I am one of the young(ish) PNers, (50) who is single. I have no spouse to depend on. Due to my PN I lost my job and my insurance, I lost my home, lost my car, and couldn't afford my medication. (Over $800.00 mo.)

I was living on unemployment and ordering my meds through a Canadian pharmacy ($300.00 mo) on line until I could get back to work. After a year and a half, I finally got a temp job, rented a room, and slowly have worked my way back to health.

Now, THREE YEARS later, I finally have a permanent job with a company where I have insurance. I don't know what I would have done if I had not gotten stronger! If I had not have been able to return to work. My unemployment was running out. My parents have both passed, my children are both in their early 20's and not able to support themselves, much less me!

I was spiraling down into a deep depression and it was getting really scary. If I had not gotten better, I guess the next step would have been disability, and some day, that may be my alternative. But for now, I'm strong enough to work every day and carry my own insurance. It is a very scary place to be, right at the edge of that cliff, not sure if you want to depend on the "government" for the rest of your life, or take control of the situation yourself.

The pain is sometimes so intense, and you feel so helpless, unable to walk, to go to the store for yourself, to sometimes even dress yourself. When you have days like that, the idea of having to depend on others to survive is really a lesson in humility! Then to think that you can't afford the medication to stop the pain is just too much to handle.

I have to stay strong enough to work... I have no one to do it for me! ! ! !