Loss of Financial Security
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has cost people their financial
freedom. Physical and mental
incapacity can cause people with CFS to lose their jobs or be forced to reduce
work hours. Besides jobs bringing
in an income, it often provides medical coverage. Working in itself is brings
satisfaction, provides idenitity and relationships.
When a loss of income occurs due to a chronic illness such as
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, finances become a pressure.
Frequently medical expenses will occur and become overwhelming.
In my own personal situation with my wife being ill with CFS, we occur
over $10,000 a year in out of pocket medical expenses.
Typically these medical expenses include minimum co-payments for doctors
visits and prescriptions, as well as deductables.
With a lose of my wife's income, and being forced to a one income
household, paying for medical expenses has become impossible.
Often the sick spouse feels guilt or a burdeon in these situations.
Besides medical bills causing a financial strain on families,
new expenses can occur when a family member becomes ill.
Services that where once able to be performed such as housecleaning and
food preperation, often require outside paid help now that the ill family member
is no longer able to participate in these activities.
During these times of financial struggle, people with CFS
sometimes push themselves to work beyond their ability in order to bring in an
income. Often this decision causes
relapses in their illness.
It is not unusual for family members to want to help out.
This can sometimes be done either through assisting in chores or through
financial support. At times, the
only option for people with CFS is to move back home with their parents.
To make ends meet, people with CFS will seek out any
financial alternatives possible. Ellis,
a person living with CFS, use to be the bread winner in the family and
progressively became unable to work. She
has been living off of her credit cards and is now in debt cause of it.
She also did an early IRA withdrawal since her medical bills are 7% of
her fiancé's annual gross income.
Loss of financial freedom will make those living with
CFS take a deeper look at finances. Money
becomes precious and ways of making the most of it is required.
Below are some suggestions on ways of cutting back on expenses to make
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