Back in the beginning of May I decided to apply for Medicaid. Not something I ever thought I would do but with the cost of my prescription adding to my debt, I bit the bullet. At first, it felt degrading but I now realize how much I need it. Thank GOD I haven't gotten sick or needed to go to the hospital since I have not had health insurance since December of 2010.
The process of applying isn't easy. I would get a letter asking for information such as a bank statement and a copy of my life insurance policy. Then a few weeks later, I would get another letter asking for proof of citizenship and more more bank statements. Why not ask for this all at one time, bueracecy??? Last week I got a letter stating that I was approved for limited assistance, family planning care only. Like I really need this. I was finally able to get through via their toll free number and speak with some one.
She reviewed my records which indicated that due to my unemployment, I made to much money to qualify. I advised the customer representative that I was no longer receiving these benefits. I previously told them via an email and the second request for more information. The woman I spoke to was of great assistance. She gave me my case worker's name and I let her know that I had recently tried to contact her and that her voice mail was full.
The customer representative documented my call and told me to call back Thursday in the event that my case worker doesn't call me back. it will then be escalated to a super advisor who wold be able to assist me. I think when I speak with them next week, I am also going to ask for something like food stamps.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
A truly great friend
July 1, 2011 was day 45 of my 90 days of house arrest. I have completed half of my sentence! Don't get me wrong, it was a long 45 days and I hope the remaining goes a lot faster.
At 9pm I got a call to go to the Men's Correction Center for the pee test and breathalyzer again. I am given an hour to get there and with most of my friends away for the holiday weekend, I expressed my concern to the officer about finding a ride. I was basically told that I agreed to this as part of my house arrest and that if I couldn't make it, off to jail I go.
I called my girlfriend who took me last time but she was on her way to home from Wildwood. I then texted 911 to another friend who I knew already had plans for the night and didn't hear back right away. So I called another girlfriend of mine who lives about 15 minutes south of me and she said that she could help me.
She is a very dear person and a wonderful woman. I got to know her a couple of years ago via a summer bowling league and we hit it off right away. We then decided to continue with the winter bowling league, formed our own team and got closer as time went by. Up until my house arrest I would see her at least once a week for bowling. We bowled all last year and most of this year together. When ever I was feeling down, I knew she would always pick me up. She exhilarates such positive energy which I feed off of. Sometimes, I would tell my Dad that I had to go bowling (no matter what the weather) because I needed my "Judy fix".
I haven't really seen her much since our winter bowling league ended this spring. She has an extremely busy life with three kids, two in college and one that just graduated. Not to mention that her husband has a severe disability and has been sick for almost two years. She is his primary care giver and loves him so deeply. It always amazes me what she has given up in her past 20 years of life to take care of him and raise a family. I also know that through her experience she has gained so much and has an outlook on life like no one I know. This is why I love her so much and confide in her quite a bit.
When I called her, she was busy with administering her husband's medication. I told her I had an emergency and she said not to worry. She would finish taking care of him, rushed up to my place and came to my rescue. Did I mention that she drives like speed racer? She picked me up and got me to the correction's center in under the hour I had. It was so nice to see her and I didn't realize how much I missed her until last night. Of course we talked our entire car ride just trying to catch up. Once I got home, I invited her in since she never saw my place. It was nice that we got to spend a little quality time together.
Once house arrest is over, there are so many things that I want to do. Things that I have enjoyed in the past, like going to her house to play board games with her and her family.
I mentioned to her last night that I have this blog but haven't written anything in a couple of weeks. Last night when she left, I began to write this and then got up early this morning to finish it.
You may have noticed that I don't include any names in my blogs but in this case I find it deserving to share that Judy is not only an amazing woman but also a mother, wife, and friend. One that I care very deeply for and am grateful to be included in her circle of friends.
Her kids make fun of a saying she uses, which I now find myself saying to her not only out of jest but out of love. Judy, you rock my world!
At 9pm I got a call to go to the Men's Correction Center for the pee test and breathalyzer again. I am given an hour to get there and with most of my friends away for the holiday weekend, I expressed my concern to the officer about finding a ride. I was basically told that I agreed to this as part of my house arrest and that if I couldn't make it, off to jail I go.
I called my girlfriend who took me last time but she was on her way to home from Wildwood. I then texted 911 to another friend who I knew already had plans for the night and didn't hear back right away. So I called another girlfriend of mine who lives about 15 minutes south of me and she said that she could help me.
She is a very dear person and a wonderful woman. I got to know her a couple of years ago via a summer bowling league and we hit it off right away. We then decided to continue with the winter bowling league, formed our own team and got closer as time went by. Up until my house arrest I would see her at least once a week for bowling. We bowled all last year and most of this year together. When ever I was feeling down, I knew she would always pick me up. She exhilarates such positive energy which I feed off of. Sometimes, I would tell my Dad that I had to go bowling (no matter what the weather) because I needed my "Judy fix".
I haven't really seen her much since our winter bowling league ended this spring. She has an extremely busy life with three kids, two in college and one that just graduated. Not to mention that her husband has a severe disability and has been sick for almost two years. She is his primary care giver and loves him so deeply. It always amazes me what she has given up in her past 20 years of life to take care of him and raise a family. I also know that through her experience she has gained so much and has an outlook on life like no one I know. This is why I love her so much and confide in her quite a bit.
When I called her, she was busy with administering her husband's medication. I told her I had an emergency and she said not to worry. She would finish taking care of him, rushed up to my place and came to my rescue. Did I mention that she drives like speed racer? She picked me up and got me to the correction's center in under the hour I had. It was so nice to see her and I didn't realize how much I missed her until last night. Of course we talked our entire car ride just trying to catch up. Once I got home, I invited her in since she never saw my place. It was nice that we got to spend a little quality time together.
