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Job Layoff Reprieve , Upcoming surgery + Two New Car Breakdowns

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    Job Layoff Reprieve , Upcoming surgery + Two New Car Breakdowns

    Well, my husband was reprieved from unemployment hell mid-last week when out of the blue he was offered another position in a different group at LM by his remote manager. (The other software job was just never a fit but he gamely soldiered on until the budget was cut in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic).
    But..............
    I visited my gyno (finally) and after two exams was told the fibroids are still growing (another two weeks pregnancy worth , around a 5 months size) and are further impacting and affecting my internal organs. So once we reach $3250 in HDIP, we will only have to pay 20% of the remaining cost (Still up to $6500) It will be a scary time and my husband will need to be with me constantly for probably a week or more as the recovery time is notoriously slow. The intention is to leave the ovaries in place to prevent sudden menopause symptoms. Of course I didn't have a myomectomy and UFE to have to go through this now, but these huge hard uterine tumors are compromising my whole life by continuing to enlarge and endanger nearby major organs. It is better to remove them (if the pandemic allows ) then to have to have an emergency procedure later , maybe with out decent insurance . One complication is that the Colorado governor has not allowed and will not allow gyms and fitness centers to reopen at all . I am trying to exercise from home but have already re -injured my shoulder on the concrete floor in the basement . So now I am trying to use the very limited space in the small computer room upstairs to stream exercise classes and carefully work out after spending $$$ on PT and chiro care after "elective" medical proedures were allowed again starting April 27th.
    The first car breakdown happened This Friday as I drove to my weekly PT appointment. Through the grace of God, I was allowed to park before the car "died". The care was towed (for free by GEICO) and luckily "only" needed new spark plugs , a new battery and a fuel injector cleaning -not bad for an old car with more than 200K miles. Lucky too, was the $400 +bill, a hit but extra money we fortunately had.
    Then..............
    On Saturday when my husband drove his car over to the repair shop to pick up the keys to my car, he suddenly couldn't steer his front wheels and said it was like he was trying to drive through cinder blocks. It turned out the left controller arm on the left wheel had come off and the right one was about to do the same thing -and had that happened in heavy traffic it could have been a fatal car accident! So the total cost for that is about $1500.
    We hadn't contacted the attorney about the stimulus but this an emergency repair. This 2013 car will be paid off in December and has about 120k miles on it . This is my husband's work car and he needs to start commuting to his office soon -in fact he has to report to work on Wednesday for a few hours although he will likely not need to be there full time until June. If quizzed, we will provide proof of necessity.
    On top of all this, we just marked the 4th anniversary of my mother's death (April 26). her birthday (May 3) Mother's Day, my own birthday and next weeks Memorial Day "celebration". Is it any wonder I hate May?
    We are grateful that my husband is allowed to start another job (instead of filing for unemployment and dealing with the trustee) and that we are permitted to have extensive (and very expensive health insurance) in the time of this deadly pandemic, but the stress of wondering "what will happen next?" is slowing emotionally destroying us both.
    I mean as justbroke says, Life Happens but it is supposed to happen every day?
    Last edited by Barbisi; 05-18-2020, 09:51 AM.

    #2
    Barbisi, so sorry to read all the roller-coaster events! It was like reading a book, routing for the good guy (that's you and your husband), but then some tragedy keeps holding them back.

    Originally posted by Barbisi View Post
    I mean as justbroke says, Life Happens but it is supposed to happen every day?
    It happens in threes. When my septic went, so did my air conditioning, and then 4 new tires for the car. Then I had an issue with the car stalling but luckily, by the grace of God, it was something that had a recall from Ford!


    Chapter 7 (No Asset/Non-Consumer) Filed (Pro Se) 7/08 (converted from Chapter 13 - 2/10)
    Status: (Auto) Discharged and Closed! 5/10
    Visit My BKForum Blog: justbroke's Blog

    Any advice provided is not legal advice, but simply the musings of a fellow bankrupt.

    Comment


      #3
      Hi @Barbsi - I too am sorry to hear about the bad things that are happening. I am happy to hear about your husband's job. Hopefully the gym will open up sometime in the near future. I hope your surgery won't be too far in the future...I've been there and know how hard your situation can be. Hoping that things work out for you soon.
      Filed Chapter 13 - 07/20/12
      Discharged 8/2/16

      Comment


        #4
        Thank you for your uplifting comments!
        JB, yes it's been like a novel and considering I was taking a screenwriting class right before we were "forced" to file (I have written stories off and on and had been told I should write) that remark was quite appropriate!
        sophieanne, it sounds like you had a similar condition but came through fine (I hope I do too! )
        As for the gyms and fitness studios , Gov. Polis has elected to keep them closed without any plans for reopening.
        He is however opening skiing and all outdoor activities ,outdoor (and of course ) limited indoor restaurant seating, different shopping centers,etc. I think he plans to reopen movie theatres, sporting events, concerts and the like before he ever allows gyms to do the same. He just doesn't see any value in indoor fitness centers - yet another reason to get out of here!
        Update: my car broke down again ( after I safely parked it -whew!) Long story short: it was the alternator and biggest break of all time, the repair shop comped a real Nissan part (about $700 worth total! ) because we had it replaced there a couple of years ago and it was under warranty - we dodged a bullet on that one!
        Yes we were lucky .......... until the next emergency!

        Comment


          #5
          Barbisi, sorry to hear about the woes. Cars are such a money sink.

          I'm hoping the work from home arrangement will be somewhat more prevalent after all of this is over because it is saving me big money on auto maintenance and commute costs. Even with the reliable junkers I've found, it still costs money for brakes, tires, fluid changes, fuel, etc and that is without stuff breaking. If it weren't for the manufacturer's extended warranty I bought, the car barely outside of warranty would have cost me a bundle instead of the $100 deductible. For me, newer doesn't mean better but I understand the need to grab the extended auto maintenance expenses in the ch13 budget with an auto payment.

          Comment


            #6
            Agreed, cars can really complicate Chapter 13s.

            I didn't have the benefit of a new(ish) car with a factory warranty or even an extended warranty when I entered my Chapter 13 with a (then) 14 year old Honda Accord. During the first three years of the Chapter 13 I had to put nearly $3,000 into the car for normal maintenance items as well as to fix stuff which broke (thinking the entire EVAP system). Just into my 4th year rust and other corrosion got the better of the old girl and would have required another $2,000+ to fix most of the issues except the body rust, in the end I opted to scrap her and dig deeeeeep into my piggy bank to buy a new(er) car; that was a pretty serious "OUCH!" to my finances for the remaining two years.
            Latent car nut.

            Comment

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