Advice requested (long an serious, sorry)

Member

I have an idea. However, I would appreciate advice and any input that all of you fine people could offer.

1) My feet are in desperate need of surgery. If I don't get this done ASAP, I'll end up with another emergency surgery similar to what occurred in October. SO, that has to be done, and will be covered for the most part other than the co-pay under our family health. I kept myself covered under Larry and did not switch to individual because I saw the future with the job situation coming and did not want to wait another year.

2) The GP I have keeps pushing me to the podiatrist who did the emergency surgery on my right foot, which is now in worse shape than it has been EVER, other than the fact that the bone infection is gone. Whether this is his fault or only the gradual degeneration of the joints and bones and nerves due to the arthritis/bunions/Morton's Neuroma is not something I even care to fight about. I just want it fixed.
The GP is unable to recommend an orthopedist in Miami/Palm Beach Area that is covered under Cigna (our health plan). I keep searching, but most of the docs on the website have dropped Cigna, or are out of network, which means a 50% co-pay on about $60 - 90,000 minimum total. Additionally, they will require a substantial payment for the beginning X-rays/MRI's, as the podiatrist who did the other surgery will not release them.

3) We can't get out of here without two incomes. So, I have to at least have some form on $$ coming in. I have a potential, respected and established (very important down here, BTW) employer interested. However, in good consciense I feel that I cannot start a new job without letting the prospective employer know that I will be out for a month, very soon into the beginning of my employment.

So, I need surgery immediately, but am having extreme difficulty finding a dr, we need to leave here, so we need money, but I HAD to quit that job or I would have lost my mental health and possibly my marriage, which is my first priority. SO I need to find an additional income source. BUt, I want to write full-time. I tried writing for one of the papers down here when we first moved, but didn't get paid until after about three months of phone calls. I'm not a good nag, so I don't want that mess again.
While I am a former CPA, I am NOT licensed in the state of FL, and to acheive that goal before tax time is impossible, since I have done the research. I'm not comfortable doing anything more than the most basic family and business tax returns as I have not worked in public accounting and more importantly tax in about 7 years.

So do I take a job for another month or so, get the surgery, and then keep working so we get out ASAP? We can't and will NOT go through another hurricane season here. Also, we want to try start a baby. We do NOT want to do that in this environment, for our own reasons.
Or do I just go back to the podiatrist or find the quickest orthopedist who will take me (with which I am NOT having any luck) and get the surgery done this month (hopefully, it may not even happen that quickly) and then look for work and possibly put us off movng even longer.

The lack of bonus which I was expecting based on what was given last year really hurt. That would have bumped us up to Charleston in a much bigger hurry.

I'm thinking of puting out an ad for a dog-walker/sitter, excpet for th condition of my feet because frienda are always asking me to watch their dogs, and I am in fact doing so for one now.

Or an errand girl. Spoiled rich people coming for season don't want to always do their own shopping. Or party planning. I am GREAT at that and know a fair amount of people, as does Larry who could give me an advantage. But then, I'd have to take off for the surgery also.

I can't see the forest for trees at this point. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please let me know.

At this point we are now cutting out ANY dining out, Happy Hours, drinking at home other than an occasional glass of wine, expensive haircuts/spa stuff for me (I'll do it myself), no new clothes purchases, me riding my bike as much as possible everywhere to save gas (I'm trying to get LArry on the bike thing as well, but for "professional" resaons, he can't do it on certain day when he is dressed up as their are no shower facilities where he works), no more credit card purchases, no carry-out food, no dry-cleaning (I'll hand-launder). ANy other cost-saving ideas?

Or do I wait to have the surgery until we move and risk
1) having a new employer's insurance disallow it
2) having potential more serious health issues, including another emergency surgery and possible permanent disability (which I don't think will happen, but I've already got some major nerve damage issues from the last surgery).

Help! I would love to take as much time off doing my own things as I have dicussed above and writing. No one might ever even care to publish my book, but I will never know unless I make the effort. If I was able to have it published and sell, then not only would I be content with my new career choice, but I could expand our opportunities as a family as an added benefit, possibly. I have to do this, or I will kick myself forever not knowing what could have been.

I am pretty sure that right now I am so confused that I am making no sense.

Larry has agreed to support what I do regardless, but he wants me to have my foot surgery first.

Another option is that I could get only the worst one done now and then get the other done at a later date, risking the chance that more emergency type surgery is necessary for the remaining foot.

If we had better health insurance, this would not be an issue. At least our insurance in Columbus offered more providers, including all of the specialists at OSU, which, in my little opinion is one of the best teaching facilities in this country for sports medicine, among other medical specialties. Unfortunately, decent health insurance in Monroe COunty FL is nearly impossible to find, nor is it possible to find a provider accepting it.

I appreciate any help or just advice, and if nothing else, thanks for the vent.

Member

First... my sympathy at having to deal with so much stuff. It can't be easy to deal with day after day (month after month).

