You know what, fuck it, let’s talk about money and #CripTax for a second. I have the blessing of a full time job with benefits, which I am incredibly grateful for.
Let’s talk about where that income goes, starting with rent.
Let’s talk about where that income goes, starting with rent.
I have to pay for an accessible apartment near my care team and close enough to buses and metro that I can get to work. My apartment ramp sucks, and even THAT apartment is well over 1k a month.
No, I can’t enter through the front door, don’t be silly.
No, I can’t enter through the front door, don’t be silly.
Next, let’s talk food! I can’t cook well. I order a lot of delivery, but have weaned down to about half half. I can easily spend $500 a month on food.
Yes, I also wish I could cook. No, my kitchen can’t fit my powerchair. No, ARFID won’t let me live on sandwiches alone.
Yes, I also wish I could cook. No, my kitchen can’t fit my powerchair. No, ARFID won’t let me live on sandwiches alone.
Now the fun stuff: DOCTORS. I run through my deductible in 6 months easy, and I have an FSA so that isn’t taxed. That FSA does come out of my income though, and I use up that $2,600 FAST, and still have more expenses after, like wheelchair repair, Ubers to doctors and parking.
This doesn’t touch stuff like ice packs, vitamins, dog food-things that are necessary but not healthcare.
I can afford to put away $100-$200 a month. That’s barely anything.
Now let’s talk about shit that would dramatically improve my life: namely a hypermobility powerchair.
I can afford to put away $100-$200 a month. That’s barely anything.
Now let’s talk about shit that would dramatically improve my life: namely a hypermobility powerchair.
This is it. It’s $21,000, and I can almost guarantee you that when insurance has to look at me for a chair again in four years they won’t approve. https://twitter.com/snoringdoggo/status/1299943762123206657">https://twitter.com/snoringdo...
The add on features seem frivolous to an outsider, but to me they’d make a dramatic difference. I could buy groceries alone again, without hurting myself. I could go on the metro late at night without someone having to tackle my current chair aboard. I could have long nights.
My new diagnoses also mean that tilt could make me pass out a lot less
That’s not realistic for me to save up for. It wouldn’t get crowdfunded. I’m too small an account for that.
That’s not realistic for me to save up for. It wouldn’t get crowdfunded. I’m too small an account for that.
It’s the same thing with eventually getting a wheelchair van so I can fulfill my dream road trips-it isn’t happening with the amount of money I can reasonably save.
And I’m GENUINELY LUCKY to get by, I want to emphasize that, I’m incredibly fucking lucky. I’m grateful.
And I’m GENUINELY LUCKY to get by, I want to emphasize that, I’m incredibly fucking lucky. I’m grateful.
But it hurts, sometimes. It’s stressful. When my needs changed, so did the equipment I needed. We just aren’t set up to make that change and it frustrates me