S9E15: Financial help for Stroke Survivors.

Good morning my stroke survivor friends. How are you? This is Karina, the host and creator of this Top 2 podcast. The show is all about moving forward past the events of the stroke, seeing that there is life to live after stroke. Life is not over. No, no, no, no. It has only just begun. Guys, if I can do it, so can you. 27 years ago I suffered a brain stem dissection that led me to coma in the Lochten Syndrome. But as you can see, I'm here sharing not only my story but all my tricks, hacks and how to's how I got to survive this world as a stroke survivor.

And I know that you can too. Grab yourself a drink, pen and paper because the faint as a pink is better than the best memory. Come and join me here today as we recorded this show. Before I start the show officially, I would like to do a little bit of clean house and make sure that you like, follow and subscribe to my podcast on any platforms you are currently listening.

You can also share the podcast guys share with Sugar Bear because the more you share, the more the algorithm and the more the people know that we are here. A movement for stroke survivors to help each other out during this particular time. Also, I'm going to recommend that you download the episode so that way you can sit back, relax, listen to what's going on, let your creative juices flow in your mind and as you listen and when you download, you get to listen to it again as you are recuperating from your stroke. And also you can take notes.

So Are you ready to talk about today's topic? It has to do with the number one problem that pertains to stroke survivors and caregivers. So guys, I'm talking about finances and stroke survivors. Let's just get it over with, RIP the Band-Aid and get it over with. The stress of finance, of money I've lacked thereof is one of the biggest and it's exhausting, guys, Oh my God, do I ever know it. It's exhausting because not only because of the bills, but it's exhausting mentally because of that anxiety that comes from uncertainty.

Top five things that can be both easing the financial strain and help reduce the mental load is waiting for you in this episode, guys. It's a topic that I personally, I won't lie, I'm not comfortable with it. I've never been. I, my stomach is all in knots right now. I'm uncertain of how the show is going to go, uncertain of the outcome of, of the podcast, uncertain of how I'm going to pay rent on the 1st of September. I'm uncertain about a lot of things, guys, not because I have a podcast means that everything is hunky Dory. Trust me, honey Bunny, it is not. But I decided to talk about today's show because it's very personal to me and I know that it's very personal to do what I just said in the intro is not

just words. I feel every single thing that I talked about, but I also believe that money is a frequency. And when we have the frequency of lack, the the frequency of fear, we send out to the universe that particular said energy. And the universe in life doesn't know if what we're sending out is positive or negative.

The universe only knows that it's energy. So I make sure that even though I'm uneasy with this particular topic in my life, I make sure to check and tune in TuneIn to how I portray how I show up because I don't need more negative coming to me. And I know you don't need more negative. You've had your share to last you a lifetime. Now it's time to turn the leaf.

That's why today I am going to share the top five things, hacks that I have learned that are going to be easing the financial strain and help reduce that mental load and make couples everywhere, stroke survivor couples and their caregivers a lot better and make wiser decision. Hey, it's a work in progress. I am a work in progress.

Seriously guys, this topic is my nemesis. I can't. I am so uneasy with this right now, but like every other thing in my life, I have to tell my truth. I have to acknowledge my financial situation. I have to acknowledge my choices. I have to accept that I am financially where I am. And if it's nowhere, it's nowhere. But I have to accept it.

It doesn't mean I like it. It means that I accept, but then I have the choice to take action. I can sit and salk and be upset because I didn't save throughout my life, or I can do something about it. Today's show is all being proactive. It's doing something about it. All right. So the number one thing you can do, and actually it's the easiest and it's the most courageous and brave thing that you can do is maximize all eligible benefits.

Let me explain. I'm going to use my my situation as an example. And you're going to flip it into what your situation is in whatever part of the world you're in. I'm in Canada right now. OK. Many stroke survivors and their caregivers don't know that they qualify for certain programs and because maybe they did apply once they were denied and they simply gave up. Check this out.

I applied for my disability pension. I was denied 3 times. Imagine that I had a stroke. I'm. I have imiplasia, I have all the little Boo boos that are there. I'm still mobile absolutely, I made sure that I am, but nevertheless I have limitations and I'm entitled. I worked, I paid taxes, I'm entitled to receiving something, yet I was denied 3 times that I cry and was pissed off. Absolutely.

Did I give up? No way Jose. I even wrote a six page letter. I said I'm going to bore them to death. I don't care. But they're going to hear what I have to say and and and and and then they can make a a decision. But at least I'm going to get it out of my chest. And I wrote them a six page letter on my last trial with them because here in Canada, you can apply for your disability pension and then you have 90 days to contest a decision, which is what I have done.

Well, it turns out that now they accept it. But check this out. Yay, they accept I have a debt with the government because I they sent me too much. I collected too much many years ago, and so now I'm being penalized. Now that I really, really need my disability, I'm being penalized. They're withholding half of my pension every month to pay for my debt. It's like, what the fuck?

