RANT HERE thread

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Oh, man, it definitely did. She came in looking like crap and for 3 months she was like a puppy again. To be fair, she is still clinically fine, but I am more aware of the timetable and would like to have everything figured out beforehand because I'm sure when then time actually comes I will be far too emotional to want to deal with the intricacies.



I think his discomfort is more over *my* discomfort. Gin has always been my dog much more so than his. I mean, he likes her well enough, but he's not particularly a dog person. I think he is more worried about how it would affect me (then again, this was the man who broke down when we had to euthanize our first bunny - he's a rabbit guy. Let me tell you, when you have a 200+lb guy with tattoos and **** bawling over a little rabbit, you don't know wtf to do).



That's what I am aiming at. I mean, she is always very good for her chemo (although she hates catheters) but I would much prefer it at home.

Like I said, just trying to get all my ducks in a row for whenever it had to happen in the next few months.
If that's the case (and definitely not trying to imply your hubby doesn't care about your dog), he needs to do this your way. I'm sure he knows that your pup is 'the pup' for you, and you deserve to say goodbye in the manner you want.
 
If that's the case (and definitely not trying to imply your hubby doesn't care about your dog), he needs to do this your way. I'm sure he knows that your pup is 'the pup' for you, and you deserve to say goodbye in the manner you want.

I think he'd be ok with it, it is more that he would feel uncomfortable being a part of it - because, she's much more my dog like I said (and he doesn't do well himself with pet-related grief). For example, the dog's bed is right next to ours, and he might be afraid that I wouldn't be able to sleep well in that room anymore - that type of stuff.
 
We did an at home euthanasia with one of our dogs. It was really peaceful. She was able to stay curled up in her favorite spot until it was time, and was in her home and totally relaxed with us. She hated car rides and the vet and we didn't want her end to be like that.

We couldn't with our dog that passed in August because she was hospitalized. She was pretty strung out on pain meds and anti anxiety meds and we were able to snuggle with her for a few hours before at the clinic and she seemed pretty comfortable with us there, but it's the one thing I regret about her passing.

One of the first things I did when I moved here was find a vet that does at home euthanasias. I really want to be able to do that with my cats when it's time if possible.

I'm definitely in support of home euthanasias when it's possible.
 
Also, none of us experienced any sort of avoidance or bad memories of the area of the house where she passed.

We had a lot of clients at work go that route as well, and I don't remember any of them saying that happened either.
 
Have any of you ever done the whole at-home euthanasia thing?

I'm considering it for when her times comes. The hubs isn't really a fan and thinks it would be awkward/make bad memories for the house, but I'm trying to win him over. I would much prefer to have her pass here.

I strongly recommend it. I have done it twice. The first time I had a vet I knew in my former life do it. The second time I had my closest friend from vet school do it (Just .... 6 months ago?)

The second time I actually took euthasol home from work intending to do it myself. Then I couldn't, so I called my friend.
 
I strongly recommend it. I have done it twice. The first time I had a vet I knew in my former life do it. The second time I had my closest friend from vet school do it (Just .... 6 months ago?)

The second time I actually took euthasol home from work intending to do it myself. Then I couldn't, so I called my friend.
I don't blame you, I doubt I'd be able to do it myself unless it was some sort of emergency and there was suffering.
 
I strongly recommend it. I have done it twice. The first time I had a vet I knew in my former life do it. The second time I had my closest friend from vet school do it (Just .... 6 months ago?)

The second time I actually took euthasol home from work intending to do it myself. Then I couldn't, so I called my friend.

Yeah, I get that. Part of me considered just steeling up to do it myself when the time came, but I acknowledged that I don't think I could.
 
I did a home euthanasia with my heart dog 2 years ago. We scheduled with a vet I had worked with and trusted to be compassionate. I took him for one last long (well, as far as he was comfortable) walk and then we went home and just curled up on the couch and snuggled until she got there.

