Job - School - Life

[mac1ntosh]

Hi! It's been forever since I've visited, or even posted, but Ive been laid off of work, and I'm so down in the dumps, can't think straight.

So here goes...

I'm 41 y.o., female, laid off of work. Thinking maybe I'll go back to school to finish an Associates deg. in something I could possibly work from home at. Medical Coding, aka Health Information Technology.

Who knew school is SO expensive! Being married, having no kids, and owning a home is NOT conducive to receiving aid for school tuition help.

Either by way of grants or scholarships, I don't qualify. I can certainly get a loan, but don't want to saddle us with THAT MUCH DEBT with no real job on the horizon.

So I thought I'd ask my fellow MS'ers, WTH?

Do any of you have any advice for me?

I'm also trying to look for work, but with having MS, and knowing I can't put in a full 40 hours/week, not having any luck.

I don't want to go completely on disability, but feel like there's no way out. I feel SO DISCOURAGED.

Any advice is welcome. I truly want to be a contributing member of society...

But feel so downtrodden, and worthless right now.

mac2ntosh - aka Jody

[Jules A]

Hi Jody,
You are definitely not worthless!! Dang it sure doesn't sound very fair to have MS and also get laid off.

If you are serious about going back to school your local community college would be a reasonably priced route. That way you could work part-time and take a class or two at a time.

I also went back to school when I was 40 and didn't have the option of quitting work completely or racking up loans so I adjusted. It can be done. Best of luck to you.
Jules

[miwealia]

online courses?

Hi Jody, have you looked into online courses? Sometimes colleges offer online courses, and that would be so much easier than commuting to campus. Just a thought. Good luck!

[aitch10]

Hi Jody,
You are definitely not worthless!! Dang it sure doesn't sound very fair to have MS and also get laid off.

If you are serious about going back to school your local community college would be a reasonably priced route. That way you could work part-time and take a class or two at a time.

I also went back to school when I was 40 and didn't have the option of quitting work completely or racking up loans so I adjusted. It can be done. Best of luck to you.
Jules

This. Junior Colleges certainly aren't as cheap as they used to be, but they should be manageable. Maybe a work/study program is offered somewhere near you?

[mac1ntosh]

I did do online school research, $34,000 from start to finish is too much for us to take on.

I just don't see how people manage it. There's always loans, but with MS, it's so unpredictable.

Discouraged doesn't even cut it.

mac1ntosh

[Jules A]

The "online only" schools are super expensive in most cases but if you are only looking to finish an AA degree a community college won't cost anything near that much.

I got my AA degree for around $8,000 total and that included some online offerings.

[MSer102]

I agree that if all your looking for is an AA or AS then a community college is the way to go. There's NO reason to take on debt for an AA you can get at a nearby community college.

I love in California where even community college can be costly. But it's still only $46 per unit. For a 2 year full time AA the tuition is about $2000. Add on for books, parking passes and other expenses, an AA runs about $3000 in an expensive state. That's one tenth of the online degree you looked into.

It might seem like online colleges will be cheaper but they aren't. And their degrees aren't any better than the AA you can get from your community college so don't even think about it.

With all of that said I want to go back to the part about you not thinking straight. Medical coding is NOT health information technology! NOT aka. Medical coding is assigning diagnosis and procedure codes to medical visits. It's being done automatically by software programs now so medical coding manually is a dead occupation.

Please don't be suckered into "training for the exciting field of medical coding". It doesn't exist anymore! But there are still "schools" out there that are preying on unsuspecting people - apparently tricking them into thinking that medical coding is the same thing as health information technology with a bright future - and taking their money to "train" them for a job that doesn't exist. Medical coding is NOT healthcare information technology!

Information technology - whether its healthcare or some other field - is something different than coding. And because of healthcare privacy laws and the strict security requirements, companies are not going to hire you to process healthcare information by working from your unsecured home.

You might be able to get some training and employment ideas by talking with the people in the disabilities office at your local community college. Good luck.

[justacowgirl]

I went back to school at 45. I think the time and monetary investment must be balanced with ehat it is you want to do and how viable it will be for you to get a job in your new field and how much money you will make.

I see alot of people take on educational debt in fields that they can make no money in.

Don't be discouraged!! How wonderful to have time in your life to do this!!

J

[Jules A]

I went back to school at 45. I think the time and monetary investment must be balanced with ehat it is you want to do and how viable it will be for you to get a job in your new field and how much money you will make.

I see alot of people take on educational debt in fields that they can make no money in.

Don't be discouraged!! How wonderful to have time in your life to do this!!

J

Excellent points! For some reason school debt seems to be similar to taking on too high a mortgage. People want to justify whatever the cost with "it is good debt" when in many cases that simply isn't true.

I love it when I hear about other people with MS forging ahead and attempting to secure a future income for ourselves and wish everyone who attempts school much success. It was the single best decision I made since being diagnosed with MS.

[heliotrope]

Have you contacted the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation? https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dvr/ They might be able to help.

[andreagwolford]

hi

I can very well imagine your situation. I was thinking why don't you opt for freelance jobs online? There are tons of freelancer jobs which you can do online according to your qualification, while sitting back and relaxing at home. Outdoor stuff can be pretty hectic in MS.

[mac1ntosh]

I did go to the local job center to try and get information. I feel like such a basket case, though when trying to explain my situation, I end up bawling uncontrollably, and can't speak coherently, and watch out if it's "the time of the month" double whammy.

People just look at me with pity, and ask what's wrong, which is nice, but I can't get anything out!

I hate that symptom, I almost wish I had the opposite, laughing uncontrollably. I suppose they're equally traumatic.

So, I may just take a class here and there, at the local technical school. Chalk that up to one of my biggest regrets; not finishing college.

Thanks to everyone for your tips, I appreciate it.

mac1ntosh

[kelm10]

vocational rehab

I to would suggest vocational rehab. Apply for disability, to cover what is going on now. While you have the work credits in.

Your California state vocational rehab can help figure out what course of study would be good for you. It may also assist with school.

They can then also help you transition into a back to work program.

[bree2013]

I did go to the local job center to try and get information. I feel like such a basket case, though when trying to explain my situation, I end up bawling uncontrollably, and can't speak coherently, and watch out if it's "the time of the month" double whammy.

People just look at me with pity, and ask what's wrong, which is nice, but I can't get anything out!

I hate that symptom, I almost wish I had the opposite, laughing uncontrollably. I suppose they're equally traumatic.

So, I may just take a class here and there, at the local technical school. Chalk that up to one of my biggest regrets; not finishing college.

Thanks to everyone for your tips, I appreciate it.

mac1ntosh

Remember, you can apply for scholarships. There are scholarships for just about anything now. I went back to college a few years back to change my career path. The local community college gave me a $250 scholarship just about every semester I went. That covered a good portion of one class and books.

A lot of people do not take the time to apply. You apply to the general scholarship foundation - fill out application and write a little bit about yourself. Being 40 and going back to school after being in the work force for a while is an advantage for approval sometimes.

Good luck in your endeavors,
Bree