What is this? I called four times this morning was at 832 was my fourth time that I called to tell them that I cannot allow them to hold half my pay, half my disability. So the programs that you're eligible out there now, this is my case. I'm not going to mumble anymore about that, but this is my case. You don't give up if you need to write a six letter page, if you need to send a video, if I don't care what you got to do, but you got to do it.

Another thing, I stepped on my pride, we have legal aid here. So when I called the government and I said, listen, you know the money you're sending me, thank you. However it doesn't even cover my rent. So do you have any suggestion in what I can do? They said, well, you can go to legal aid, not legal aid, I mean financial aid. Now, in the past growing up, we were on financial aid. So I have a bad taste about that. But you know what, at this point, and I work part time, I'm not making gazillions of money anymore and they're holding half my check.

And you know, if I add everything, I went, I stepped on my pride guys and I went to financial aid. So I think that you need to explore what you have in the country you're in that you are listening to the show, explore your options and at the end justifies the mean, right. So if you apply for these programs and you're denied, don't give up. And my second advice is step on your pride. If it's going to help bring in a little bit more money at home where you can buy your grocery for the month and not worry or you can pay rent.

At least you have these two things, at least yours. This is what I thought. OK guys, this is just me, what I thought. At least my stroke happened so I can get this ability and I should be paid for that. I should be paid for the emotional loss that I've had, that my family endured, that my daughter lacked some some of the little things she wanted. And now she's out of the house.

Now it's all up to me. I need help. I'm going to do what I have to to get help, and I hope that you have the courage to apply in all the different programs that you can see see what's out there. This ability is one thing. You can also look for transportation assistance, energy subsidies, maybe if you call your Hydro Quebec or your electric company and you explain your situation.

Then there's medication cost reduction programs. So these are things that vary by countries and by states like I previously mentioned, but they're worth looking into. If it can make you save a few bucks or give you a few bucks, it's worth it. Those of you who are not sure how to go about it by yourselves and you do have a social worker or you need to find a social worker, they can do all the leg work for you, all fill in all the paperwork for you.

That's something that you can find a social worker either in your rehab center or in the hospital. All right. The second thing that you could do is contact maybe your energy company, your phone company, your cable company, and you can ask them for a hardship rate or a medical discount. Many of these companies, they do have that, but they are not advertised.

Therefore we don't hear about it on the regular. It's called the hardship rate. In the same thing, you could switch your medication. Instead of having brand names, you could switch your medication to generics. I know that for me, I only take generics. They're less expensive and they do the exact same thing.

Third thing you could do is bundle your appointments for transportation costs. You're taking a taxi to a location. Don't just go to one thing. Do everything in the same area. That way you can save a bit of money for that. If you know me, you've been following me, you know that my favorite thing is being active #4 is really active. At the beginning of 2025, I said to myself, I want 11 different streams of income.

Doesn't mean I'm a millionaire. It means that 20 bucks plus 20 bucks plus 50 bucks plus 40 bucks. It all adds up #4 is about finding flexible income. That means you could be looking for something at home. You could be selling HomeGoods on Facebook Marketplace if you're great in a specific topic.

You could be offering tutoring online. There's freelance work if you're great at whatever you're doing. Is it math? Is it accounting? You could work and do freelance work. There is so many things you can do. Not every stroke survivor out there is in bad, like in bad shape, for lack of better word. Like totally, totally, totally, cognitively, physically. Of course we all are at the beginning guys. You're not the only one, We all are. It took me a good year to get my brain back at least a little bit straight where I could function by myself safely, where I could take care of my baby safely and I could drive my car safely. But it all happens with time.

Unfortunately, time is of the essence and #5 is in order to reduce the anxiety, the sleepless lights, maybe the drinking too much or the eating too much, the bitching too much. In order to reduce all these things, well, we need to take better care of ourselves #5 is self-care. I simplify it by saying self-care.

Do meditation. Listen to your relaxation music while you're cleaning the house or while you're taking a bath, do some meditation, do some yoga, go for a walk. But I think that the number 4 is my favorite because it's proactive. You are doing a little something. So if I get a little bit of money from Facebook, when I do my lives, I get a little bit of money. From TikTok, I get money.

From Instagram, I get a little bit of money. From my work, I get a little bit of money. Right now I'm at 7 different income streams. They're not much, but they all add up. So you know what? If it's good for me, if it works for me, there is no reason why it can't work for you, my love. But you have to not give up hope.

Not give up hope you're going to walk again, but also not give up hope that there's help out there. But you have to go and get it. If if, if you don't go and get it, nobody's going to offer it. That's the kind of world we live in right now. We want something, We go and get it. If you need more help, more precision on this, I'd be more than happy to give you more ideas. OK.

I hope today's show was a little bit of help. It was a bit longer than usual, but what can I say? Finances has has that thing on us. I'm still stressed out, guys in my tummy. I'm not stressed out, but I'm still like all like this topic really, really, really gets to me. But one day at a time, guys, this is really what I had for you today. I hope you enjoyed.

Make sure you like, follow and subscribe. You share the podcast, you download the podcast to re listen to it, and I love you immensely. We'll talk to you soon. Bye.

S9E15: Financial help for Stroke Survivors.

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