I had tears rolling down my face most of the time. I am so used to placing the catheter and prepping the patient, I kept jumping to help and she had to remind me just to love him. He was too sick again at that point to eat or anything (he kept going up and down in health pretty quick during the last month), so I just pet him and told stories about him. My daughter came over and snuggled him and he peacefully passed.

I had no aversions to the house or anything, just an emptiness that hadn't been there before. If I had driven with him to the vet, I felt like if would have been worse because part of me would want to drive back to go get him. (I know it is unreasonable, but he was my baby for over 11 years, almost his whole life)

I had been suspecting an intestinal tumor, based on his signs and what I felt in his gut, (long story that I deleted, because this is more for you), so after his euthanasia, once I was calm, I drove him to work and did his necropsy. I removed a mass and sent it in that turned out to be the intestinal adenocarcinoma I had suspected.

I brought his body to the crematorium and still have his ashes and his TPLO plate. I just can't leave him behind.

I think the home euthanasia was the very best thing I could have done for him. Even though he was used to the vet clinic and enjoyed the people, this was just me and him and I got to give him all the love and affection I could and I can remember that last day as snuggling curled up. Not the stress of trying to get to an appt on time or waiting in a waiting room and then exam room. We got to sleep on the carpet in the sunshine. She showed up when she could, but I had no hurry. He got to fall asleep in a normal spot with no need to be vigilant for other dogs he could smell. The cats all came and said goodbye one by one. It was as perfect as a goodbye could be.

(And yes, I am bawling now. That part, the loss, is the same where ever you say goodbye. So choose what will be best for you and your heart dog. Go where you feel safe and content. A warm day in the yard or a cool day in the living room sunshine, or head to the clinic. Where you and your pup feel supported and comfortable is all that matters.)
 
So doggo has started on a rescue chemo protocol. She seems relatively comfortable clinically, still loves food and walkies. But I can hear her slight snore-y breathing, likely because her hilar lymph nodes have enlarged again, and every time I pet her belly and can feel her big spleen I wince. There is a 50% or thereabouts response rate with the rescue protocol, and it would buy her maybe 2-3 months on average.

Maybe I'm just selfish for wanting to get her through the holidays, but she seems ok for now at least. I'm willing to go MOPP if need be to buy her that time since she was a bust with CHOP (surprising, since 80% + of dogs with B cell LSA go into full remission for an average of a year or so . We -including oncologists - were all like aw, ****, WTF dog, wat are you doing?!).

There's now way we could afford a full MOPP ($1000-$2000 per treatment so with 2 wks on 2 off, that's 2-4k a month for 6-12 months, and given that I've already wiped out my savings (~$7,000+) on her, I just can't do it anymore) - but I could at least give her one round to help her be comfy into the new year.

I mean, this dog is seriously my heart dog. Had her for 12+ years through all my ****.

For those of you who remember devyn, Roc was to devyn as Ginny is to me (and no, she was not named after Harry Potter stuff, she was named after West Virginia where Animal Control picked her up, alone in an abandoned house - theory is she was abandoned because she's a hunting breed but she is horribly afraid of gunshots.).

I know we're no different than anyone else who has lost a pet, but I feel distinctly unprepared for it. Being in path, we see a lot of death, but we are spared the actual process of death. We only see the aftermath. So I'm really not sure how I'm going to handle it

Have any of you ever done the whole at-home euthanasia thing?

I'm considering it for when her times comes. The hubs isn't really a fan and thinks it would be awkward/make bad memories for the house, but I'm trying to win him over. I would much prefer to have her pass here.
I haven't gone through and read any responses so I'm sorry if I'm saying anything repetitive, but I opted for at-home euthanasia for my cat and I'm so glad I did. She was able to relax on my bed and we got to skip the trouble of travelling to the clinic. Granted, she is a cat and has to get stuffed in a carrier which she hates- not sure if Ginny is one for travel. I think my cat was so much more comfortable than she would have been at the vet. Overall it was a pleasant experience (as pleasant as it could have been..). She barfed from the sedation, which made me feel awful for her, but that likely would have happened at the hospital too. I'm glad we stayed home.

