OMG!!
I have read all the posts on this thread, and truley debated on if I should even reply..
There seems to be a handful of you that truely dont judge, than the rest just made me feel awful..
My story is this... so I guess this is why ppl shouldnt judge..
I too have been guilty of this dont get me wrong.. I do agree about the ppl abusing the system,lying getting more fs, getting low income housing by not being completely honest etc etc..

I myself and my family do NOW recieve fs, and health insurance through the state.. Not that I am thrilled, but right now the help is wonderful..

My situation is this:: First of all I am a sahm. I have a 7yr old and a 5yr old.. We only have the income from my husband for he is the only one working.. Why cant I work.. This is why.. and believe me if I could work from home I would ,I have been searching for on line jobs, have been doing the ebay thing for a little bit of extra $$..

Its just really really hard for me. Reason being, is we just found out that our 5 year old has Type 1 diabetes.. For those of you who no any thing about juvenile diabetes you are aware that first off this will NEVER go away.. Unless a cure is found. He just started K this fall, and well, his sugar readings have been all over the place.. I have to be available at anytime to get him from school, if there is a problem.. He cant eat school lunches due to they never have the correct carb count.. So I make him the healthiest lunch I can possibly think of daily. Also the expense with diabetes, the meters, strips, syringes, insulin, levemir, and glyc. pen which alone is 435.00.. Oh and the test strips come out to 1$ per strip we use on the average of 6-7 a day, thats if his # are in range..
All these come close to 800.00+ dollars a month.. Oh and not counting weekend hospital stay..

All this into consideration we were advised by the diabetes center to apply for help.. The state I live in took everything into consideration, and thank god approved us.. I dont know what we would do if it wasnt for the help..

I have been so sad, and all ,with everything, learning all there is possible, trying to figure out what I could do to earn a income to be able to support our family with insurance, and be state help free.. I think about all this continually.. Than after reading this I was like great so this is what ppl think of me in the stores...

I thought oh ok I will work 3rd shift.. wrong.. what will I do on vactions, and summer?? Cant work a over night with having to function as a mom with 2 children all day..
cant work 2nd shift due to husbands self employment, working late hours ect.. to make extra money.. Being self employed reason he doesnt have insurance.. We always just paid out of pocket for appts ect..

than I think ok can work during day while kids are in school.. Well thats fine , and I have been looking have gone to some interviews. Had to explain though that if my son needs to be picked up, I will have to leave and get him.. Its just the way it is now until he is old enough to do his readings and calculating his carbs on his own.. Than again what do I do during holidays vaca etc.. Obviously didnt get the jobs... I cant blame them..

We live in a tiny town,, no daycare will do his diabetes.. I feel so stuck... I do have a ad out for house cleaning too, havent heard anything

So not EVERYONE is abusing the system..

OH, and yes I have gone to the grocery store with a coach purse, which was bought at a yard sale a year ago for only $1.00, I do dress nice out in public, do my hair, makeup, but I do drive a 97 chevy cavalier with 195,00 + miles so I guess I wont be judged on that one.. OH and all my clothes come from freecycle, but not everyone knows that , so I guess I am being judged on that too.. I guess my cashier and fellow shoppers love it when I answer my razr cell phone too, not realizing I got a super cheap deal on it and need to have a cell, incase I am out on a dr. appt, or grocercy shopping, and my son has a low at school, and they are notifing me about it, just so I am aware, and I can talk to them and suggest something..

I go out dressing nicely cause I guess, I sit home enough by the phone, waiting praying that Zak is ok.. Than I would like to feel good about myself when I have to be out and about.. I am just really shocked on how I have been judged by the public without anyone EVER thinking hmm... maybe.... Well, again with the exception of the ppl here who really truly dont judge, seems like most ppl do judge.. Which I have learned the hard way not to ever do that again..

oh another favorite of mine is when I am in the store talking to hubby saying oh that has 35 carbs per serving... maybe not.... I see ppl looking me up and down, some even commenting oh your doing the Carb diet??? Unfortunately no, my son has a disease , he is diabetic, boy the tone changes quick...

just my thoughts on this thread

So sorry about your situation. That's what the help is out there for, those who do need it. Nicely written post.

