Janet, Yer not in the street yet, so please don't give up hope : )

[Guest guest]

Get out a phone book and call every Social Worker listed in the book, even those

in private practice doing counseling. They will know things you can do and

agencies you can go to and perhaps even people at those agencies who will be the

more sympathetic ear. Go to your kid's school and make some kind of

arrangements. Arrange for a women's shelter if you have to for the weeks to

come. Sleep in a neighbor's yard or family or friend's yard. Get someone to

give you a tent or loan you their camper. Buy or borrow a tarp and clothesline

if you have to and make your own shelter. Do whatever you can to survive.

That's what these circumstances are asking of us. And remember: Nothing you are

going through is permanent. And even if some of our health problems are

permanent, then part of our process is to learn how to cope and get help for

them. We've all been through what you are going through. I had to move 9 times

last year...and have been in the street and so what? Many of us are still in

the thick of it, but we're still here to tell you that we're still here and

we're not letting this awful spin of fate crush us and what's left of our lives!

: )

Oh, and hey, you may even be able to go see a SW for counseling for free. You

need an ear of a professional with compassion who can direct you through the

social aid process with the dignity you deserve. Don't get bogged down with the

knowledge you are out of resources in two weeks. At least you know where you

are at and have TIME to deal with it. I went from flush to flushed in less than

a month and I've been out of resources for 15 months and somehow, I'm making

it--just barely, but there it is...and I moved 9 times in the last year and lost

everything I owned and worked a lifetime for and my friends, family, pets, cars,

savings, EVERYTHING having to do with my health and my looks. I look a good 20

years older from the last year, but I'm still here. : ) Life isn't what's on

the outside. I know you know that and if you don't, you are about to. Some

days are pure hell still, but some days are better, and at this point, I'll take

that and be grateful for it. I am different in better and worse ways, but

that's just how it is, isn't it? And just think about all those folks who just

lost everything from the tidal wave? They got NO WARNING, SO YOU ARE LUCKY.

You have two weeks to make a plan and get set for what your next move is.

Remember: YOU ARE HIGHER ON THE FOOD CHAIN THAN MOLD AND YOU ARE NOT A VICTIM.

You have been harmed by something outside of yourself, so don't continue the

punishment for goodness sakes by saying you are in the street and your daughter

is out of school when you aren't yet there. YOU ARE A VICTOR if you should

choose to be, and don't let the mold win, so get up and get going on the next

step for yourself. What else can you do? Let the gloomies win? No way! And

if you are too down to do it for yourself, and I've been there too, lol, then

get some kind of help from someone who can go to the agencies for you or with

you or leave where you are and go to a relative or friend and have them help

you. You'd do that for a friend or family wouldn't you?

We've all been there, same as you and at any moment, our lives could turn again

and have us out in the street too, but we can't think of that or we'd be lost!

Each of our lives has irrevocably been changed, and we gotta own that and go on

to what's next and let go of who we were and what we had. IT'S GONE. It's up

to us to eventually take all the horror and change into a better direction than

our past life was in, no matter how impossible that may seem to all of us,

myself included right this moment. See, I get a pep talk outta this for

myownself, lol. (I just had a dreadful health setback that I almost let get the

better of me last night until I decided to keep choosing to go on...) And for

goodness sakes, just be an example to your daughter if nothing else. You can

and keep her in school for goodness sakes! Talk to fin aid and let them know

what's what. There is always a way if you don't take NO for an answer. There

are emergency scholarships and payment plans and if not, ask them to make one

for you because of your emergency situation. I've had to ask for things I'd

have never pictured myself doing before... And know, we all feel your pain and

we all know how gosh darn awful it is to lose it all. It probably worse knowing

you are losing it than actually losing it... That said, all is not really lost

no matter how bad it is. Forget about the material stuffiness. Try to see what

you still have in your life of value (yourself, your daughter and your and her

futures) and try not to focus on what all you are losing and have already lost.

That's the only way you will stay sane through all of this. So get better, not

bitter. : )

best--Jaybird