Sent from my SM-G935V using SDN mobile
 
It is very interesting to me to read all of these stories of positive at home experiences for euthanasia. I personally don't think I could ever do it, and really loathe the idea. Maybe I will feel differently many years from now when my boy is old. For those who don't know or don't remember, 3 years ago I came home to find my perfectly healthy, middle aged dog dead in my home, and it was pretty much the most traumatic experience for a loss ever. Every memory I have related to that experience - from finding her dead, to taking her to the clinic, to taking her body to the crematorium, to picking up a tupperware container of ashes - is absolutely awful for me. I can't imagine choosing to form that kind of memory in my home even under my own control. Obviously I recognize that this is not how many people feel - I help my clients daily to decide what is best for them, whether that is with me at our hospital or at home with a service. Just another story and set of emotions here really.

I hope that you have happy and wonderful last months together, and that although the odds are against it, you get more months than expected at this point. As hard as it is, try not to dwell on what's coming and just enjoy the time. Shes not anticipating the loss, shes just happy to have your presence everyday. Dogs are wonderful like that, living in the present. Not getting caught up in whats to come, not dwelling on the past, just simply living.
 
It is very interesting to me to read all of these stories of positive at home experiences for euthanasia. I personally don't think I could ever do it, and really loathe the idea. Maybe I will feel differently many years from now when my boy is old. For those who don't know or don't remember, 3 years ago I came home to find my perfectly healthy, middle aged dog dead in my home, and it was pretty much the most traumatic experience for a loss ever. Every memory I have related to that experience - from finding her dead, to taking her to the clinic, to taking her body to the crematorium, to picking up a tupperware container of ashes - is absolutely awful for me. I can't imagine choosing to form that kind of memory in my home even under my own control. Obviously I recognize that this is not how many people feel - I help my clients daily to decide what is best for them, whether that is with me at our hospital or at home with a service. Just another story and set of emotions here really.

I hope that you have happy and wonderful last months together, and that although the odds are against it, you get more months than expected at this point. As hard as it is, try not to dwell on what's coming and just enjoy the time. Shes not anticipating the loss, shes just happy to have your presence everyday. Dogs are wonderful like that, living in the present. Not getting caught up in whats to come, not dwelling on the past, just simply living.
I had something similar happen when I was a kid (woke up to my 14 year old cocker in a puddle of blood on the floor). I think the difference is that one is unexpected and one is something that you have (at least ideally) planned to some degree. I've never had a pet that I had euthanized at home (all were either taken in, died unexpectedly at home, or euthanized at an emergency clinic) but I think it's something I would be very comfortable with having done.

At the same time though, I think at home eu is something you have to be all-in for in order for it to be the best option for you. Many people are fine with an at home eu until they realize they have to figure out what to do with the body (not all services take the body), or when they realize that the mental image of their deceased pet is one they never wanted and one they felt would sully their good memories of their pet and their home. It's ultimately a very personal decision, as almost everything related to hospice care is.

Also, I'm sorry, WTF. I wish this wasn't something you had to be considering at all right now.
 
I started to write a post about the few poor at home euthanasia experiences I had as a tech, but they all had to do with crap situations, not the euthanasia itself.

We had one older couple that had a room in their home where all sick and dying animals were kept (treated by the vet or euthanized) and they refused to cross the threshold because that was where all their bad memories ended, but that was the closest I have had to someone obviously associating bad thoughts with their home.

Otherwise, people seem to mostly focus on the good memories at home and that their pet is home and comfortable. A few have a sad tree or couch cushion, or dog bed, but people seem to associate those more with what their pet loved in life than the moment of death, versus in the clinic... Sometimes the only memories they formed in that room were the diagnosis, the decision, and the goodbye. There are no happy memories to associate, so they develop room aversions easier. (At least this is my theory from what I have seen.)
 
she was named after West Virginia where Animal Control picked her up, alone in an abandoned house - theory is she was abandoned because she's a hunting breed but she is horribly afraid of gunshots.

