whsprings

[whsprings]

This a a reminder to not fall victim to the sunk-cost fallacy. Just because you invested time and energy into something, does not mean you should indefinitely waste more time and energy on it, if you decide it’s not what you want anymore. This goes for anything, from books, to relationships, to jobs, to hobbies, etc.

If it’s not serving you anymore, move on.

[whsprings]

I feel like I should make a post about this because it’s not something that’s very well-known, and that Americans in particular may need to know about given the uncertain state of our healthcare system at the moment. I’ve wanted to write this out for a while, It’s kind of a long post, so sorry about that!

If you have an emergency and have to go to the hospital, you’ll owe the hospital a lot of money. (I got into a car wreck and broke my ankle and my arm. My hospital bill was around $20,000)

You’ll also owe the ambulance provider, if you need one. (My ambulance bill was about $800)

You may get separate bills from the anesthesiologist or surgeon. (My anesthesiologist bill was $1,700)

You may need follow-up appointments. (My orthopedic surgeon billed me for the appointments and his surgery together and it was about $1,000)

You’ve also got to pay for medical equipment you need afterward, like crutches or a walking boot. (Mine cost about $75)

Altogether, I ended up with almost $24,000 in medical debt from one car accident. That’s a really scary number for someone like me who makes $10/hr at a 12 hour a week job.

I got my debt down to $1075 by making some phone calls and submitting some paperwork.

The first thing I did was contact the hospital. They don’t make it easy to find, but many hospitals (perhaps most hospitals?) have financial assistance programs for people who can’t afford medical bills. I don’t make a lot of money, and I have bills to pay, so they were able to help me. I called the billing department and asked if they had any assistance programs for low income people who can’t pay their bills. I had to call multiple times, and I got transferred in circles by people who didn’t know what I was talking about. Finally, I got an appointment with someone in “Eligibility Services” (I don’t know what other hospitals call it, if it’s something different). I had to bring my pay stubs and copies of all of my bills. When I got to the hospital for the appointment, nobody knew what I was talking about so I had to wander a little to find where I needed to go. I spoke with the guy in Eligibility Services, and I waited for a decision on how much of the bill they would forgive. A month later, I got a call telling me it was totally forgiven.

I did the same thing for my ambulance bill and my anesthesiologist, but the process was a LOT easier. I just had to mail some paperwork and it was totally forgiven.

I didn’t bother with the medical equipment suppliers, since the bills came from separate companies and I didn’t feel like going through the process twice for $75. I was assured at the hospital that they had similar programs for debt forgiveness, so I could have probably avoided paying that too.

The only thing I couldn’t get taken care of was the surgeon/follow-up appointment cost, but they were able to put me on a no-interest payment plan.

Medical debt is scary because it’s something that can come from stuff that’s already really scary. I didn’t need the burden of $24,000 in debt on top of trying to get around on a crutch with a broken arm (it’s not easy, believe me!).. but I can’t imagine what it would be like with a bigger debt or a more severe medical emergency. I see lots of people in even worse trouble than I was in, both financially and medically. Please know that there are options for you when that GoFundMe doesn’t do enough. Even if your income is higher than mine, it’s worth a shot even for partial debt forgiveness.

[whsprings]

there are I think 8/25 of us in the current mileu who are BIPOC and I have never been in such a racially/ethnically diverse treatment situation at all ever. I am told it is a rare thing but I am also grateful to have ppl who Know and relate to similar issues. we have BIPOC process once a week and I always look forward to it. today I brought up the issue of traditional/ethnic foods being severely neglected in the recovery world. like, the number of times I have asked a dietitian about exchanges for a Mexican dish and have them respond with "try your best to figure it out" or "I'll have to get back to you" is ridiculous. and the foods served in treatment centers are often very white/eurocentric. the food my mom cooks or even what I cook doesn't always look like what I am taught to fit my meal plan. that's a problem not even just for me but for anyone who has multicultural roots. dietitians should be able to tell me basic information about my meal plan. bffr. I also wish that overall treatment centers would allow for more room for intersecting identities and marginalized communities and stop centering thin, cishet, white 18-22 year olds. goddamn.

#res adventures

[whsprings]

If you’re able to ask the question “what if I have body dysmorphia?” in response to my claim that no one needs to or should call themselves fat in pejorative way when they are not in fact fat, then you’re already acknowledging that you don’t belong to the class of people who are fat and who experience all the attendant abuses and discrimination. You know, at least in this moment, that what you have is a mental disorder, not a fat body. So I’m gonna go out on a limb and suggest that you practice saying “my body dysmorphia is really bad right now” instead of “I’m so fat.” You’ve already proven you can do it—the question is whether you care enough about other people to stop saying that their bodies are your living nightmare

[whsprings]

got my first meal plan increase since being here and I am 🫠🫠🫠

#res adventures

[whsprings]

Nice consequences, did your actions pick them out for you ?

[whsprings]

[whsprings]

You can get through this. I believe in you.

[whsprings]

Have you ever done cbt-e? I found it incredibly helpful! Difficult, but helpful!

I haven't, I haven't been anywhere or seen anyone that offers it

#answered

[whsprings]

if we ignore all the stuff that's gone wrong ive kind of had nothing but wins

[whsprings]

sorry i cant today i have to sit in my room take a deep breath and think about every mistake i have ever made

[whsprings]

Realistically I could never get rid of tumblr because it gives me the illusion of a community of strange young women all around my same age, all slowly figuring out how to live too

[whsprings]

this is how people talk about me

[whsprings]

I got my heart broken and I survived, I failed 3 courses in university and graduated, I got rejected in the very first job I applied for and got promoted yesterday, I went through hard times with my family but then two years later, we laughed our hearts out over lunch, The closest friends disappointed me several times but I made new friends and loved them with all my heart. I did it once, I can do it again.

[whsprings]

Help! (1964)

[whsprings]

I am so full of despair atm. like why am I here, trying, when nothing will get better and nothing will ever change and I am set in stone. my therapist said my perfectionism will make it extremely hard to get better and that I need to let go of it if I want to improve. then the fire alarm went off so I didn't actually hear how I am supposed to do that. idk. I want to purge the dinner I completed I want to go home to my apartment and my plants and my dog I don't want to gain weight I don't want nourishment I don't deserve it and and and

#cw// ed #cw// si #res adventures

[whsprings]

There will be bad days. Maybe a lot of them, maybe weeks and months, but that’s part of having a mental illness. That doesn’t mean you’re not recovering; you’re learning how to manage this stuff, you’re learning how to live and enjoy life even with the bad. You’re learning how to find the good, however small, however big, and focus on that rather than everything that’s going wrong. Even if you don’t think that you’re making progress, that you’re stuck in a rut, stick with it, I believe in you. :) You can do this. Just keep trying, keep going, and life has a way of repaying you when you least expect it.