First week of unemployment

I had the echo cardio gram Monday. The tech seemed to think my heart was working fine, but I'll know more Monday when Dr. Kaplan shares the results with me. I have Herceptin Monday, then I'm seeing my shrink. It's good timing. I go from hopeful to hopeless one day to the next.

My biggest concern right now is insurance. It expires at the end of March, so I have two weeks to figure out what I'm going to do. When I was laid off from the CdA Mess I went without insurance for a long time, but that's not an option in my current world of ongoing treatment and one more surgery coming up.

Let's just say I basically despise the woman in charge of HR at Sound Publishing. She's a cold hearted bitch. I'm still waiting for the information on Cobra, so I left her two phone messages, and finally got an e-mail that the information is "in the mail" but it looks like it's going to be $550-$600 a month. My unemployment is going to be $204 weekly. Yeah, right.

I have my investments, but I swear, if I ever end up totally broke, I'll check out.

I'm scared to go back on BHCCP, which is Medicaid, for fear of them going after my savings. The wonderful social worker I've been working with at Swedish says they can't go after assets unless I'm dead, but I've got an attorney and my financial guy looking into it.

Meantime, I'm having my will updated just in case I die in the next surgery, or get hit by a Mac truck or whatever. And there are people out there who don't think we need radical health care reform? Seriously?

I've applied for seven jobs so far, so basically one a day since I've been unemployed, and I am hopeful with regard to one in particular where I have a connection. At least I know more people this time. I'm no longer the "New Girl in Town," as this blog started out.

My ukulele playing continues to amuse me, in fact I'm going to the Fremont monthly jam again tomorrow. I am also working on a book. In addition, I came up with a rather entrepreneurial idea last night that involves music, but that's all I want to say right now.

And I took some time out Thursday for some retail therapy at the newly relocated Nordstrom Rack downtown, and got a few nice things relatively cheap! I bought a dress, thinking I'll get a job I can wear it to soon. It's pretty, and the neckline doesn't reveal all my battle scars.

This coming Thursday I'm headed to Idaho to see my son, and my old peeps over there. I am looking forward to this. I haven't been over there for a year. I was too weak to make the drive. I'll be staying at my friend Erica's, who has the cutest little two-year-old girl ever, Miss Quinn. Erica is having a little gathering for me, with some of my old compadres from the Spokesman-Review, which I'm really looking forward to. Taylor and I are going skiing on the Sunday I'm there. And I'll see lots of other people.

I'm so happy for Taylor! He's doing really well in firefighter training, and has a job interview the 29th of the month with the Idaho Dept. of Lands to fight wild fires this summer (which sort of scares the crap out of momma) but it will be good experience and good pay.

I'm just going to a movie tonight. Maybe I'll stop and have one drink for St. Patrick's Day after the show. But tomorrow night is a friend's birthday party, and I have to watch my entertainment spending now. Although I already do have tickets for two concerts and one Broadway Play which were already bought and paid for before the lay off. I've got to have some sort of a life!