Being an immunocompromised film designer, I don’t know when I can go back to work again. I desperately miss work but I also don’t want to die. The extra PUA expires today. It’s going to start getting really hard to make ends meet. I’m scared for the future. 1/ https://twitter.com/couriernewsroom/status/1286752852690505730

I’ve worked hundreds of hours a week for years. I always pay my taxes - much more $$ than so many large companies pay. I just got out of 12 years mountain debt in January that I accrued in order to get to where I am in my career. Now I’m falling back into the pit. 2/

So much of my debt came from a health insurance plan I needed when I graduated college in 2008 right when the financial crisis happened. Due to my slew of preexisting conditions, the “cheapest” plan I could get was $900/month. 3/

I was working in a Broadway costume shop at the time as a first hand making approx $20k a year and had just moved to NYC. I was in the hole financially immediately. This is about what I made for 3 years until I managed to get into the union and on their insurance. 4/

Thank goodness for @IATSE @USA829IATSE — they saved me both work-wise and financially as I didn’t have to pay $900/month anymore to have health insurance. I’m so thankful every day that I’m a union member. 5/

That $900/month insurance did come in handy as I had to have major surgery twice (stupid appendix) & also fix my face when I once fainted & needed 17 stitches in my forehead. But it wasn’t even great insurance & I had a super high deductible. I cried every day I got the bills. 6/

I have worked so hard for 12 years to erase that debt I created solely bc I needed health insurance and wanted to pursue the career of my dreams. I wouldn’t go back and do anything differently because I’m proud of my journey but it’s insane I had to pay so much just to live. 7/

January 2020 was when I finally paid of my debt. First time debt free in my life. I was looking forward to starting to save for rainy days and retirement etc. or just not to have to penny pinch every second of my life or escape the weight of my debt in my day to day existence. 8/

There are so many stories like mine. And I realize that I’m also in a much better position than so many others. This country is failing its citizens. All that seems to matter are the wealthy and the corporations they run. My heart feels so heavy. 9/