Wow, finally a board with some truly nice people. Thanks for all the encouragement and I will keep you all updated. Meanwhile, I've got a lot of reading to do. 
Welcome Violet. Feel free to start a new thread with all the details, so that the incredibly intelligent people on this forum can assist you. GL.
Starting Score: 469
Hi, violet, copy/ paste is your friend! Copy your post (the one several posts up), and then click "General Credit Issues" up at the top. When you get back to that main page again, you will see a button up toward the left that says "New Message." Click on that and paste your original message in the large white text box. Then click in the box that says "Message subject" and entire a subject/ title. It's helpful to put something specific here, rather than "newbie here" or something. You might use something like Should I delete closed credit cards?
Alternatively, you can skip the copy/ paste and just click the "New Message" button and go on from there. Don't do like me and type in a subject and hit "enter." That will result in a lovely, but empty white post. I can't tell you how many of these I've created and then deleted.
After you type in your subject, just move your cursor down to the message body. (I think tab will work too, not sure.)
Alternatively, you can skip the copy/ paste and just click the "New Message" button and go on from there. Don't do like me and type in a subject and hit "enter." That will result in a lovely, but empty white post. I can't tell you how many of these I've created and then deleted.
After you type in your subject, just move your cursor down to the message body. (I think tab will work too, not sure.)
2 things - #1 - I recenty settled an acct with Cap1 - B-careful- they reported it as recently paid but still derogatory with a balance, not legally settled for less than full balance, am still fighting that one!!!
#2 - my son fell back on his cc acct with Cap 1- we called and got on a hardship program, got some late and over-the-limit charges credited, made a lump payment and now have a payment due by March of $150 to get the balance back under his limit. Did receive a letter from them stating this agreement so maybe you could work something like this out with them. This was before it was in the "charged-off" state, I don't know if you have reached that point yet, I hope so, it is so much easier to fix!! Good Luck!!