Once house arrest is over, there are so many things that I want to do. Things that I have enjoyed in the past, like going to her house to play board games with her and her family.
I mentioned to her last night that I have this blog but haven't written anything in a couple of weeks. Last night when she left, I began to write this and then got up early this morning to finish it.
You may have noticed that I don't include any names in my blogs but in this case I find it deserving to share that Judy is not only an amazing woman but also a mother, wife, and friend. One that I care very deeply for and am grateful to be included in her circle of friends.
Her kids make fun of a saying she uses, which I now find myself saying to her not only out of jest but out of love. Judy, you rock my world!
Monday, June 20, 2011
34 Days Completed & What I have Learned
Wow, it has been a long 34 days. Someone told me before this all happened, to not believe those that said house arrest would be a piece of cake. It's not!
It does help to get out the house more now that I have a PT job but I never realized how lonely this experience would be. I am such a people person that when I am home I feel like I am trapped from the world (especially when I can't go outside). Yes, I keep in touch with people via FB and other avenues but it's the personal connection that I really miss. Just hanging out with a bunch of friends on a whim shooting darts or playing Wii, for example. I miss not being able to go away at the spur of the moment for the weekend or even out for the night.
So I try to be outside as much as possible and as a result I am meeting a lot of my neighbors or getting to know them better than before. I am not embarrassed to let them know I am on house arrest. I have wonderful neighbors, they always ask me if I need anything when they head out to the store. This is a true blessing.
The past two Saturdays I had my required Alcohol Safety classes. I was surprised at how interesting it was and how much I learned. For example;
I know that I can not risk a third DUI.
It does help to get out the house more now that I have a PT job but I never realized how lonely this experience would be. I am such a people person that when I am home I feel like I am trapped from the world (especially when I can't go outside). Yes, I keep in touch with people via FB and other avenues but it's the personal connection that I really miss. Just hanging out with a bunch of friends on a whim shooting darts or playing Wii, for example. I miss not being able to go away at the spur of the moment for the weekend or even out for the night.
So I try to be outside as much as possible and as a result I am meeting a lot of my neighbors or getting to know them better than before. I am not embarrassed to let them know I am on house arrest. I have wonderful neighbors, they always ask me if I need anything when they head out to the store. This is a true blessing.
The past two Saturdays I had my required Alcohol Safety classes. I was surprised at how interesting it was and how much I learned. For example;
- The one hour rule in between drinks is not accurate. It's really two hours in between servings.
- What is a serving? A serving is a 12oz. bottle of beer (not a pint), and wine is 4 ounces. Most restaurants pour a lot more than that into a glass. In the past if I got a 4oz. glass of wine, I would have sent it back because it would look like a taster to me.
- The food rule - It doesn't matter how much or what you eat before or while drinking. I always thought that bread or carbs would slow you down from getting drunk but since alcohol seeps through your stomach and is not digested it doesn't matter.
- Benzodiazepam's, even if Prescribed are illegal to be in your system (it's a certain nanogram level) and will result in a DUI even if you haven't been drinking. This is a big lesson for me since I have been taking benzo's like Klonopin or Valium on a daily basis for numerous years.
I know that I can not risk a third DUI.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
House Arrest Phone Calls & Elvis
This past weekend my wonderful cat, Elvis, decided to chew through my phone cord. When I realized it, I called the jail immediately and told them. I hooked my phone right up to the wall and got many calls that day. Believe it or not, he did the same thing to another cord the following night. When I called the jail, the officer actually said "what, did your cat chew through the cord again?" Once again, I hooked it up to the wall and got more calls then the day before.
That day, my friend went out and got me more phone cords. One so I could go outside and one for the bedroom. We set that one up high on the wall so Elvis couldn't get to it. Problem solved! I even saved the cord to show to my PO so he knew I wasn't lying about it.
I am not working on Wednesdays and had all these things I wanted to accomplish around the house today. Lay out in the sun while doing my laundry, some cleaning around the house and changing the sheets on my bed. Not a lot but stuff to keep me busy.
My typical morning routine when not working (wow I haven't been able to say that in a long time) is get my coffee, go outside with my 100' phone cord, have a smoke and maybe talk on the phone a bit. This morning as I was pulling my phone outside, my apartment manager told me that I can't keep doing that and he doesn't want to see the cord anymore. I can understand it, it does look a little white trashy, especially when they are showing the apartment right below me.
So, I did my morning routine, brought the phone upstairs and was stuck inside all day. Totally sucks! Deflated my day, no sunning, no laundry, no outside, no nothing, UGH!
When I told my same friend about this, he said he might still have a corded/cordless phone system. He just moved and wasn't sure. He left work and went home to see if he could find it but couldn't. He then called me from Radio Shack to let me know what they had. That was a nice surprise, he is really concerned and knows how I can't stay couped up inside all day.
Okay, I admit it, I'm anal and like to investigate what I'm buying. I couldn't find any of the phone systems on the Radio Shacks website so I told him not to buy anything until I could do some research. I finally found what I needed and was happy with the reviews from other websites. He left work a little early to stop at a different store and get it for me. Then he dropped off the phone before going home. He is a great guy and an amazing friend! I don't know what I would do without him.
I now have a corded/cordless phone system so I can go outside. I was told no cordless phones allowed during house arrest so I gotta get permission if I can use the cordless part of it for more a pager. I installed it as soon as he gave it to me. Now I'm waiting for the cordless one to charge.
