Really need help.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-09-2008
Really need help.
2
Tue, 09-09-2008 - 4:05pm

I really need some advice. I am a 42 year old woman who has hit rock bottom financially. Here is my story. Married an emotionally abusive man who took over my entire life. Finally got out of it. Bad divorce, years of stalking. Still goes on. After the divorce enrolled in school, finally paid my car off, mobile home was paid for, enjoying my young son. Then, bam, another vehicle backs out onto main road and broadsides me. Totaled my car, gave me a severe concussion, neck and back injuries, luckily my son only suffered minor cuts and scrapes. Couple of months later, developed a mastoid ear infection, no insurance, ended up in the emergency room. Then it progressed to pnuemecocial spinal meningitis. Almost died. 6 months later my knee, had a torn ACL, finally gave out. Had to take off from work again to have it repaired. Had bought a small truck with insurance money I received. He only had limited insurance, mine had to pay my medical bills. My rates went up. Very week I get off crutches, and am to return to school and work, a girl looses control of her car and hit me head on. Kills her. Breaks 8 of my ribs, crushed my right lower leg, foot hanging by skin only, more injury to my neck and back, plus internal injuries. She has no insurance. I spend 9 years having reconstruction surgery. 30 surgeries with complications in 9 years. My mobile home is falling down around me, no money to fix it. Took me a year to get my full disability. Didn't have any problems getting it but had to us the back pay to pay for medical expenses and buy a vehicle to get back and forth to doctors. A lot of my medical wasn't covered for one reason or another. Only receive $653 a month disability and $4 supplemental. Got tired of doing without and tried to return to work. Ended up homeless after my mobile home's wiring caught fire. Have been living with my Dad and sister for the last year. Other vehicle blew the engine. Managed to get a loan with my Dad as a cosigner for another vehicle. It has been broke down half the time I have owned it. Still owe $2,000 to the bank. Credit not good. Had a student loan I got behind on. Medical bills, credit card, fingerhut account, all got behind while I was recovering.

Tried to go back to work even though my doctor's where against it. Ended up spending all the money I earned before my medical problems caused me to have to stop work again trying to keep a vehicle running. Not to mention support my son who is now 19 and just got his first job. My sister has mental problems and has bankrupted my Dad. Dad is sticking his head in the sand. She steals my money, sneaks into my room and goes through everything, generally makes my life miserable. My Dad tries to treat me like I am 12 years old and constantly puts me down. I am spending every dime I get trying to get ahead or keeping their household up. Tried to get help to get out of here. Living on second floor, no airconditioning, no heat for winter, have trouble managing steps, no bathroom upstairs, old house. Only downstairs has been kept up. Upstairs was boxed off until I moved in. No low income loan company will help me because my credit score is low and I don't have enough income between car payment, insurance, and a small loan I had to take out to get repairs done on my vehicle. This doesn't count the money Dad borrowed against my wishes to replace the engine in my vehicle.

My Dad and sister seem to be trying to keep me here. My son drove my vehicle and said it was making a noise again so they took the engine apart. A new engine that has only been in the vehicle for 6 months. Now they couldn't find anything wrong but they keep putting off putting it back together. I can't get to my appointments. Will be having another surgery soon and dread living here and trying to recover. I have applied for an apartment at a low income housing place but there is a waiting list. I am also afraid they will see my expenses, $350 a month, plus insurance every 3 months, and decide I can't pay for an apartment. I don't know what to do. I have gotten behind on the personal loan because of all the money I am loosing here. I have an appointment with my bank to try and work something out. My total debt is $15,000. Not much but it seems like a mountain from here.
I did finally get the student loan paid off. Thought I had my credit score going up. Went from 375 back to 675 not great but a start. Now, with trying to get a low income loan and applying for mobile home loans, plus getting behind on the car payment 3 months, got that caught up though, and got behind on my personal loan, my credit score has dropped to 601 or lower. I don't know what to do. Tried to find debt counseling in my area but no luck. They all want big fees. How do others on disability do it? I have got to get out of here or I am going to loose my mind. And I have got to get these debts down. I want to sell my vehicle and get enough to pay it off and find something cheaper on insurance. Just an older vehicle in good shape that parts don't cost an arm and a leg for but Dad co-signed and keeps throwing fits on me every time I mention it. I don't know what to do.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2007
Tue, 09-09-2008 - 4:44pm

You may not like what I am about to say but here goes You need to find an apartment that the government pays a part of your rent. There is a beautiful high rise down the strret from me it is

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2006
Tue, 09-09-2008 - 6:17pm

I'm very sorry to hear about your difficulties.


I would suggest you explore your options with a bankruptcy attorney.