I am sick of being sick. First is was a sore throat that came and went. It started when I moved to NJ at the end of August 2011.  At times it was pretty bad. But I put it off to allergies. I had moved into a house with 3 cats and over the years I must have developed an allergy to them...

But then I moved into a house with no cats.  And my throat still hurt.  Not as much, not as often but it was still there.

THEN I finally moved into the apartment where I live now.  Ok, it was pretty dirty when I moved in.  AND a week later I started a new job, in a new industry working a "normal" schedule... which I haven't done since I was in my 20's (a very long time ago).

I talk a lot at this job, on the phone and to co-workers. There is a lot more stress than I thought. But nevertheless, it shouldn't have caused my throat to hurt as bad as it did. It got to the point I couldn't talk and in the evening, when I brushed my teeth and cleared my throat, there was blood.  After a week of that I decided to go to the hospital.

I don't have health insurance. And the bank account isn't set up for any major medical bills. I knew the hospital would treat me and I could work out a payment plan. 

I had to go on a Saturday because my job requires that I be there Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.  I get 1/2 hour for lunch, but that isn't time to get medical treatment.

The emergency room prescribed antibiotics, pain pills and a new blood pressure med... as, for some reason, my blood pressure was off the charts.  They kept me until after I fell asleep and my BP went down. And suggested that I go to one of their clinics.

The antibiotics helped so much.  But it was a Z-pack which is only for 5 days.  My throat still hurt but not nearly as bad.  And the blood was gone. 

So I went to the clinic. I couldn't make an appointment with them because of my job.  But they told me if I showed up at 8:30 am on a Saturday I would be "worked" in. I was healthier when I walked in there then after I left.

To make a long story as short as I can... the doctor I saw prescribed meds I couldn't afford, meds that interferred with my blood pressure and another med that was almost exactly the same as one I was all ready taking.

So what do I do now?