Well Steve, at least you weren't out fishing when the boat took on water! What you are going through financially is what most PWP go through, eventual depletion of the money that it takes to just live a marginally middle-class existence (pay the bills, no frills). This is caused by not having supplemental insurance in place before anything or anyone pegs you a parkie. It is as bad or worse than loosing your loved ones, because "they can't take" YOUR illness, at least when you can pay your modest way through life, it is a great burden lifted from your shoulders.
IN my case, I have lost just about everything else, except my ability to pay to live, in lower middle class comfort. Needless to say, my wife is ready to pitch me, and my kids treat me like a "burden", but all is not lost. I still have my sanity (remember, you lose that and you're pretty well done for), and a few friends who still remember me and come around to see me.
I keep getting closer to that wheelchair. The thing that's keeping me out of it is that there is barely enough room to move an upright adult through my house, and the rooms are small cause the house is 3-stories high. My legs are toast and with gout in the knee, I've been miserable and anti-social all week. Hoping for better days to come. Love reading about what's going on in all PWP lives, and wish i had the energy to address you all individually. cs