I started packing up all the old phone stuff I bought for house arrest and realized that I have now gone through two cheap phones, two 100' phone cords (that the cat destroyed), two 50' phones cords (to replace the ones he destroyed) and one 25' phone cord (for the bedroom). All because my apartment manager wont let me take a corded phone outside and I love my cat, Elvis, way to much to restrict him to one room.
I'm not even gonna figure out how much this phone ordeal has cost me. I am more concerned about going outside because I know staying inside all day is not good for my mental well being. Today is day 29 of 90 and I really hope that this is the end of my phone issues.
That day, my friend went out and got me more phone cords. One so I could go outside and one for the bedroom. We set that one up high on the wall so Elvis couldn't get to it. Problem solved! I even saved the cord to show to my PO so he knew I wasn't lying about it.
I am not working on Wednesdays and had all these things I wanted to accomplish around the house today. Lay out in the sun while doing my laundry, some cleaning around the house and changing the sheets on my bed. Not a lot but stuff to keep me busy.
My typical morning routine when not working (wow I haven't been able to say that in a long time) is get my coffee, go outside with my 100' phone cord, have a smoke and maybe talk on the phone a bit. This morning as I was pulling my phone outside, my apartment manager told me that I can't keep doing that and he doesn't want to see the cord anymore. I can understand it, it does look a little white trashy, especially when they are showing the apartment right below me.
So, I did my morning routine, brought the phone upstairs and was stuck inside all day. Totally sucks! Deflated my day, no sunning, no laundry, no outside, no nothing, UGH!
When I told my same friend about this, he said he might still have a corded/cordless phone system. He just moved and wasn't sure. He left work and went home to see if he could find it but couldn't. He then called me from Radio Shack to let me know what they had. That was a nice surprise, he is really concerned and knows how I can't stay couped up inside all day.
Okay, I admit it, I'm anal and like to investigate what I'm buying. I couldn't find any of the phone systems on the Radio Shacks website so I told him not to buy anything until I could do some research. I finally found what I needed and was happy with the reviews from other websites. He left work a little early to stop at a different store and get it for me. Then he dropped off the phone before going home. He is a great guy and an amazing friend! I don't know what I would do without him.
I now have a corded/cordless phone system so I can go outside. I was told no cordless phones allowed during house arrest so I gotta get permission if I can use the cordless part of it for more a pager. I installed it as soon as he gave it to me. Now I'm waiting for the cordless one to charge.
I started packing up all the old phone stuff I bought for house arrest and realized that I have now gone through two cheap phones, two 100' phone cords (that the cat destroyed), two 50' phones cords (to replace the ones he destroyed) and one 25' phone cord (for the bedroom). All because my apartment manager wont let me take a corded phone outside and I love my cat, Elvis, way to much to restrict him to one room.
I'm not even gonna figure out how much this phone ordeal has cost me. I am more concerned about going outside because I know staying inside all day is not good for my mental well being. Today is day 29 of 90 and I really hope that this is the end of my phone issues.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
First day on the job and a call to go to the correction's center
I worked my first day yesterday and it went great. I am very comfortable with everything I am learning and can already see many ways to help improve processes if the owner is interested. It was great to be out of the house and productive!
When I got home, I spent a lot of time dealing with the IRS to pay my taxes from 2009. I apparently did not pay enough when I originally filed and when audited, it was caught. So, after an hour and a half of phone and Internet time, I was finally able to them $3000 via an interest free credit card that I have. It's better than accruing interest and fees if I were to pay them over an extended period of time.
After that, I tried to get in touch with unemployment to see what can be done about what I owe them as a result of them overpaying me. When I called, the IVR system indicated about an hour wait time. Okay, I put my cell phone on speaker, worked on a blog, played on Face Book for a while, and started some of my nightly chores. I waited and waited and waited. My house arrest phone rang....I got a call to report to the correction's center. This takes precedence so I had to give up on the unemployment call.
They gave me an hour to get there which isn't easy since I have to get a ride from a friend who is able to drop everything they are doing. My girlfriend, Kim, was gracious enough to come to my rescue. I made it to the correction's center just in time and the Sargent had to make a comment about me cutting it close in time. He knows I live about 30 to 40 minutes away and had to find someone to drive me. I even told him that on the phone when he called me. This just reinforced to me the situation that I am in and how much it really sucks.
They called me in to give me a breathalyzer and a pee test. Of course, I passed with flying colors, had no doubt that I wouldn't. I don't want to bitch about it but I am. They called me after 9:30PM! I was exhausted and still hadn't eaten a thing. I had to drop everything I was doing and just go. I didn't get home till almost 11PM. I still had to take care of my cats, do the dishes, find something to nibble on, and get ready for bed. It was close to 1AM by the time I actually fell asleep.
I hate this whole thing and it is only day 28 of 90. I can feel the self-esteem deflating even as I write this.
When I got home, I spent a lot of time dealing with the IRS to pay my taxes from 2009. I apparently did not pay enough when I originally filed and when audited, it was caught. So, after an hour and a half of phone and Internet time, I was finally able to them $3000 via an interest free credit card that I have. It's better than accruing interest and fees if I were to pay them over an extended period of time.
After that, I tried to get in touch with unemployment to see what can be done about what I owe them as a result of them overpaying me. When I called, the IVR system indicated about an hour wait time. Okay, I put my cell phone on speaker, worked on a blog, played on Face Book for a while, and started some of my nightly chores. I waited and waited and waited. My house arrest phone rang....I got a call to report to the correction's center. This takes precedence so I had to give up on the unemployment call.
They gave me an hour to get there which isn't easy since I have to get a ride from a friend who is able to drop everything they are doing. My girlfriend, Kim, was gracious enough to come to my rescue. I made it to the correction's center just in time and the Sargent had to make a comment about me cutting it close in time. He knows I live about 30 to 40 minutes away and had to find someone to drive me. I even told him that on the phone when he called me. This just reinforced to me the situation that I am in and how much it really sucks.
