This was written towards the end of 1994.
When I had my surgery in August, I had to pay $9980 up front. To get to that figure, I had to borrow against my Certificate of Deposit ($3000) and my AT&T Universal Card ($1500). Originally, I expected a $4490 refund from insurance, but the school changed insurance companies 40 days before my surgery to one that didn't cover the operation. In addition, some friends sent me $700 to live on until I got my September paycheck (since the school refused me medical leave and I didn't get paid at the end of August). I survived that period and was back on my feet enough this month to buy a car (runs great :) ).
But buying the car was top priority since I was going to go crazy stuck here without it...I'll be scraping by for the rest of this month. I still don't have a home computer (low priority for now...however inconvenient it is to have to come to school whenever I want to access the net). Nor can I afford the electrolysis that I probably need to have done (again...I get by without it because it is low priority). What I do need to have done is the second operation. While it is mostly cosmetic (usually, in my case I need to have it done so that I can urinate correctly and so that my clitoris can get some protection (sorry to be indelicate). Since I bought the car, considering what I will have to pay monthly for it and the insurance, and considering that I am going to San Francisco over xmas break (mostly paid for by my department, since I am going to be at a math conference, but I will have to have money to spend before the conference starts), and considering the normal bills I have and the money I need to pay in ransom for my Certificate of Deposit in April, I was pretty much resigned to the fact that I would not be able to have this surgery until next summer.
Then yesterday, out of the blue, I got notification in the mail of a pre-approved master card from JCPenney National Bank, with a credit limit of $2000. Since the surgery is $2700, I'm all set...so I'm scheduling the surgery for spring break. :) And I'll be able to use the CD for its intended purpose of paying for my relocation to wherever I end up.
Yes, it means more debt for me, but I really don't mind being in debt if it's my debt...it irks me still that I am paying off on my ex's credit cards over a year after our divorce (but this too shall eventually pass).