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Friday, June 6, 2014

For Richer or Poorer...

It's been a week since Mediation, and the reality of what happened is finally sinking in. It's weird. I feel like I'm standing with one foot in two very different worlds. The first "world" is life as we know it, i.e. barely squeaking by on Bob's SSD check. The second, a promise of a whole different lifestyle, that's hard to even imagine.

Right now, we have two settlement consultants and a Trusts & Estate attorney, along with our trial attorney all wrapping up the paperwork.

Then we have United Health Care which is demanding to be paid around $165,000 for the cost of Bob's hospitalization after the stroke... of course, we hope we can negotiate that number down a bit....

And our trial attorney's expenses have yet to be tallied up but will be probably hit around $100,000.

All this talk of this kind of money is enough to make one dizzy. I honestly can't even imagine these amounts -- all those zeros! yikes

This past week, our attorney hooked me up with a real estate agent who specializes in working with wheelchair accessibility issues and she's been e-mailing me listings of gorgeous homes with some pretty high price tags. (My biggest hurdle here will be trying to find a house on the corner which I can paint pink-- ha! Otherwise, I'll have to rename this blog!)

In the midst of all this, we receive, in the mail, our six month notification that it's time to re-apply for food stamps.  Talk about lurching back into reality. I called our attorney's assistant and asked her how I should handle this, she told me to call the settlement consultant, who advised me to go ahead and re-apply, as, truth be told, we are still poor, all we have is a signed piece of paper, and who knows how long it will take to get our first check in hand.  So that paperwork will keep me busy (tearing out my hair, as always) this weekend, but hopefully it will be the last time I have to do it! And I don't know if you ever filled out one of these forms, but here, in our state, it's a 20+ page form and you've got to outline all your monthly medical expenses for the last six months. It's a 2-3 hour job, digging up receipts, etc. And I hate it, and do so much want to get off this welfare treadmill....






9 comments:

MikeF said...

I'm really really happy for all five of you. Doesn't mean there won't be challenges ahead but you have the means to handle those challenges better. Again, I'm really happy things worked out!

oc1dean said...

Glad to know the house will be pink

Theresa Loder said...

Sounds exciting as well as what do I do next.. (Food stamps) and looking for a home.. It will all work itself out.. Meantime your day probably hasn't changed a great deal.. I can see why you feel you have feet in two different worlds..
I know you will find just the right home for you and Bob...

Take care and hugs to you both
Rick and Theresa

J.L. Murphey said...

The pink house on the corner will remain no matter when you choose to live because that's where your heart and memories are hinged to.

Dealing with multiple zeros is a happy/mind boggling experience. I did it for almost three decades. It's better than counting pennies again. But at least you know how if the need arises.

Keep your feet on the ground and looking at the stars.

Doing the Snoopy dance of happiness for you both.

Oh, how did Bob take the news?

Anonymous said...

Diane,
Can you do the food stamps over the Internet? It is what I do and safes me a lot of time, I'm so happy you will be in not need of them soon, and also in not need of counting every single penny to make needs meet. You have endure a lot but a great relief is comming soon.
Hugs to you Bob and the pets
Yadira

Anonymous said...

Your life is about to change big time toward the positive with the proceeds from the settlement. Not only will your life improve, but more importantly, so will Bob's. It may initially be overwhelming, so do take your time in the major changes. At your earliest convenience though, do hire assistance to reduce your work load and stress.

Like everyone else, I am so very happy for the settlement and what it can do for you and Bob.

Lots of hugs & continued prayers,
Dan

Jenn said...

Wondering who ultimately oversees, controls, makes final decisions over the trust fund and other monies?

Linda said...

I am glad things are moving forward now for you. You certainly deserve good things to happen for the two of you.

Diane said...

Jenn, I am wondering too, LOL! All this so new to us. But think The Trust will be a bank or some kind of financial institution. I believe I will have control over smaller purchases but Trust will have to approve larger ones. I have a meeting with the Settlement Consultants on Friday and hope to learn more then!

Yadira, I do our's online, but still a pain in the butt. Did ours on Saturday, got a call today, have to have a follow-up "phone interview".... cripes...