Have any of you ever done the whole at-home euthanasia thing?

I'm considering it for when her times comes. The hubs isn't really a fan and thinks it would be awkward/make bad memories for the house, but I'm trying to win him over. I would much prefer to have her pass here.

If Ginny is from WV, she's clearly tough as nails🙂 Because I can totally imagine the kind of place she was abandoned in and the kind of people who abandoned her (I say that because I'm from WV myself).

I think euthanasias at home are the best. It is so so much easier on the dog and honestly I think it's easier on us too.
 
I could have easily arranged my dog's at home. But I just couldn't.

Instead, I gave him some sedatives at home. Took him for a ride in the truck (he loved being my co-pilot), stopped at the store and bought him a jar of peanut butter to eat while I drove around for a bit. By the time we got to the clinic, he was heavily sedated. My boss did the euth, and I didn't have to worry about anything after.
 
I can't remember where we talked about it, but I'm really starting to believe in the fact that if you feel good about a test, you probably didn't actually do well. I passed, but ugh. Whatever, Thanksgiving, here I come!
 
I can't remember where we talked about it, but I'm really starting to believe in the fact that if you feel good about a test, you probably didn't actually do well. I passed, but ugh. Whatever, Thanksgiving, here I come!
No kidding...I knew I'd screwed up on some digestive questions on our last A&P exam, but I figured everything else was on lock enough to get at least a high B. We went over the exam today and I got my lowest grade so far 🙁 I made several really stupid mistakes by overthinking a question and switching away from the correct answer. still passing, but I really needed to start pulling up my grade in this class...normally I'd find it silly to fuss over a B but it's going to be a prereq for one of my schools, and with my record the last thing I need is more Bs in science prereqs. Kinda ruined my morning. Oh well, we're still not to finals so I guess we'll see how things go--yeah, Thanksgiving sounds good 😉
 
My experince has been weird. I think I did well, I'm in the C range. I think I failed, I'm still in the C range. my entire first semester is literally going to be all C's.
 
I can't remember where we talked about it, but I'm really starting to believe in the fact that if you feel good about a test, you probably didn't actually do well. I passed, but ugh. Whatever, Thanksgiving, here I come!
I walked out of my physio test on Monday thinking it had been a lot easier than I expected. Later that night while studying anatomy I realized I mixed up the mitral and tricuspid valves, and there were at least 4 questions on the test related to that. Still did fine but I am so mad at myself for that one.
 
No kidding...I knew I'd screwed up on some digestive questions on our last A&P exam, but I figured everything else was on lock enough to get at least a high B. We went over the exam today and I got my lowest grade so far 🙁 I made several really stupid mistakes by overthinking a question and switching away from the correct answer. still passing, but I really needed to start pulling up my grade in this class...normally I'd find it silly to fuss over a B but it's going to be a prereq for one of my schools, and with my record the last thing I need is more Bs in science prereqs. Kinda ruined my morning. Oh well, we're still not to finals so I guess we'll see how things go--yeah, Thanksgiving sounds good 😉
My advice is to go with your first instinct. If you find yourself wanting to switch an answer you had better have had some kind of epiphany and be 100% sure that your new answer is right (like you realize you read the question completely wrong the first time), because otherwise you usually are just over thinking it. I've been burned so many times by changed answers in the past that I don't even check over my tests anymore.
 
