That Time I (Hopefully) Gave Away A Kidney – Part 37 (Rejection – Part 3 (Financial Stability/Unemployment)

October 12, 2014

Picking up from last time –

Someone on the psych team also mentioned they were worried that I go on unemployment sometimes, as it could be denied if I’m unable to work.

I seriously can’t believe unemployment was made to be this much of a big deal. I mentioned it because I was being pushed for something stressful. (And you know if you’ve ever filed for unemployment in California that it is very stressful.)

But I think it’s interesting they act like it’d be a big deal to go without unemployment, because do you know what would be a bigger deal? Going without actual paychecks (for the people who need kidneys/need to get back to work)! It would be much easier to go without unemployment for a few weeks than it would be to take time off work and go without your real paychecks (since work pays a whole lot more).

(And this hypothetical is assuming you’re going to file for every single week you’re out of work. There’ve been times when I haven’t filed if I’m only out for a short amount of whatever.)

Now, I do understand that some people’s jobs have actual paid vacations. So even though, to me, every time I take a day off work I miss a day rate… since I do understand the concept of more mainstream jobs, I get that people do go in there and say they have vacation time saved up… which is why I probably sounded different to the psych team.

I think instead of looking at it as a bad thing that I go without work sometimes, it could be looked at as a positive! I’m some ways, I’m sort of more free.

Usually you’re cleared from kidney surgery to go back to a desk job in two weeks anyway. So, I’d miss $900 for two weeks? Heck, I’d lose like half of that just going to and from Ohio. They shouldn’t be that concerned over $900.

I understand that because I’m angry and I’m talking in an angry tone, I am being slightly ridiculous about money. I don’t want to sound like someone who doesn’t understand the value of money, or who doesn’t appreciate money she often gets between jobs.

The safety net is very appreciated!

All I’m saying is, I can carve out a couple of planned weeks in which I don’t get any money from anywhere and still survive.

Sigh. I feel like I’m talking in circles here. All I’m saying is, if you’re that worried about my financial situation, make me show a bank statement or something. Heck, I was a couple of weeks away from selling a brand new car. I could’ve used some of that good fortune to pay for the opportunity to help someone in a way I really wanted to help them.

I just didn’t like how unemployment seemed like such a dirty, terrifying, and ridiculous word at this place. It is SO a part of life of practically everyone I know, that I didn’t know how it is apparently viewed in the “real world” (or at least the midwest world).

There’s a disconnect in my brain. To me, unemployment doesn’t say “sound the alarms! You’re poor. In trouble. A delinquent. Awful. You’re not fit to give a kidney!” It just says, “you’re between gigs and that’s oh so normal.”

I’m annoyed that they seemed to have heard that word and shut down instead of trying to clarify anything.

So I’m gonna just stop talking about this and move on – this Wednesday.

I'd love to hear from you! So whaddya say?