Husband has leukemia

kja65 · ‎08-20-2012

My husband has been battling leukemia for the last year with no good results and now needs a stem cell transplant, scheduled for 2 weeks. He is self employed as an auto mechanic and will not be able to work for possibly 9 to 12 months. Are they any options so we don't lose everything we have worked so hard for. He is not eligible for disablity insurance because he is self employed. I have no idea where to start. I can make our mortgage payments on my salary but everything else is going to be really tight. I talked to Ford Motor Credit and they pretty much told me too bad we won't do anything for you. While he is in the hospital for 3 months I will have to work my full time job and try to run his business. Any suggestions????????

llecs · ‎08-20-2012

@kja65 wrote:
My husband has been battling leukemia for the last year with no good results and now needs a stem cell transplant, scheduled for 2 weeks. He is self employed as an auto mechanic and will not be able to work for possibly 9 to 12 months. Are they any options so we don't lose everything we have worked so hard for. He is not eligible for disablity insurance because he is self employed. I have no idea where to start. I can make our mortgage payments on my salary but everything else is going to be really tight. I talked to Ford Motor Credit and they pretty much told me too bad we won't do anything for you. While he is in the hospital for 3 months I will have to work my full time job and try to run his business. Any suggestions????????

Sorry that's happening.

Forget about credit and forget about your FICO score. It doesn't matter. Focus on survival. I'd get on a written budget and prioritize your expenses with housing, food, utilities first on that list, and let everything else fall in place. I'd put CCs and other unsecured debt last on your list. I'd also tap into any assets you might have like savings or investments and at least consider moving them to where you can get cash if you had to, but keeping taxability in mind. If items like the car don't fit into the budget, then I'd consider selling that too. You can always downgrade without worrying about payments and buy again once he's better.

Duncanrr · ‎08-20-2012

Leukemia Society: http://www.lls.org/waystohelp/

Leukemia Research Foundation (if you live in Chicago area - also you can contact them to see if they know someone in your area) http://www.leukemia-research.org/page.aspx?pid=298

I would do a quick search on google for Leukemia help bills....it generates a number of hits. Also, you can contact your local church, radio/tv station. I agree with other poster's comments to focus on health but dont ignore bills especially if they are a detriment to yalls health.

Duncan

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chryanna · ‎08-20-2012

Hi,

I'm not sure which options you've already considered, as I know that you've been dealing with this a while. But your husband is probably entitled to social security disability- especially after he receives the stem cell transplant. If SS decides his disability began before the stem cell transplant, you're even eligible for lump sum backpay, which might help alleviate the financial burden considerably. Social security disability is different from disability insurance. As self-employed, he should have been paying into social security every year (actually, he probably pays more to social security than you do, since he has to pay both the employer and employee portion). There are some eligibility criteria, but just as long as he's worked over half time in recent history, that should be enough. See chart from ssa.gov and leukemia disability guidelines, excerpted below:

Rules for work needed for the "recent work test"

*If you become disabled ...*	*Then you generally need:*
In or before the quarter you turn age 24	1.5 years of work during the three-year period ending with the quarter your disability began.
In the quarter after you turn age 24 but before the quarter you turn age 31	Work during half the time for the period beginning with the quarter after you turned 21 and ending with the quarter you became disabled. Example: If you become disabled in the quarter you turned age 27, then you would need three years of work out of the six-year period ending with the quarter you became disabled.
In the quarter you turn age 31 or later	Work during five years out of the 10-year period ending with the quarter your disability began.

13.06 Leukemia. (See 13.00K2.)

A. Acute leukemia (including T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma). Consider under a disability until at least 24 months from the date of diagnosis or relapse, or at least 12 months from the date of bone marrow or stem cell transplantation, whichever is later. Thereafter, evaluate any residual impairment(s) under the criteria for the affected body system.

OR

B. Chronic myelogenous leukemia, as described in 1 or 2:

1. Accelerated or blast phase. Consider under a disability until at least 24 months from the date of diagnosis or relapse, or at least 12 months from the date of bone marrow or stem cell transplantation, whichever is later. Thereafter, evaluate any residual impairment(s) under the criteria for the affected body system.

2. Chronic phase, as described in a or b:

a. Consider under a disability until at least 12 months from the date of bone marrow or stem cell transplantation. Thereafter, evaluate any residual impairment(s) under the criteria for the affected body system.

b. Progressive disease following initial antineoplastic therapy.

Also, don't neglect looking at organizations that can help with the cost of medicine or cancer socieities that provide direct financial assistance, or agree to cover what is not paid by insurance. Look to your church and community for additional funds, and don't be afraid of the internet and other publication methods. These can be helpful for fundraising as well as making sure your creditors are understanding. Creditors insisting on their full legal rights in these situations are vulnerable to a backlash of negative public opinion.

If you do start a donation site, please post the link here. I'd like to help. If you'd like any help researching or pursuing any of these funding options, I'm happy to help with that, too.

Take heart and good health to you and your husband.

Anonymous · ‎08-20-2012

+1 to all of the previous suggestions...my daughter had cancer as an infant and trying to navigate that plus a job and bills was absolutely the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

I would also suggest seeing if the hospital at which he's being treated has a social worker that works with oncology patients. They can be a wealth of information about resources in your area. American Cancer Society also might be able to steer you in the right direction, and depending on where you live can sometimes provide supportive services as well.

But honestly? Work on just getting through, and you can repair the credit later if you have to. Sending my best to you both.