The good news is that Keith is finally all approved for the WAIVER Program. Awesome! We got a call from a care provider (before we got a call from the care management people which is a little suspect, but I’m reserving judgment until I get more information). I asked about the possibility of becoming Keith’s paid caregiver and was told that’s not possible in Pennsylvania through this program. She then said that she knows people have gone so far as to get a divorce so that they could care for their spouse.
There are a few other questions I need to be answered, and some more information to collect. But as of right this moment I can have someone we don’t know come in and take care of Keith while I look for a job (which I haven’t stopped doing) or we get a divorce so that I can make $11 an hour (with potential for overtime depending on how many hours he’s been approved for) and paid time-off ….. which I would have to bring a stranger into the home to take care of Keith to be able to use it.
Not to mention that it could mess up his qualification for the program in the first place (it’s household income based so even if we did get a divorce it would still cause problems in qualifying for assistance).
How messed up is it that the only way I can take care of my husband, basically a full-time job, and have an income in the state of Pennsylvania is if he is no longer my husband? All this talk by people about the sanctity of marriage and I’m faced with the very real possibility of having to get a divorce so that I can care for the man I promised to be with in sickness and in health until death us do part.
The money we had from our tax return and long-term disability is quickly running out. As much as I cringe thinking about it, a divorce may be our next desperate option to keep our family together. I’ll update as soon as know more.
Ain't That a Kick in the Kidneys 