The System is Broken

My companion is a politically minded guy.  He is a Bernie Sanders supporter, while I am not into any candidate.  I might write myself in.  The point is that this system that we have right now is broken.  I can attest to that because of the cost of living and healthcare.

A year ago today, I spent a few hours in crisis intervention.  It has taken me a year to pay off that bill for the simple reason that they billed the wrong insurance....3 times.  Now that it's fixed, I paid the balance off on my credit card which I will reimburse myself with my HSA.  The thing that irks me is that healthcare is way too expensive.  A blood test at the hospital should not cost $1000.  That is ludicrous.  In comparison with other industrialized countries, we have to pay for an ER visit.  Other countries with socialized medicine on some scale is paid for by taxes and/or covered by the insurance completely.  The cost of hospitals might also be the reason why Urgent Care clinics have popped up more frequently.  The downside is that these clinics can't fix everything.  They can't really do crisis intervention.

While I work 40 hours a week and tutor, I cannot afford my own cost of living on my own.  Part of that was heavy debt from living on my own for the first time.  The electric bill was the worst along with car repairs on a dying car.  The car is at least 1/5th of my credit card debt.  Due to all this, I don't do as many social activities as I would like.  I don't go to movies anymore because it costs too much.  I don't go out to bars or dinner a lot because I don't want people to pay for me.  I also had to cut out fresh fish because it's too expensive. 

I do plan to fix my finances in the next few years.  It does take a while to pay off debt.  I have gone off Pristiq, which is saving me $250 a year and I don't have to see that doctor anymore either, which is a $400 savings as well.  Like I said, healthcare in this country is still too expensive.  The healthcare reform act did not do enough to make healthcare affordable.  I don't know how people with worse chronic health issues can afford to live. 

There are still good things in my life.  I just have to work at getting to them more.  I have to look into free or low cost alternatives to get my social life back together.  I do a lot of stuff with my companion, who doesn't mind paying.  I make up for that by cooking for him and foot massages.  I do have some very supportive friends as well.  I'd rather just spend time with people then go out and spend money with them.  I'm not really a home-body, but debt has made me one. 

After getting debt in check, the last major obstacle of overcoming the trauma is getting my weight in check.  Moving forward at a turtle's pace.

Fixing Things

I've been working on fixing parts of my life.  The primary focus at the moment is my health.  However, I have a huge challenge there: sugar.  I have a major sweet tooth, which is partially why I am so heavy.  It looks like I will have to learn moderation and cut out soda.  With Thyroid issues, many people crave salty foods, which can cause blood pressure issues.  I've never had major cravings for salty food.  I have to continue teaching myself how to eat healthy.

The other thing I have to do to fix my life is work out.  Now that I'm no longer on Pristiq, I need something to keep the dopamine and norepinepherine up.  I have to figure out some type of routine where I can get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise in at least 4 days a week.  I also need the weight to go down because I am prediabetic.  I weigh 229 pounds, which is way too high.  The thinnest I ever was post high school was 178 pounds.  I liked being that weight.  I think that that would be a manageable healthy weight for me.  Maybe I would be able to get off metformin that way or at least reduce it. 

I'm starting on birth control for the first time.  Not because I'm out to be a super slut, but because I'm tired of the hormone imbalance.  I have facial hair that can rival a man.  I am also 30 and still get acne.  Aldactone, which is supposed to stop the testosterone doesn't work for me.  I'm hoping that the birth control will even out some of my other aesthetic problems.  We'll see how it goes.  I start on that on Sunday.

Aside from my finances, which is a very slow process, the rest of my life seems pretty good.  I have great friends.  I have a companion who I see regularly.  He is cute and nerdy, which works well for me.  I know that it won't be the same with Rose, but that's ok.  I'm having fun with my companion.

I think the things that are my goals to fix this year are my health and finances.  Being an adult is kind of boring sometimes.