Hi Ms_P,
I’m so sorry you are having to deal with this situation. Have you looked into food charities such as Foodbank, Vinnies etc? I would say look for any kind of charity support you can to alleviate financial pressure.
I also have fibromyalgia which always limited me to part-time work as I had it from age 13. I was in a similar situation to you about 17 years ago. I had developed an extremely painful bladder condition at that time as well and had to stop work all together and go on Centrelink. I had just $1.23 in my bank account after paying my rent one particular week and just lived off porridge for a few days until my next payment came in. I know it’s a horrible kind of stress. I ended up doing some programs with the then Commonwealth Rehab Service, a role now taken over by disability employment agencies. It was like a kind of safety net and I retrained part time at TAFE as an education assistant and was able to return to part-time work, though on quite strong pain meds, but was eventually able to discontinue the strongest ones and I think the work eventually actually helped the pain subside. I think it was something about working with kids which felt meaningful and actually helped the pain messaging in my brain and nervous system settle somewhat.
Sorry, that’s a long story. But I’m just wondering if you could get some support through somewhere like Centrelink given you can only work limited hours? You could maybe make an appointment at a Centrelink office to ask questions (it can be challenging getting info on the phone). I’m also wondering that given you have fibromyalgia they may be able to link you up with one of the employment agencies who assist people with disabilities and medical conditions. They are less stringent than regular employment agencies and more tailored to finding work that fits with your needs.
You say you do enjoy your current work so you might want to stay there, but I just thought of that as an option if you could be supported in a job that’s easier to manage with the fibro. I’m trying to think of ways you could earn more money without more hours which you cannot do at present. I guess I’m trying to think outside the current box you are in, but it may be preferable to stay with the job you know. In any case it may be worth looking at any income support payments Centrelink may have for those in financial hardship.
You may only have one bedroom, but if you have another there is also the possibility of house sharing. But I know that it’s really important to get the right person to live with.
Do you have a supportive GP, rheumatologist or other healthcare practitioner? I hope you are ok and I think indigo’s suggestion is a good one to get free financial advice. Things can have a way of working out in ways we cannot yet see, so there will likely be a few ways to get through your situation. Take care and be gentle with yourself. Best wishes,
ER