They called me in to give me a breathalyzer and a pee test. Of course, I passed with flying colors, had no doubt that I wouldn't. I don't want to bitch about it but I am. They called me after 9:30PM! I was exhausted and still hadn't eaten a thing. I had to drop everything I was doing and just go. I didn't get home till almost 11PM. I still had to take care of my cats, do the dishes, find something to nibble on, and get ready for bed. It was close to 1AM by the time I actually fell asleep.
I hate this whole thing and it is only day 28 of 90. I can feel the self-esteem deflating even as I write this.
Monday, June 13, 2011
My Financial Crisis
Warning, this is a downer of a blog post....
I am not one to put anything off until tomorrow, I have always been that go getter who never stops or takes no for an answer. However, being unemployed and this house arrest thing has done something to me. For some reason I am becoming a procrastinator and suffering from low self-esteem. For those that know me, I'm sure this is quite a surprise.
I have been looking for work since the beginning of the year and everywhere I go, I am told that I am over qualified. I'm not even being picky, I've applied to McDonalds, WaWa, the local grocery store, etc.
With all my regular monthly bills, the fines from my DUI, money I owe unemployment, and also recently learned that I owe the IRS from 2009, I feel like my life is crashing down upon me. There are days that I just want to crawl under a rock and hide forever.
After discussing my financial situation with my parents and seeking their advice on how to go about paying these bills/fees/fines, we decided that I need to get this all documented to see the big picture. I knew things were not that great and kept putting off this chore. After looking at the numbers, I saw what I knew but didn't want to admit. I am very close to a financial crisis. I recently pulled the rest of my savings out of my retirement account to get by. This is the only reason I am still "floating above the water" but not sure for how much longer.
The budget I created made things really sink in and I am scared. I am quickly going through all of my savings and have to be able to support myself for as long as I can with what I have left. My monthly income does not come close to my required monthly bills. Thank GOD, I have very little debt from earlier life lessons learned.
When I lost my job last year I had no idea that it would take me this long to get another one. My debt is now growing by leaps and bounds since I have no medical insurance and have close to $600 a month in prescriptions that I must take. I actually applied for Medicaid and am waiting to hear from them.
Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for the PT job my friend has given me but it still isn't going to make ends meet, it will just prolong the inevitable. At this point though everyday counts. Or should I say every penny?
As a result, I need to sell my car. I don't want to but have no choice. I'm not going to be using it for at least a year or more and can't afford the monthly payments without the necessary income. I have to be realistic about things and this one really hurts.
My Dad drove it for me two weeks ago so I could vacuum it out and get it washed. When we got it back to my place I took a bunch of pictures to sell it. Yes, I was procrastinating again but finally posted it last night to Craig's list and Face Book.
Once that is sold, I will have one less bill a month. I even thought of getting a roommate since I live in a two bedroom apartment. It's very small though, I don't own much but there really is no space to get a roommate. The main bedroom in my apartment is so tiny the only thing that really fits into it is my bed.
I am sure this is a huge reason for my low self-esteem because I have never been this bad off. Yes, I have had financial issues in the past but could tighten my belt and climb out of the whole. I can't tighten that belt any further and am now just biding my time.
I am not one to put anything off until tomorrow, I have always been that go getter who never stops or takes no for an answer. However, being unemployed and this house arrest thing has done something to me. For some reason I am becoming a procrastinator and suffering from low self-esteem. For those that know me, I'm sure this is quite a surprise.
I have been looking for work since the beginning of the year and everywhere I go, I am told that I am over qualified. I'm not even being picky, I've applied to McDonalds, WaWa, the local grocery store, etc.
With all my regular monthly bills, the fines from my DUI, money I owe unemployment, and also recently learned that I owe the IRS from 2009, I feel like my life is crashing down upon me. There are days that I just want to crawl under a rock and hide forever.
After discussing my financial situation with my parents and seeking their advice on how to go about paying these bills/fees/fines, we decided that I need to get this all documented to see the big picture. I knew things were not that great and kept putting off this chore. After looking at the numbers, I saw what I knew but didn't want to admit. I am very close to a financial crisis. I recently pulled the rest of my savings out of my retirement account to get by. This is the only reason I am still "floating above the water" but not sure for how much longer.
The budget I created made things really sink in and I am scared. I am quickly going through all of my savings and have to be able to support myself for as long as I can with what I have left. My monthly income does not come close to my required monthly bills. Thank GOD, I have very little debt from earlier life lessons learned.
When I lost my job last year I had no idea that it would take me this long to get another one. My debt is now growing by leaps and bounds since I have no medical insurance and have close to $600 a month in prescriptions that I must take. I actually applied for Medicaid and am waiting to hear from them.
Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for the PT job my friend has given me but it still isn't going to make ends meet, it will just prolong the inevitable. At this point though everyday counts. Or should I say every penny?
As a result, I need to sell my car. I don't want to but have no choice. I'm not going to be using it for at least a year or more and can't afford the monthly payments without the necessary income. I have to be realistic about things and this one really hurts.
My Dad drove it for me two weeks ago so I could vacuum it out and get it washed. When we got it back to my place I took a bunch of pictures to sell it. Yes, I was procrastinating again but finally posted it last night to Craig's list and Face Book.
Once that is sold, I will have one less bill a month. I even thought of getting a roommate since I live in a two bedroom apartment. It's very small though, I don't own much but there really is no space to get a roommate. The main bedroom in my apartment is so tiny the only thing that really fits into it is my bed.