My advice is to go with your first instinct. If you find yourself wanting to switch an answer you had better have had some kind of epiphany and be 100% sure that your new answer is right (like you realize you read the question completely wrong the first time), because otherwise you usually are just over thinking it. I've been burned so many times by changed answers in the past that I don't even check over my tests anymore.
Just got burned for NOT checking over a test. I'm 1.2 pt from the next grade up and I lost a full pt because I didn't answer the second part of a question (and I knew the answer!) :yeahright:
 
My experince has been weird. I think I did well, I'm in the C range. I think I failed, I'm still in the C range. my entire first semester is literally going to be all C's.
Yup. I was a straight C student all first year, but I'm doing much better this year! So there is hope.
 
My advice is to go with your first instinct. If you find yourself wanting to switch an answer you had better have had some kind of epiphany and be 100% sure that your new answer is right (like you realize you read the question completely wrong the first time), because otherwise you usually are just over thinking it. I've been burned so many times by changed answers in the past that I don't even check over my tests anymore.

I refused to change answers, but I'd at least go back through to make sure I answered all questions and if a multiple choice test, I'd circle the answer on the test form and fill in the scantron, so I'd make sure my filled in answer was also the one I circled. I'd also check the scantron because I've been burned by planning on going back to a question, say skipped number 22, but I've caught myself placing the answer to 23 in 22's spot then the whole damn thing is wrong. So I still checked some things, but I'd never change an answer.
 
My advice is to go with your first instinct. If you find yourself wanting to switch an answer you had better have had some kind of epiphany and be 100% sure that your new answer is right (like you realize you read the question completely wrong the first time), because otherwise you usually are just over thinking it. I've been burned so many times by changed answers in the past that I don't even check over my tests anymore.
LOL. I told a student that during a recent test. She replied but I think my first instinct is wrong. I had to think about that because some people do actually have horrible instincts. Hopefully she figured it out because like you all keep saying, she was making it so very much harder than it was. I even tried to tell her that I promise, there is no trick here. It is what it is.
 
My advice is to go with your first instinct. If you find yourself wanting to switch an answer you had better have had some kind of epiphany and be 100% sure that your new answer is right (like you realize you read the question completely wrong the first time), because otherwise you usually are just over thinking it. I've been burned so many times by changed answers in the past that I don't even check over my tests anymore.

See I usually follow this because I know better...but then I have days like today where I change my answer on a test and get it right. It just throw me off lol
 
I put the wrong email on a form one time and now half of my stuff keeps going to wrong place. Why do they even ask me for contact information every time if they're just going not read it and use whatever they already have? How do they not have a way to deal with address/email changes? No matter how many times I email them about this they just can't seem to figure out how to fix it.
 
I ordered something online and it arrived broken and not fixable 🙁

It was from Amazon, but through a third party (and the actual company of the product), so hopefully they'll replace it or refund me🙁
 
I refused to change answers, but I'd at least go back through to make sure I answered all questions and if a multiple choice test, I'd circle the answer on the test form and fill in the scantron, so I'd make sure my filled in answer was also the one I circled. I'd also check the scantron because I've been burned by planning on going back to a question, say skipped number 22, but I've caught myself placing the answer to 23 in 22's spot then the whole damn thing is wrong. So I still checked some things, but I'd never change an answer.
Ohhh I hated Scantrons for that exact reason! I like our computer-based exams except when it comes to looking at an image or reading a super long question.

I just...ugh. I know 'C's get degrees' and the whole nine yards, but there's a specific externship I want and it requires a 3.0. I'd have to get a few A's in my next few quarters to hit that at this point. I hate so much that I can do well in everything but one or two subjects, and it pulls me down that much (and no one sees my good performance in the other subjects). It doesn't help that when I try to explain it to my parents, they ask me why I'm not studying since they assume I'm not if I'm getting C's...
 
My advice is to go with your first instinct. If you find yourself wanting to switch an answer you had better have had some kind of epiphany and be 100% sure that your new answer is right (like you realize you read the question completely wrong the first time), because otherwise you usually are just over thinking it. I've been burned so many times by changed answers in the past that I don't even check over my tests anymore.
Hilariously that very advice went through my mind when I was deciding whether to change the answer or not. I usually follow that line of thinking but decided to go against it, which obviously was the wrong choice this time :smack:
I always quickly look over tests before turning them in just to make sure I've answered everything etc., but I don't usually second-guess myself like that so I really screwed myself over. I spent so much time making sure I'd mastered the immune stuff that I kinda neglected digestive and of course that ended up being most of the questions...
 
