home, so we’re at high risk of eviction. I’m terrified if we lose health insurance and his work life insurance policy (both likely). We sadly don’t have family with room to house us. Our parents and siblings are fairly low income living in 1 bedroom homes already. I have the only living grandparent and she’s 92 and living with family 250 miles away.
I feel so alone in my grief. Our kids are in 6th and 9th grade, so they’re at tender ages for this. We’re being as honest as possible with them so far without saying this is definitely cancer (10% chance it isn’t). Ideally I’d keep them involved in the same activities for distraction, though they aren’t free. :/
If my husband needs chemo, I’m also a bit concerned about my own job - I work in special education with 3-8 year olds. Lots of illnesses to bring home. :/ Also, how does he get to all the appointments? Who helps him recover during rehab? But goodness we need income and insurance - do I start looking for full-time work tomorrow?
We’ll know more as to official diagnosis on Monday. Per his oncologist, sounds like it’s probably not great news - malignant tumors with spinal cord compression don’t tend to have good outcomes, though they’re hopeful he’ll manage an at least temporary return of function. And of course he’ll fight whatever this is.
Are there likely to be programs out there to help us? I don’t even know where to start. We live in WI if that matters.
Are we talking needing some sort of online funding or doing fundraisers if/when things get bad enough? I hate the thought of that. Even at our financial toughest we fought through on our own.
Sorry for the rambling nature - I haven’t slept much. I’m concentrating on concrete options in attempt to ignore the grief at the moment. Husband’s dad and grandfather also died from cancer young, so I’m also terrified for my own kids who share half of his DNA.
Thanks for reading. Any guidance would be great.
Edit: a couple grammatical edits, or editing sentences for clarity.
Submitted November 24, 2018 at 06:03AM by 12bunnies https://ift.tt/2KAumpX