I am sure this is a huge reason for my low self-esteem because I have never been this bad off. Yes, I have had financial issues in the past but could tighten my belt and climb out of the whole. I can't tighten that belt any further and am now just biding my time.
I got a PT job!
I was offered a part time job to work as an office manager for my friend's business. His current office manager and also a good friend of mine, is taking the summer off. They both thought of me to be her temporary replacement. They know that I am more than capable to fill her shoes, which is a wonderful compliment. They are also both aware of my current situation with regards to house arrest and no income. It's a job that I will need to learn quickly and have very little concerns about that.
I got approval from my PO for work release and am so looking forward to starting a job and making a little money. Not to mention getting out of the house for three days a week. I started today and will get a week's training from my girlfriend before she leaves. It's not an industry that I have ever worked in but I have a lot of experience in other parts of business needs. I am confident that I will make them both proud.
Today was a good first day. I learned a lot and don't think it's going to be difficult. I am fine with the paperwork and reporting that I have been taught so far. My main concern is answering the phones and being able to determine ETAs for when the driver's can pick up cars. This will be my learning curve but I'm sure that once I start I'll get the hang of it very quickly.
I got approval from my PO for work release and am so looking forward to starting a job and making a little money. Not to mention getting out of the house for three days a week. I started today and will get a week's training from my girlfriend before she leaves. It's not an industry that I have ever worked in but I have a lot of experience in other parts of business needs. I am confident that I will make them both proud.
Today was a good first day. I learned a lot and don't think it's going to be difficult. I am fine with the paperwork and reporting that I have been taught so far. My main concern is answering the phones and being able to determine ETAs for when the driver's can pick up cars. This will be my learning curve but I'm sure that once I start I'll get the hang of it very quickly.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The first three weeks...
I have completed my first three weeks of house arrest and it is going so slow. The first few days were the hardest. I didn't feel like doing anything, not even taking a shower. I think I spent most of my time either on Face Book or looking for a job on Monster.
My brother and his family stopped by on their was home one day and picked up another phone for me. I have that one on a 100' foot cord and leave it downstairs and another one in my apartment. I no longer have to drag one phone up and down the stairs. It's amazing how these little things in life we take for granted mean so much.
My Dad decided that he would come up every Monday to bring me groceries and have dinner with me. That lasted a little more than a week because we had a family crisis this past week that took priority over mine. It doesn't bother me because I know if I need anything, my Dad is there for me, not to mention all of my wonderful friends. So now, he stops by when in the area or on his way home from my Brother's house.
My friends are always calling, emailing, and texting me just to see how I am doing. In the beginning I was having such cravings for my favorite smoothie from WaWa (Mango) that everyone knew to bring me one if they came to visit. It almost became a joke that I was going to turn into one. I have never been much of an eater and am content with one meal a day. My mango smoothie was one of those things that always made me happy and brought me a little joy since there is no WaWa within walking distance.
I started reading a lot and spending almost everyday outside tanning. I don't think I have had this great of a tan since I was a teenager. My nights are sometimes boring. I'm not a big TV watcher so I started to take advantage of On Demand and watching DVDs that I haven't seen in a long while. Last week, each night I watched each of the SAW movies in succession. Yea, blood and gore are one of my favorite types of movies.
There was one day that it rained so I was stuck inside. I organized and cleaned my two bedroom apartment for close to six hours. It usually takes me two so this can explain why everything and I mean everything was spotless. On a side note, I enjoy cleaning and find it very relaxing.
I now periodically watch my eight year old nephew when needed. The other day we watched Gnomeo and Juliette, twice. I like the movie so I didn't mind at all and it kept him occupied. He's staying with my Dad this week and they will be visiting me this Thursday evening. My Dad has to do something in the evening so after we have an early dinner I plan on playing games or doing a puzzle with him, no TV this time around.
My brother and his family stopped by on their was home one day and picked up another phone for me. I have that one on a 100' foot cord and leave it downstairs and another one in my apartment. I no longer have to drag one phone up and down the stairs. It's amazing how these little things in life we take for granted mean so much.
My Dad decided that he would come up every Monday to bring me groceries and have dinner with me. That lasted a little more than a week because we had a family crisis this past week that took priority over mine. It doesn't bother me because I know if I need anything, my Dad is there for me, not to mention all of my wonderful friends. So now, he stops by when in the area or on his way home from my Brother's house.
My friends are always calling, emailing, and texting me just to see how I am doing. In the beginning I was having such cravings for my favorite smoothie from WaWa (Mango) that everyone knew to bring me one if they came to visit. It almost became a joke that I was going to turn into one. I have never been much of an eater and am content with one meal a day. My mango smoothie was one of those things that always made me happy and brought me a little joy since there is no WaWa within walking distance.
I started reading a lot and spending almost everyday outside tanning. I don't think I have had this great of a tan since I was a teenager. My nights are sometimes boring. I'm not a big TV watcher so I started to take advantage of On Demand and watching DVDs that I haven't seen in a long while. Last week, each night I watched each of the SAW movies in succession. Yea, blood and gore are one of my favorite types of movies.
There was one day that it rained so I was stuck inside. I organized and cleaned my two bedroom apartment for close to six hours. It usually takes me two so this can explain why everything and I mean everything was spotless. On a side note, I enjoy cleaning and find it very relaxing.
I now periodically watch my eight year old nephew when needed. The other day we watched Gnomeo and Juliette, twice. I like the movie so I didn't mind at all and it kept him occupied. He's staying with my Dad this week and they will be visiting me this Thursday evening. My Dad has to do something in the evening so after we have an early dinner I plan on playing games or doing a puzzle with him, no TV this time around.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Finally Home!