Admitted a 1 yr FS collie last night that was icteric and had some elevated liver values and was laterally recumbent. Was totally thinking that it something like a toxin as it was primarily hepatocellular damage values that were elevated. Managed to get the dog up and walking. Ultrasound today showed changes consistent with primary hepatic lymphoma so they euthanized. Effing cancer.
 
Admitted a 1 yr FS collie last night that was icteric and had some elevated liver values and was laterally recumbent. Was totally thinking that it something like a toxin as it was primarily hepatocellular damage values that were elevated. Managed to get the dog up and walking. Ultrasound today showed changes consistent with primary hepatic lymphoma so they euthanized. Effing cancer.
ugh that sucks 🙁 🙁 boo cancer. also, even when not cancer, ALF has a terrible prognosis :-/ one of our clinicians cats with cancer is now in heart failure from its treatments 🙁
 
ugh that sucks 🙁 🙁 boo cancer. also, even when not cancer, ALF has a terrible prognosis :-/ one of our clinicians cats with cancer is now in heart failure from its treatments 🙁

The function values were fine though so we were hoping it was still early enough that it wouldn't get there. she just looked so great after starting her on fluids.

And one of our receptions just went through a similar thing as your clinician. he adopted one of our blood donor cats and only had him a few months. he had to PTS yesterday. He'd recently come in as a really bad DKA a few weeks ago and I think he still had a Etube in and everything at this point. also developed some super nasty resistant UTI. Then he got pushed into CHF from the fluids given when he was a DKA. sounds like he went into his second CHF episode last night. 🙁
 
I refused to change answers, but I'd at least go back through to make sure I answered all questions and if a multiple choice test, I'd circle the answer on the test form and fill in the scantron, so I'd make sure my filled in answer was also the one I circled. I'd also check the scantron because I've been burned by planning on going back to a question, say skipped number 22, but I've caught myself placing the answer to 23 in 22's spot then the whole damn thing is wrong. So I still checked some things, but I'd never change an answer.
Oh yes, i do those things, pretty much the exact things you said. Just no rechecking the questions that I've already answered 🙂 Rechecking the scantron is always a good idea!
 
Been trying to put my loans in deferment/forbearance and none of it is working. I tried applying a while ago and that apparently didn't go through or something got loss.

I can't log in to get access to my pay stubs to upload for the online application. So in case none of this gets done, I'm trying to switch to IBR cause my current payment due on 12/7 is basically my whole checking and savings account. The link to the IRS Data Retrieval tool doesn't work, so I can't even apply for it in the meantime.
 
Been trying to put my loans in deferment/forbearance and none of it is working. I tried applying a while ago and that apparently didn't go through or something got loss.

I can't log in to get access to my pay stubs to upload for the online application. So in case none of this gets done, I'm trying to switch to IBR cause my current payment due on 12/7 is basically my whole checking and savings account. The link to the IRS Data Retrieval tool doesn't work, so I can't even apply for it in the meantime.

Any specific reason you're trying to do forbearance/deferrment? If you were to do PAYE or IBR with your intern salary you probably won't have to pay anything or just very little and that way it could as a year of 'payments' toward forgiveness if you have enough loans that you're going to need forgiveness. The VIN loan people strongly advocate for doing IBR or PAY/REPAYE during internship/residency rather than deferring. That won't solve your pay stub/tax situation (which sucks, my sympathies) though. I used my 2014 (spring 3rd/fall 4th year) taxes which showed about $5k income from my part time job and my 2016 payment was zero. When I renewed last month I used my 2015 taxes which really only showed 1/2 a year's worth of intern salary (so, 14k) and my payments have been recalculated and are still going to be zero.
 
