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In Reply to: My story....Never thought it would happen to us. SM posted by Anon with laid-ff DH on May 07, 2009 at 06:49:40:
that. He went from making a fairly good wage (well for this area), to workers comp not even being enough to cover his child support. I had to step up and do what you are doing. I felt like a prisoner in my office space.
Some days I just couldn't sit there for another second. I'd sneak down the hall and just quietly watch him playing with our little one as he was being Mr. Mom while I worked.
Once released from WC, he couldn't go back to the same type of work. Had to take a job that paid half of what he was making before. He couldn't get his child support adjusted (long story, don't live in the state that holds the child support, neither does his ex, so they wouldn't adjust it without him filing a motion in court, lots of legal fees and paper work for that state). So, 60% of his check was going to child support, so in a sense, he was bringing home what roughly 25% (if my math is correct) of his original pay. It SUCKS!!!! Here, nearly 2 years out, he has had some small pay raises, but still NO WHERE NEAR what he was making before being injured.
I'm tired of being chained to this desk. We are surviving and every once in a while we get to live a bit. We have what we need now, at times we didn't have that either. Once in a blue moon, we get something we or the kids want (usually the kids are the one that gets a want).
We have no emergency fund right now, maybe some day we will again. We did just pay off our one car and was able to get a 2nd vehicle (after nearly 7 years with only 1 car) at one of those buy here pay here lots...high interest, but payments are only $200/month.
Life sure can change in the blink of an eye, and until you've gone through it, you can't understand how it can happen that easily.
Here's to all of us in the same boat...may our burdens get lighter. It HAS to start looking up soon right?!