Thank GOD, I was finally home. I felt so dirty and disgusting all I wanted to do was take a long shower, eat a little something and go to bed.
My boyfriend walked me up to my apartment. I walked in the door, dropped my purse and bag right there on the floor. It was so nice to be home. My kitties, Elvis and Roxy, came to greet me. I let my boyfriend know that I needed a quiet night which he understood. I walked him out and had a smoke him while we chatted a little. I told him my plans and said that I would call him later to say goodnight. I also expressed my deepest gratitude for being there for me through this horrible day.
When I walked back into my apartment my cell phone was ringing. It was my Parole Officer (PO). He questioned where I had been and I told him I was outside. I was surprised that he called so quickly. He explained that he was going to have a computer call my land line. It would ask me to repeat three sayings numerous times to program for voice recognition. Once that was done, he called me back and said that I would get phone calls from the computer throughout the day and night at any given time. If I missed one, the computer would call me back a few times, then call my cell, then call my emergency contact. The key was to make sure I never missed a call.
I got a couple of calls that same night and the next morning at 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30 AM. The calls slowed down but I never knew when to expect them. I carried my phone with it's 100' phone cord all around the apartment with me.
My PO showed up the next day to go over the rules, fees, and other things. We set up my two hours allowed out to go shopping. Since I wasn't working, he also allowed me an additional two hours for job hunting/interviews if needed. He made it very clear that I would need to show him shopping receipts and business cards from interviews. If I had no interviews, I would need to call the night before to let him know that I was not going out. We set it up so I could go out every Tuesday and/or Thursday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
I also would have to pay the fees for House Arrest, $10 a day and gave me the schedule as to when these payments were due. $900 in total for the 90 days!
He gave me a breathalyzer test and counted all of my medications (each pill for each Rx). He then looked around the apartment to make sure I had no alcohol in the house and recommended to me what over the counter medications I could not take since they contain alcohol. He didn't make me throw my cough medicine out but I put it in my linen closet so it was not in my medicine cabinet. I didn't want to take any chances and end up in jail.
We also set up the times that I had scheduled for any Doctor appointments I had coming up. This was so he could program the computer to not call me when out.
He explained that he would stop by unannounced to give me a breathalyzer test, count my pills, and answer any questions I might have. The first two weeks he showed up on Wednesday, then it started to change so there was no pattern as to when I would see him.
He said that I was allowed to leave my apartment to go outside, with my phone of course but to stay in the front yard. Not to bad since I knew staying inside all day would definitly drive me crazy.
My boyfriend walked me up to my apartment. I walked in the door, dropped my purse and bag right there on the floor. It was so nice to be home. My kitties, Elvis and Roxy, came to greet me. I let my boyfriend know that I needed a quiet night which he understood. I walked him out and had a smoke him while we chatted a little. I told him my plans and said that I would call him later to say goodnight. I also expressed my deepest gratitude for being there for me through this horrible day.
When I walked back into my apartment my cell phone was ringing. It was my Parole Officer (PO). He questioned where I had been and I told him I was outside. I was surprised that he called so quickly. He explained that he was going to have a computer call my land line. It would ask me to repeat three sayings numerous times to program for voice recognition. Once that was done, he called me back and said that I would get phone calls from the computer throughout the day and night at any given time. If I missed one, the computer would call me back a few times, then call my cell, then call my emergency contact. The key was to make sure I never missed a call.
I got a couple of calls that same night and the next morning at 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30 AM. The calls slowed down but I never knew when to expect them. I carried my phone with it's 100' phone cord all around the apartment with me.
My PO showed up the next day to go over the rules, fees, and other things. We set up my two hours allowed out to go shopping. Since I wasn't working, he also allowed me an additional two hours for job hunting/interviews if needed. He made it very clear that I would need to show him shopping receipts and business cards from interviews. If I had no interviews, I would need to call the night before to let him know that I was not going out. We set it up so I could go out every Tuesday and/or Thursday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
I also would have to pay the fees for House Arrest, $10 a day and gave me the schedule as to when these payments were due. $900 in total for the 90 days!
He gave me a breathalyzer test and counted all of my medications (each pill for each Rx). He then looked around the apartment to make sure I had no alcohol in the house and recommended to me what over the counter medications I could not take since they contain alcohol. He didn't make me throw my cough medicine out but I put it in my linen closet so it was not in my medicine cabinet. I didn't want to take any chances and end up in jail.
We also set up the times that I had scheduled for any Doctor appointments I had coming up. This was so he could program the computer to not call me when out.
He explained that he would stop by unannounced to give me a breathalyzer test, count my pills, and answer any questions I might have. The first two weeks he showed up on Wednesday, then it started to change so there was no pattern as to when I would see him.
He said that I was allowed to leave my apartment to go outside, with my phone of course but to stay in the front yard. Not to bad since I knew staying inside all day would definitly drive me crazy.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Jail
Before being taken to the holding cell one of the court officers took my purse and bag that I had brought with me. Silly me, I thought I would be able to read while passing the time. Definitely not the case. Once I was in the holding cell one of the officers went through my belongings and threw out what they deemed inappropriate. All my lighters, two packs of cigarettes, and my chapsticks just to name a few items. I have a huge purse that I keep way to many things in. I didn't see everything he threw out and still have no idea what else went in the trash.
The holding cell was a tiny 4' by 8' with a metal bench and a toilet and sink. No toilet paper, no privacy, and no soap. I sat in that little cell with four other women waiting. It was somewhere from 30 minutes to an hour before we were handcuffed and placed in a van to go to the jail for processing. Try and picture the prison vans you see in the movies, this is what I was in. To make it even more fun, I was handcuffed next to a woman who had severe claustrophobia. It was a short ride to the jail but she made it seem like forever. I was feeling numb and tried to go to my happy place.
