2008 Annual Report - St. Vincent de Paul

12
Jack & Debbie
Jack and Debbie take pride in living simply
but independently. They were happy
together in their modest 2-bedroom
apartment.
Then, a change in management at Debbie’s
job resulted in two years of harassment,
leaving Debbie in an unstable
condition. When Jack became aware of
the situation, he downsized their apartment
so Debbie could quit her job. But
it was soon apparent that Debbie was
not recovering.
In time, a psychiatrist prescribed a combination
of medications that returned
Debbie to her old self again. But Jack
and Debbie could not afford the medication.
Individual insurance coverage
would cost over $1400 a month and
just three of the eight prescriptions cost
$360, even with the insurance plan.
Jack and Debbie attended financial
counseling, where they were advised
to declare bankruptcy. Not wanting to
take that option, Jack pawned jewelry
that once belonged to his mother. But
that only made a small dent in the many
doctor and hospital bills that had piled
up. Without her medication, Debbie
began to slide back into depression and
became suicidal.