Alive and Semi-Well, But Behind Enemy Lines…. Again

Well my friends, where to start on this story. Back in late December my health took a turn for the worse with a new job that I was putting in 80 hours a week for and on salary which means no extra dinero a’tall. My BP went through the roof and the Doc couldn’t get it under control. He put me out on medical leave for 3 weeks to keep me from stroking out. For those of us medically inclined, it was averaging 215/120. During that time my significant other was out of town on a major project leaving me home to take care of the ranch. The solitude got to me and that old John Barleycorn demon grabbed my ancient ass and hard !! I ended up in the hospital to dry out for a few days and a neighbor, filling in to feed the critters found the empties scattered through the house and told her. Needless to say the shit hit the fan. Once she returned I was given the boot and ended up in a sober facility in a nearby small town. Unfortunately, the day after I was discharged all nice and clean, I was rear ended by a truck towing a large horse trailer. Professor Newton’s laws won the day for the truck and my trusty Ford was totaled. A week later I learned that while I was hospitalized my insurance policy had canceled = no fixee for the horse. Considering I had a 45 minute drive to work and no other means to get there, I lost the job too. No money, no car, no laptop (pawnshop) and no job. Life sucks, then you die. I was fortunate that the local Military Peer Veterans Network was able to get me setup in the new place by paying the first month’s rent. Food was a different issue entirely. I spent a month and a half eating a baloney sandwich for my daily caloric intake. I was able on some days to donate plasma for a few dollars, but not having my hypertension meds kept me from giving on some days (they have strict guidelines on that). Adding to my troubles was a bat-shit insane former addict for a landlord that was on a power trip only surpassed by the size of the Lonestar State. In other words he was completely out of control and needed some serious psych attention. The conflict went on for a month as I continued to search for employment that was severely limited by lack of transportation. During my time there I befriended a fellow that has a good heart, but was a complete, utter and irrevocable progressive. We decided to agree to disagree lest I burst his word view by those tricky things called facts. Things came to a head at the house and I was summarily ejected for no reason and my pal decided we would hit the road to Maine to pick up his RV and make our way back to Tejas. We got there and met his nephew and family, wonderful folks all. Things went pretty smooth for awhile and then my erstwhile buddy went off on one of his schizoid attacks and dumped me at a homeless shelter in Bangor, Maine, with exactly a dime in my pocket, no cell service, very few clothes, a pair of leaky shoes (it was pouring rain that day) and a book. Talk about a wake-up call in the reality of life on the skids. I didn’t handle it well and ended up hospitalized with devastating anxiety and depression. They sent me to a wonderful crisis center where I stayed for a week to start getting my crazy ass under control. From there (it was a temporary facility), I was transferred to the Togus Maine VA hospital and was locked down in the Cuckoo’s Nest for the past 3 weeks while they got my meds under control. Regardless of the issues at the top of the VA, the staff there was no less than outstandingly helpful, kind and caring for everyone. They got me in touch with Veterans, Inc., a marvelous organization that specializes in assisting Vets get back on their feet. I was transferred to their HQ in Worcester, Taxachussetts yesterday and will be here for a short period before I get into their transitional housing program, a rent and utility free apartment of my own for up to 2-years. Needless to say I’m pining away for the fjords of the Texas Hill Country, but this is the path He has put before me for the present. I’ll be job searching to get some income happening as I’m destitute at the moment.

I fucked-up and fell to the absolute bottom and hopefully someone will read this and seek help before they too walk this path of Teh Suck™ like I am now. The VA really is an awesome resource available to those of us who have served. Also, I would urge those inclined, to throw a few Sheckles to Veterans, Inc. they have a great program to reach out to thousands of Vets.

Life really does suck right now, but I’m still in there swinging and the Good L-rd will see me through this without a doubt. I’ve never been down this wicked scary road of destitution and unemployment as well as de facto homelessness and y’all’s prayers would be greatly appreciated.

Now that I have plenty of access to a computer once again, I’ll be back on these pages once again, please forgive my dereliction of duty to the Empire.

G-d Bless you all my friends,

JB