When we got to the jail, we lined up and had our handcuffs removed. When my name was called, I went before the officer and was told to remove all my jewelry. He placed this in a bin with the cash I had in my wallet. I was then escorted another holding cell. This one just a little bit bigger and with only a small window at the top of the door. There was a young woman lying on the floor in an orange jumpsuit detoxing along with four other women. Some in jumpsuits some in street clothes. I along with the woman I was originally handcuffed to were put in this cell, that made us six. The rest of the women that were in the van were placed in the only other cell which was even more crowded than mine. I guess I was lucky? Again, there was one metal bench attached to the wall which sat three. I was allowed to go to the bathroom, at least it was private with a door but no hand soap. When I got back to my cell a spot had opened up on the bench. It was in the corner so I sat down quickly and claimed my spot.
I sat there with my raincoat on and the hood over my head. I rested my head on the wall and really didn't socialize with anyone there. I was trying to go to my happy place but never made it. All I could do was think about what a derelict I must be. I am not like any of these women, am I? I was depressed, sad, with tears rolling down my cheeks. I sat quietly minding my own business just wanting to get this whole thing over with. Slowly, some of my cellmates left. One went home, the others back to the women's correction center. Then there were three.
Around 6pm, the guard brought in a bin of cheese sandwiches and a bin of lemonade. We were each allowed to grab two, so I did. I never had any intention of eating or drinking them but thought maybe someone else in my cell would. My hands hadn't been washed since I left the house in the morning and I was not going to touch food with filthy hands.
At one point, one of the women who was going under house arrest inquired about when she was going to be processed. The guy said he was still waiting for the paper work. This was my chance, I asked him about mine and he looked at me and said that he didn't even see my name. He said that if it didn't come through in time I would be spending the night in the women's correction center. As if what I was going through wasn't degrading enough that would do me in.
Later on I was taken out of my cell and was finally being processed, finger printed and picture taken. The paperwork came through for my house arrest and I was able to call my boyfriend to come pick me up. Back to my cell to wait, for what seemed like an eternity. I was finally allowed out and given back my personal items. It was now 7:30 PM.
My boyfriend was waiting for me as soon as I walked out the door. I jumped in his truck and got a long tight hug that I so desperatly needed. On the ride home, I cried while telling him of my experience.
The holding cell was a tiny 4' by 8' with a metal bench and a toilet and sink. No toilet paper, no privacy, and no soap. I sat in that little cell with four other women waiting. It was somewhere from 30 minutes to an hour before we were handcuffed and placed in a van to go to the jail for processing. Try and picture the prison vans you see in the movies, this is what I was in. To make it even more fun, I was handcuffed next to a woman who had severe claustrophobia. It was a short ride to the jail but she made it seem like forever. I was feeling numb and tried to go to my happy place.
When we got to the jail, we lined up and had our handcuffs removed. When my name was called, I went before the officer and was told to remove all my jewelry. He placed this in a bin with the cash I had in my wallet. I was then escorted another holding cell. This one just a little bit bigger and with only a small window at the top of the door. There was a young woman lying on the floor in an orange jumpsuit detoxing along with four other women. Some in jumpsuits some in street clothes. I along with the woman I was originally handcuffed to were put in this cell, that made us six. The rest of the women that were in the van were placed in the only other cell which was even more crowded than mine. I guess I was lucky? Again, there was one metal bench attached to the wall which sat three. I was allowed to go to the bathroom, at least it was private with a door but no hand soap. When I got back to my cell a spot had opened up on the bench. It was in the corner so I sat down quickly and claimed my spot.
I sat there with my raincoat on and the hood over my head. I rested my head on the wall and really didn't socialize with anyone there. I was trying to go to my happy place but never made it. All I could do was think about what a derelict I must be. I am not like any of these women, am I? I was depressed, sad, with tears rolling down my cheeks. I sat quietly minding my own business just wanting to get this whole thing over with. Slowly, some of my cellmates left. One went home, the others back to the women's correction center. Then there were three.
Around 6pm, the guard brought in a bin of cheese sandwiches and a bin of lemonade. We were each allowed to grab two, so I did. I never had any intention of eating or drinking them but thought maybe someone else in my cell would. My hands hadn't been washed since I left the house in the morning and I was not going to touch food with filthy hands.
At one point, one of the women who was going under house arrest inquired about when she was going to be processed. The guy said he was still waiting for the paper work. This was my chance, I asked him about mine and he looked at me and said that he didn't even see my name. He said that if it didn't come through in time I would be spending the night in the women's correction center. As if what I was going through wasn't degrading enough that would do me in.
Later on I was taken out of my cell and was finally being processed, finger printed and picture taken. The paperwork came through for my house arrest and I was able to call my boyfriend to come pick me up. Back to my cell to wait, for what seemed like an eternity. I was finally allowed out and given back my personal items. It was now 7:30 PM.
My boyfriend was waiting for me as soon as I walked out the door. I jumped in his truck and got a long tight hug that I so desperatly needed. On the ride home, I cried while telling him of my experience.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Going before the Judge
I met with my public defender and went over everything that had happened and what I was being charged with. She told me that I would not need to appear for my arraignment and that she would plead me not guilty to the charges. This as a result of the officer offering to charge me with a .159 versus the .16. She couldn't guarantee me anything because it is up to the District Attorney to decide what I was going to be officially charged with.
I was now in the waiting game for my trial. As time went by, I had my Court Reporting Network (CRN) evaluation done and it was decided that I did not need drug and alcohol counseling. I scheduled my alcohol safety classes which are a requirement and meet with an officer at the men's county jail to see if I could be considered for house arrest.