I completely understand how expensive this disease is! My dh was diagnosed with Type 1 7.5 years ago at age 31. When the diagnosis happened we were lucky enough to have good insurance, but since then the good has gone to okay, to bad, to worse with each successive job change. We now have insurance through his employer, but have a $6000 deductable. In the past 8 months alone we have racked up 2600 in charges just due to his diabeties. (only 2 types of insulin, strips, & needles.. we haven't had to replace his glyc pen yet this year.) This is an average of 15% per month of our take home pay.. and over the course of a year this could be an average of $3900. Thank goodness, that once he hits the magic 3500 mark we end up paying just copays for him, instead of the full amount.

I guess, what I wanted to say is... I understand! You need to be home for your family. And, to be able to do that... well, that is just wonderful!

-sarah

thank u both for being so understanding.. I hope that you and your husband are doing ok, . I really wish that there was something available to you to help out with the costs.. Maybe the diabetes center you folks go to would knoe of something..?
Worth asking~ Your in my thoughts.. Hopefully someday there will be a cure.. That would be so wonderful..

God is providing for us right now.. it is really difficult.. but I see the future getting so much brighter soon! Every time dh has switched jobs we have asked if any assitance is out there.. but our income puts us just above getting any medical assistance.. even with our high deductables. Luckily we have doctors that also understand our situation and are willing to take payments. Our family DR has gone as far as giving me lots of samples of the medications I take.. just to make sure that we can keep dh on his. Somehow we are just able to make the payments we need to.. when we need to.

Hopefully in the future dh's workplace (a new startup) will start making $$ which will mean that he will be given an increase in hours from 30/week to 40.. which would be so substantial for us!!! This alone would help us finally pay off our remaning debt very quickly, and then the 6k deductable will not be so bad. But I have a feeling that HE is having us do the trust in ME waiting game.. as we are also on the waiting list for weatherization assistance with the county for our home.. (it might be as simple as more insulation... to as advanced as new windows & siding, new roof & water heater ect, for free), and any increase in pay over $100/month will kick us off the list.

I am so glad that your family was able to get the assistance you needed!!! I sure hope you give your family a big hug every day.. being thankful that you have them. I sure do.. even when they do tick me off.

-sarah

From the way I understood foodstamps are only to supplement and it says so in the packet in our state.... I had to use government assistance for a year and a half when I was pregnant with my 2nd daughter and for almost a year after she was born, I thought what we received was MORE than enough to help buy food but as soon as I was able to stand alone I did becuase i know there are families who need the asstance more than we did.... I have my own strong opinions in this area, i work full time to support my 3 daughters on my income alone and i have a fiance who just got layed off but right now he is saving us daycare expenses, he will be looking for a new job after the holidays when my oldest 2 are back in school with no holiday breaks and such.... I believe where there is a will there is a way...... get 2 jobs or a better job if they need more than $21 a week to feed themselves.... deliver newspapers, work from home, continue your education, start a day care, work part time..... theres always a way.... however i know there are some families that are sooo stretched that even these things do not work out my prayers are with those families..... I want to encourage not down anyone this site has helped me a tremendous amount on saving money, I feel as if I can do it so can the people complaining

we get WIC. and most military families qualify for it.

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I have to agree with everyone on this topic. I am a family of 4 with no income due to a disabled husband he gets veterans benefits and my son is disabled he is autistic and ADD and he gets SSI and a check through the state each month. We are not getting any extras because by the time we pay bills and all we don't have anything extra to do anything with. It makes me sick the people that need help don't get it.

e get fs and my husband and kids get medicaid and its a godsend. My husband is diabetic and has been since age 12 and now the diabetes is taking its toll on him. he lost all sight in his right eye and only has partial in the left, kidney and liver damage and now its working on its feet and legs. We struggle a lot.
Like some of you, I can't go to work right now either. i have 2 babies at home and Joel can't take care of them alone as he can't see them very well. I am going to online college so maybe by the time the baby gets old enough for school I'll be able to work then. I have to take Joel all over the place to have eye surgeries. We've traveled all over atlanta, macon, augusta, carrollton, pretty much all over Georgia to get his work done and I have to be able to take him when he has a hemorrage so that pretty much knocks a job out.
I'm thankful that my parents live nearby and can help with the babies or else I just don't know. Theres no way i could afford daycare and now my tow oldest kids have been diagnosed with ADD and I'm pretty sure the baby will too so that adds on it.
Its not a shame to be on assistance. thats what its there for. people who need it should get it so people that don't can't take it

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Jessica
Wife to Joel since 2002.
Mommy to Trace since 2005, Blake since 2006 and bonus mommy to Kassie since 2002.