SAHP's Using Public Assistance - Page 9

[heidirk]

We were going to pay out of pocket, if it came to that, too. Unfortunately our tax return is already gone!

magentamomma- I think it is also due tio the fact that individual practices/doctors have to contract with medicaid, and some don't want to help those who can't pay. I know not everyone can afford to donate their time, though. Birth Care told me that it's their responsibility to contract w/medicaid or other insurances, so I guess for some docs it's not worth the effort. The nurse who was helping me told me that they believe it's part of their purpose to make sure pregnasncy and birth are no more stressful for a mama than they need to be! I felt so taken care of, I could have cried!

[mammal_mama]

Originally Posted by heidirk

We were going to pay out of pocket, if it came to that, too. Unfortunately our tax return is already gone!

Yeah, our second baby was due in March, so we knew ahead of time that that was where a big portion of our return was going!

[damona]

can i please just point out that i drive a suburban b/c it was the only car i could find that i could afford at the time AND fit all my kids into? it's not like it's some brand new, super high class brand, but it is an SUV and i'd rather not catch a lot of "stuff" about driving an SUV when it was pretty much my only choice.

at the moment, however, i can't even put gas in it, so we are walking everywhere. i sure hope something gives before winter, b/c if it snows like it did last year i don't want to walk everywhere with 4 kids in knee high drifts!

[heidirk]

damona- How are things, BTW?

[annettemarie]

I've removed a few posts that were outside the supportive nature of FYT. If this thread is something you disagree with, please don't post here. Just move on. Thanks!

[wednesday2004]

I'll jump in here. I'm trying to get by on child support and I just got accepted for food stamps. I want to stay home with toddler as much as possible so I'll take all the help I can get to do that. I think it's odd the government will pay someone else to take care of my (and others kids) and call it a job for them but won't pay single moms even half of that for them to stay home with their own kids. While I'm staying home with mine I'm considered 'lazy', but if I was childless but watching someone elses I'd be working.
That gripe was probably covered earlier in this thread but I haven't read it all yet.

[mammal_mama]

damona -- I pray something gives before winter, too!

wednesday2004 -- welcome! And I commend you for what you're doing, you're absolutely right!

[damona]

heidikirk, thanks for asking! my life is just the usual... chaos, hysteria, insanity... nothing changes except the style of the chaos!

we did pass our inspections at our apartment complex (one of the reasons i don't like living there is the inspections), so we're good for another 6 months or so. that is a relief. i get so tired of having that hanging over my head tho... i mean, really, they expect the place to look like something from "house beautiful". the reality is, i've got 4 kids, with varying degrees of issues (autism, adhd, food allergies, anxiety...) plus 2 adults and 2 cats in what is really a pretty small place! it stays looking perfect for about 5 minutes! on the plus side, i did get my room rearranged so that the "traffic pattern" makes more sense now, and i can actually get at my closet without climbing over the foot of the bed and squeezing past a door that only opened halfway!

i don't have internet anymore at home, something screwed up and it shows up but won't connect. *shrugs* i dunno. hopefully, it will sort itself out sooner or later, i miss being able to check in on here everyday!

dh applied back at walmart (ugh) but they are not hiring except for 3rd shift, and that puts too much of a burden on me right now, physically, with him sleeping all day. with kids that are special needs, and my back/hip still all messed up, i honestly do need him around during the day! we are trying to find something that he can do while the kids are in school, since all but the baby will be in full-day school by 2nd quarter (ds #3 is starting on a 1/2 day schedule). OR something i can do part time, where i can sit most of the time. not as easy as it might sound when i never even got my GED!

anyway, i don't mean to whine, but i haven't got a lot of people around right now that i can talk to, everyone is off on some big extended vacation... who me? jealous?

[happyhats]

My application got accepted for a government subsidized apartment but it isn't going to work out because they don't accept animals. I have a cat and I can't justify just giving her away to a stranger or worse yet a pound. On the up side, I have found a private apartment that will accept kitty and is the same rent but with paid utilites and a washer and dryer. It's not in the best condition but there are a lot of perks, and if that means living in a slummy (though quiet and more safe than mine) neighborhood, so be it. Oh, and I can paint.

I have to reapply for food stamps by the fifteenth of September. This shouldn't be a problem since my income hasn't changed. However, I'll be saving a little on moving, I hope that doesn't make me cut off from benefits I sorely need? I don't think so though.

Things have been hard but I really think that after this month we'll be comfortable again. The move and hubby getting the student loan will help emmensely. And tomorrow I get food stamps so it's grocery day!

[heidirk]

happyhats- great news! I hope it's an easy move, and have fun painting!

damona- congrats to passing your inspection! One of the families in our church always had to find someone to stash a bunch of boxes for them each time inspection rolled around, and it really stressed her out! I hope you can get your internet up and running soon!

I hear you on the chaos only changing shape and size (and sometimes flavor/color/smell! )!


I got the guidelines for food stamps, and when the baby comes we'll probably qualify, if DH is still only at his summer/temp job. Right now, he's working six days a week, from 5 am to 3:30. Which could be much worse I know, but he's really really tired, and so I'm getting more and more tired too, because he can't give me breaks like he used too.

On the up side, there seems to be an employment opportunity on the horizon, which I will not jinx by describing! I'm cautiously hopeful!

It stinks to know that even if I went out and busted my butt working the highest paying job I qualify for, I'd still only make 1/2 of what he can make. : Not to mention the fact that, at 8 mos preggo, who'd hire me?
I don;t even make the 'must be able to lift 30 lbs and stand for long periods of time' requirement that's on every application I've ever filled out!

