5 days to go

So…I have five days left in my treatment program. I’ve learned a lot and made significant progress. However, I found out yesterday that unexpected things can still throw me off balance.

I learned that my health insurance will end at the end of this month, and I will need to apply for COBRA coverage. This will reset my insurance, and I will have to pay my $1,500 deductible again. This situation has caused a lot of anxiety.

I am scheduled to start my next program on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, but I’m not sure how that will work. My COBRA insurance will be retroactive to May 1, 2026, but I won’t have paperwork to prove coverage right away. I don’t know if they will allow me to start the program without proof of insurance, or if I will have to wait until I receive the actual insurance card.

This entire medical leave process has been stressful and confusing. It feels like nobody has clear answers, and I’m left in the dark wondering how I will pay my bills. I applied for the Minnesota Paid Leave program and for long-term disability. My Minnesota Paid Leave benefits were approved, but HR says the leave dates may be incorrect, and I might have to repay some of the benefits. My long-term disability was supposed to begin on March 27, 2026, but they are still determining whether I qualify.

It all feels very overwhelming and makes my anxiety worse. I am in a depression and anxiety treatment program and trying to focus on my recovery, but these issues make that very difficult. I’m doing my best to sit with the anxiety and breathe through it, but it keeps building.

More later…