I’m Mimi. I’m coming to you to ask for help. This is our story:
My husband and I were diagnosed with infertility shortly after we married in 2022 after trying to conceive for some time, couldn’t afford IVF, conceived when every doctor said it was impossible, lost that pregnancy last summer at nineteen weeks, then months later, conceived again. Our baby is expected to arrive shortly after Sukkos.
We’ve hit financial issues, prenatal care is costing hundreds of dollars a month on top of our insurance premium and the high risk clinic that my insurance accepts won’t accept payments or bill me. I was in crisis mode and reached out to a Jewish Crisis Pregnancy organization to ask if they knew of resources to assist or if they could help in any way. Their exact response to me was:
“Hi (my name), you are holding so much right now. We hope you can find a local social service agency in your area. Our organization does not pay medical bills, rent, mortgage, utility bills or anything affiliated with automobiles (repairs, insurance). We hope you find a good resource soon!”
I am having anxiety and at times anxiety don’t want to have this very wanted and desired and davened for child, and am drowning. I’m headed to modified bed rest as soon as my school year has ended (I’m a Teacher’s Assistant in an Orthodox Jewish Day School), my husband is working 12-18 hours a day at times at his full-time job, and things look bleak.
I’m almost 20 weeks and we’ve dreamed and davened for this child. But, my thoughts go back to a running thread: ‘maybe I shouldn’t have gotten pregnant’.
We make “too much” for local assistance through social service agencies or for SNAP or Medicaid. I was crying on the phone with 211 when I called last night after asking if they had any resources on their list for pregnant women in crisis, and the woman offered me a warm line number for a peer counseling service for the mentally ill.
We’re BTs and it has been drilled in me since I was young and growing up in a Conservadox family, that you marry, you have children and then every child brings its own Mazal. I’m just beyond the beyonds. I trust in Hashem, but am asking for help from others for the following:
High Risk Prenatal Appointments: one on July 16th, then from August 15th until I am due in early November 2025, twice weekly. Average appointment cost is $375 per appointment. We have insurance with a high individual deductible of $6000 and out of pocket maximum for the family of $16,080 which changed from a reasonable deductible, copays and out of pocket maximum when my husband found full-time work after a lengthy period of being unemployed (his former place of employment closed down.)
I will be placed on Modified Bedrest and will not be working through the majority of the summer as of June 19th, and possibly into the next school year beginning at the end of August, depending on the health of myself and our child. This cuts a major chunk of our income out for just over two months as I’m was paid hourly this academic year. I’m trying to find work that I can do from bed at home, but we need a bit to help ends meet (utilities).
We’re asking for financial help to get through this very rough patch as we cannot find other financial resources.
Thank you for considering us.