Second, I think the doctor search is difficult no matter where you are... it all has to do with your level of confidence in that doc. If you can feel moderately comfortable, I'd choose to do that first. I remember all the pain you were in as a result of needing emergency surgery.

your favorite weapon

welllll... i kinda had trouble figuring all that out at the end.

but - i suggest working for a month, getting your money, getting your sugery, getting out, and starting out after with the new job hunt.

it's bad form to take a job and then leave for surgery. the fact of the matter is you're in a situation where you have to put yourself first. don't be afraid to work the system a bit if you have to. it's not against the law, not all. you need some money, so do what you have to.

if you think you could do that errand thing or something else non-committal- then go for that.

don't wait. get the money somehow (quikie job/temporary self employed/writing/whatever), get the surgery, get out, and get on with the baby and everything else you want to have.

i don't think you'll be happy otherwise....

just remember it's your health and your family. don't be afraid to hurt someone's feelings in order to get out of what sounds like a bad situation.

corporations don't cry for long... and most wouldn't care about cutting you lose if they had to. y'know?

hopefully you find a way to get the money in a way you feel good about it.

Member

my thoughts. seriously, I would not let a podiatrist perform surgery, no way, no how. Get your gp to put that an orthopaedic surgeon is required. Get it done. If cigna doesn't have an ortho within driveable distance....they've got a seriously problem and you can talk it up with them later. Get the surgery with someone you trust and worry about bills, etc later. If you have to play hardball with insurance company, so be it. (insurance companies hate bad publicity). When you get the doctor bills that cigna doesn't pay, call the doctor's office and set up a plan to pay. Send him/her x amount every month like clockwork....they don't WANT to hire a collector as the collector has an upfront fee and then takes 50% of what he gets....so most docs will accept little checks every month.

Where do you have a current CPA license? Also, in the time that you are laid up maybe consider studying and sitting for an actuarial exam. I'm going to assume that someone that can pass a CPA can pass the first actuary exam. Then you can apply for a job at cigna.......no seriously, if you have ongoing health concerns.....you're gong to want a job at a big company. Big company = no underwriting.

I just got off the phone with an underwriter. She was asking about claims from 2001. Freaking myopia???? Of course at that point, I knew she wasn't an underwriter. I wanted to ask if they had an positions open Smile

My point is small groups get underwritten to death. On my current policy, they won't cover pregnancies. Hello? my youngest is 9 and I'm 41......and my husband had a vasectomy!!!!!!!!

sorry for the rambling.....just my thoughts.

Member

PS: WI wants you back!!

Cool

Member

I don't know if this helps but here's two thoughts:

Is it that hard to find a care provider thru your ins co? I have Oxford and the website has a pretty good search feature for providers by location/specialty/etc. Heck just calling cust service and asking them for Drs in your area might help.

You're in FL but licensed in another state? The state of FL may only require you to register in FL, even though you're licensed in another state. And even that step may be unnecessary. Tax prep doesn't require a license, and if you get a staff position in a CPA firm on the audit side of things it won't be required, either (unless they offer you a partnership position!) Here in NY firms are begging for experienced accountants. Even with tax season about to start I'm sure you could find a job in accounting tomorrow w/o any problems.

Whatever you decide to do I hope it all works out.

Member

I am certified as a CPA, and no longer licensed, in Ohio. I was licensed for a time when I was working for PWC.

I live on a small island in the FLorida Keys. Monroe County health insurance rates are ridiculous and being as this is a smaller area of Florida and you are pretty much screwed if you need to see a doctor for an emergency, they do NOT have to accept insurance.

I also would prefer to not go back to work for another firm, not that there is more than 1 within 30 miles of my home (which means a minimum 45 min commute here, in a car). They offered me a job when I first moved here. Perhaps I shuld have taken it rather than doing what I chose, but they are so small that they have already found another person.

Sue, I'd love to go back to WI, were it not for 2 important issues

1) My insane family lives there

2) It's too frixking cold. In the summer, yes.

Ironically, one of the reasons we moved here was to get away from the cold and damp and help both my and at the time, more importantly Larry's (since his hips were at the time in worse shape than my feet) arthritis. For whatever reason, this climate made both of our health issues in that area worse. It DID clear up my allergies!

Also, Sue, you are dead on about the podiatrist. My right foot is worse than it has EVER been since the surgery. I can fit into about four pairs of shoes, only Merrell sandals and clogs, and whatever he did to it has damaged the nerves so badly that I wake up at night feeling as though my toes have been stuck into a socket, and I am NOT a pain wimp. (For clarification on that one ask genie or Morph or j1miller). I had no choice about the surgery but to get it from him, as there was no one else here and I could have lost part of my foot due to the bone infection.

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts and ideas, and support. I think and hope that I can figure out enough to do on my own to remain self-employed with possible part-time for anpther. I know enough to handle the 1099 situation that will result from that.

And guess what? I have just found out that I am skilled enough at typing to get this written with no power other than a candle and my laptop light.

(People, that's a joke. We all know my typing sucks.)

Advice requested (long an serious, sorry)

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