I am truly thankful for my house, which, in truth I guess the bank owns more of than me, but at least noone comes to inspect it! Having ADD myself makes getting and keeping a whole house clean an incredible challenge.

[damona]

this will probably be my last post for awhile, my mom is almost done moving and the new house is too far to walk to. oh well.

heidikirk, good luck! i have my fingers crossed for you! oh, and, we stashed a bunch of stuff in the back of dh's pickup! : hey, it's not like we're using it as a car, might as well use it as a storage shed!

happyhats, our gov. subsidized apartment doesn't take pets either, but i got to keep my 2 kitties b/c of a dr's note for my autistic sons stating that the cats were theraputic animals and it would be too traumatic for my sons to move, change schools, and give up their pets. just a thought.

[magentamomma]

well, my extra family moved out, and I finally went to the Indian medical clinic to get some health care. I have qualified for years but its an hour and a half away and until now we've only had one vehicle, and its a big gas guzzling van for dh to work out of. Now we bought my mil car for a great deal but i don't know how it will work with food stamps, I'll have to reread the posts. It turns out I have shingles on my FACE.!! I got them when my 20 month old ds broke his leg in June. I knew it was broken but the DR missed it on xray and decided to tell me it might be leukemia causing the pain. Several tests later we find out it is (drum roll here)... a toddler fracture. Thats right its a condition actually called a toddler fracture or a greenstick fracture, I found it on line by myself. long story short he never got a cast because it was 80% healed by the time the Dr figured out what it was, and I end up with a disgusting oozing rash on my face for the last six weeks that is shingles,only I can't take thje meds cause I'm bfing. I think I am going to go crazy. This is also on the heels of finding out that my 9yo twins are severely learning disabled and we have to stop homeschooling. All of this is OT,except I thank G** for medicaid, and the Cherokee hospital, because otherwise We wouldn't have gotten any care at all.

[mammal_mama]

, magentamomma! I hope it lets up soon!

By the way, do you mean the state won't let you homeschool any more -- or do you just feel you need to quit?

You might post about this in homeschooling and/or unschooling, if you haven't already.

[happyhats]

damona, that's exactly what I've ended up doing. Not for being autistic but just because it could cause depression during a pregnancy that needs to be as stress free as possible. Who would have thought! Hopefully that will work out. I don't think the manager herself really minds, the apartment would be the nicest I've ever lived in, and it's really quite cheap.

Food stamps came today so I did my big bulk shopping for the month. I love having a full kitchen even though a hundred bucks doesn't go that far.

I need to borrow some money to get through this month, things have been super rough. After the move and hubby gets his loan though things will be looking up a lot.

[heidirk]

A full kitchen feels like wealth. . . and security. I know there are 'haves' and 'have-nots' in every country, but in this area, it seems like noone understands how good it feels (or how infrequent) to have a full pantry and refridgerator.


The meat fairies came last night. (MIL) and so now my previously empty freezer is crammed with meat. When she'd called the other night, she asked if my freezer had any space in it. I said, 'Actually my freezer has nothing but space in it right now.'

Later, and always where DH can't hear, she twice made a subtle (she thought) comment about how she's sure that if I just stopped my 'unnessecary spending' she's sure our financial situation would resolve itself.

It's bad enough to get that from her, but my own mother does the same thing. I literally cried to sleep last night while trying to explain to DH that I was tired of being treated like I'm the entire problem. I've stood by him through almost 8 years of financial irresponsibility on his part, and I guess I feel like I deserve some credit instead of blame.

[transformed]

do employers ask if you have used food stamps? my dh said they do and thats why he doesnt want to get them.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by transformed

do employers ask if you have used food stamps? my dh said they do and thats why he doesnt want to get them.

No they do not ask. Your DH is letting his pride get in the way of full bellies for your children it sounds like.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by heidirk

A full kitchen feels like wealth. . . and security. I know there are 'haves' and 'have-nots' in every country, but in this area, it seems like noone understands how good it feels (or how infrequent) to have a full pantry and refridgerator.


The meat fairies came last night. (MIL) and so now my previously empty freezer is crammed with meat. When she'd called the other night, she asked if my freezer had any space in it. I said, 'Actually my freezer has nothing but space in it right now.'

Later, and always where DH can't hear, she twice made a subtle (she thought) comment about how she's sure that if I just stopped my 'unnessecary spending' she's sure our financial situation would resolve itself.

It's bad enough to get that from her, but my own mother does the same thing. I literally cried to sleep last night while trying to explain to DH that I was tired of being treated like I'm the entire problem. I've stood by him through almost 8 years of financial irresponsibility on his part, and I guess I feel like I deserve some credit instead of blame.

I totally know what your talking about. I had to get rid of everything in our packed freezer and most of our pantry when we moved and I was feeling really insecure without it. The rest of my house can be empty for all I care but I NEED to have a fridge/freezer/pantry full of food to feel secure. I'm slowly rebuilding it and I feel better with each shopping trip to fill it.

[transformed]

Originally Posted by Satori

No they do not ask. Your DH is letting his pride get in the way of full bellies for your children it sounds like.

We dont need it today. but soon maybe. but yeah, pride.

I wonder if you could weigh in.....whats more responsible - using credit to feed the family, or using a food pantry?

[Satori]

Originally Posted by transformed

We dont need it today. but soon maybe. but yeah, pride.

I wonder if you could weigh in.....whats more responsible - using credit to feed the family, or using a food pantry?

I'd be hitting the pantry. There there for a reason!