It all seemed easy enough. I was recommended for house arrest but was told that it would be up to the judge to decide if I could do that or go to jail. Jail, oh my GOD, I have never been in jail. In fact the only problems I ever had with the law was these DUIs. I prayed that 30 days of house arrest would be given to me by the judge along with everything else that I was expecting.
It was finally here, my court date to go in front of the judge. Of course my parents wanted to be there as well as my boyfriend. Since I knew this was going to be an all day affair, I asked them not to waste their day. I would feel guilty knowing that it would. I'm a big girl and do this on my own. My boyfriend dropped me off at the court house as planned and would pick me up later when everything was done.
When I arrived in the court room to meet with my attorney I was informed that the DA was charging me for the .16 and the Valium in my system. What a surprise this was for me. I was shocked! This did not mean 30 days but 90 days of house arrest or jail time. I was told to plead guilty. I had no problem with that since I did break the law. I am a good person and always said "do the crime, pay the time".
I went before the judge and got the usual lecture of the crime I committed. I was sentenced to 90 days house arrest and was then handcuffed and taken to the holding cell in the court house.
I was now in the waiting game for my trial. As time went by, I had my Court Reporting Network (CRN) evaluation done and it was decided that I did not need drug and alcohol counseling. I scheduled my alcohol safety classes which are a requirement and meet with an officer at the men's county jail to see if I could be considered for house arrest.
It all seemed easy enough. I was recommended for house arrest but was told that it would be up to the judge to decide if I could do that or go to jail. Jail, oh my GOD, I have never been in jail. In fact the only problems I ever had with the law was these DUIs. I prayed that 30 days of house arrest would be given to me by the judge along with everything else that I was expecting.
It was finally here, my court date to go in front of the judge. Of course my parents wanted to be there as well as my boyfriend. Since I knew this was going to be an all day affair, I asked them not to waste their day. I would feel guilty knowing that it would. I'm a big girl and do this on my own. My boyfriend dropped me off at the court house as planned and would pick me up later when everything was done.
When I arrived in the court room to meet with my attorney I was informed that the DA was charging me for the .16 and the Valium in my system. What a surprise this was for me. I was shocked! This did not mean 30 days but 90 days of house arrest or jail time. I was told to plead guilty. I had no problem with that since I did break the law. I am a good person and always said "do the crime, pay the time".
I went before the judge and got the usual lecture of the crime I committed. I was sentenced to 90 days house arrest and was then handcuffed and taken to the holding cell in the court house.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
How it all started
In January 2011, I got pulled over for speeding. I was on my way home from a local tavern where I was with friends having dinner and drinks. I literally had two pints of my favorite beer, Yingling Lager. When the officer asked me if I had been drinking I told him yes. The breathalyzer wasn't registering and I passed my field sobriety test. Since the breathalyzer wasn't working, I consented to go to the hospital to have blood drawn. No big deal, right? Two beers, there's no way I could be over the legal limit.
A little over a month went by and I thought to myself, see I wasn't over the limit! Then I got the summons to appear in court for my preliminary hearing. My blood alcohol level was .16! I still have no idea how that was possible.
I was freaking out cause this would be my 2nd DUI. I am educated and smart so I knew I was in deep sh*t.
I went to my preliminary court date and the arresting officer said he would drop the charges down to .159 (second tier) which wouldn't be as bad. When there, I also learned that there was Valium in my system but he wasn't charging me for that since he didn't know what the limit was. Being dropped down to .159 made me feel a little better since I had already done my research to find out what the penalties are.
On a side note, I am prescribed Valium to take at night before bed. I hadn't taken any since the night before. After talking to my Psychiatrist, I found out that it gets stored in the fat cells but there would be no reason to be concerned about how it affects my driving ability as long as I don't abuse it. Which I don't!
The next step for me was to go to my arraignment the following month. I've been unemployed since December 2010 and was eligible to get a public defender to help me through this process.
A little over a month went by and I thought to myself, see I wasn't over the limit! Then I got the summons to appear in court for my preliminary hearing. My blood alcohol level was .16! I still have no idea how that was possible.
I was freaking out cause this would be my 2nd DUI. I am educated and smart so I knew I was in deep sh*t.
I went to my preliminary court date and the arresting officer said he would drop the charges down to .159 (second tier) which wouldn't be as bad. When there, I also learned that there was Valium in my system but he wasn't charging me for that since he didn't know what the limit was. Being dropped down to .159 made me feel a little better since I had already done my research to find out what the penalties are.
On a side note, I am prescribed Valium to take at night before bed. I hadn't taken any since the night before. After talking to my Psychiatrist, I found out that it gets stored in the fat cells but there would be no reason to be concerned about how it affects my driving ability as long as I don't abuse it. Which I don't!
The next step for me was to go to my arraignment the following month. I've been unemployed since December 2010 and was eligible to get a public defender to help me through this process.
I am under 90 days of house arrest
I am an avid FaceBook (FB) user especially now that it is one of my few ways to stay in touch with my friends and let them know how I'm doing. It's much more convenient than calling or texting everyone that I know. Amen to technology. Here is a link to my FB page if you are interested.
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/browneyes913
One of my FB friends suggested that I start a blog about my experience of what I am going through. So here I am! If no one reads this, it's okay. It's a way for me to keep busy and document my journey of being under house arrest for 90 days while also being unemployed.
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/browneyes913
One of my FB friends suggested that I start a blog about my experience of what I am going through. So here I am! If no one reads this, it's okay. It's a way for me to keep busy and document my journey of being under house arrest for 90 days while also being unemployed.
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