I need you guys to be my grown-up and tell me what to do, because I'm just driving myself crazy and can't make a decision!

Here's the sitch: I have 2 months left on COBRA and $1700 in the bank. I have no job and I'm not eligible for unemployment. Today is the day I need to write the $600 check or let the insurance lapse.

I'm talking to an education counselor Monday about whether or not going back to school is feasible for me right now, whether I can get financial aid, etc.

I'm getting to the place where I will take almost anything in my skill set for a job and not just the thing I want to do, but, if I'm going to school I don't know if it would be a good Idea to look for full-time or part-time work.

Full-time brings the possibility of insurance, but part-time would help me get through school faster.

I should have gone through this last year when I still had money and insurance, but I was less proactive than I should have been and now it's a year later and I'm in the same place with no money and about to run out of insurance and...and...

I don't know what to do!

I'm hoping the autumn fashion "trend" cycles back to neo-Victorian. I want to easily find ruffly blouses and fitted jackets again.

The J. Peterman catalog always has fitted things of varying length. They have a long frock coat style jacket [link]

And a black velvet long blazer. [link]

The J. Peterman catalog always has fitted things of varying length.

Oooh, J.Peterman. I try very hard to avoid that catalog, because I go all googly-eyed with coveting.

If you want to have health insurance I figure you pretty much don't have any choice but to work full-time.

It's more a matter of I'm worried about a lapse because I have pre-existing health issues and I don't know what happens if I let it lapse and then start up again.

I don't know how long it will take to get a full-time or a part-time job even with lowered expectations. Do I spend the money for one more month and hope I find something before next month's check is due, or do I save the money for the other bills I have to pay?

I'm feeling paralyzed by fear and supremely lacking in confidence and very pissed at myself for letting this go on so long!

quester, check with the school that you'll be attending and see what their insurance policy is for students. At my school, all you need to do is take six credit hours a semester to be eligible for their (admittedly insufficient) health insurance.

that's a good idea, Kathy, thanks!

Yeah, I don't have an answer other than what Kathy suggested, quester. That's the proverbial rock and a hard place situation. That said, we've been without health insurance for a while now, and it's awful to try to manage self-pay. Most of the time I'm just praying someone doesn't break a leg or whatever.

What does the health reform law say about pre-existing conditions and when does that kick in?

bless the hivemind - someone always has an answer!

In mememe news, my company switched health insurance companies effective April 1. I started getting worried because, hey, it's April 21 and I haven't gotten a card. All I have is a print-out of an e-mail from our HR person with the name and phone number of a person to call to verify coverage. Everyone else has their card; everyone else - except one older woman with health problems and me - has had their card for a week or two now.

Last night I got a call from the company and, yes, I'm insured. yay