Any specific reason you're trying to do forbearance/deferrment? If you were to do PAYE or IBR with your intern salary you probably won't have to pay anything or just very little and that way it could as a year of 'payments' toward forgiveness. The VIN loan people strongly advocate for doing IBR or PAY/REPAYE during internship/residency rather than deferring. That won't solve your pay stub/tax situation (which sucks, my sympathies) though. I used my 2014 (spring 3rd/fall 4th year) taxes which showed about $5k income from my part time job and my 2016 payment was zero. When I renewed last month I used my 2015 taxes which really only showed 1/2 a year's worth of intern salary (so, 14k) and my payments have been recalculated and are still going to be zero.

I'm trying to actually do that in the meantime, but to do so, it looks like I have to use some IRS Data Retrieval Tool which I can't get access to. Unfortunately, I don't qualify for PAYE since I had a loan dispersed Sept 2007...but looking into IBR at least.
 
Last edited:
I'm trying to actually do that in the meantime, but to do so, it looks like I have to use some IRS Data Retrieval Tool which I can't get access to. Unfortunately, I don't qualify for PAYE since I had a loan disbursed Sept 2007...but looking into IBR at least.
Gotcha. I'm on IBR too, so hopefully it'll get sorted out in time and the websites will work for you and your required payments will be zero for the time being as well.

Maybe not as specific to you as other people here, but REPAYE can be a good thing for people with high debt burdens since the government will pay half of your unpaid interest each month (and even if you don't qualify for PAYE you can possibly do REPAYE), but the downside to it is that if you are married your spouse's income is counted even if you file taxes separately so it's definitely not for everyone. The VIN rounds Climbing Mt. Debt is a good listen/read, and there's a board on their forum for student debt now where Tony Bartles and Paul Pion help sort out people's situations and give advice for how to handle the debt. I've learned a lot of things I didn't know about loan repayment in the last 18 months...things I wish we'd have learned more about during school. But that is another rant for another day, I suppose.
 
Gotcha. I'm on IBR too, so hopefully it'll get sorted out in time and the websites will work for you and your required payments will be zero for the time being as well.

Maybe not as specific to you as other people here, but REPAYE can be a good thing for people with high debt burdens since the government will pay half of your unpaid interest each month (and even if you don't qualify for PAYE you can possibly do REPAYE), but the downside to it is that if you are married your spouse's income is counted even if you file taxes separately so it's definitely not for everyone. The VIN rounds Climbing Mt. Debt is a good listen/read, and there's a board on their forum for student debt now where Tony Bartles and Paul Pion help sort out people's situations and give advice for how to handle the debt. I've learned a lot of things I didn't know about loan repayment in the last 18 months...things I wish we'd have learned more about during school. But that is another rant for another day, I suppose.

I'll have to look into that. My quick search made it seem like REPAYE also needed loans to be dispersed after October 2007, but if I can somehow magically qualify for that it sounds like a great option. Not sure if paying off the prior loans would allow me to magically qualify either. If so, I'll definitely look into finding a way to do that.
 
I'll have to look into that. My quick search made it seem like REPAYE also needed loans to be dispersed after October 2007, but if I can somehow magically qualify for that it sounds like a great option. Not sure if paying off the prior loans would allow me to magically qualify either. If so, I'll definitely look into finding a way to do that.

I qualified for REPAYE with loans dispersed prior to October 2007.
 
I'm trying to actually do that in the meantime, but to do so, it looks like I have to use some IRS Data Retrieval Tool which I can't get access to. Unfortunately, I don't qualify for PAYE since I had a loan dispersed Sept 2007...but looking into IBR at least.

I haven't been able to get the data retrieval tool to work for me for the past 2 years when I've renewed my PAYE, so I had to send in a copy of my tax return. I'm sorry that it's happening to you too, but part of me is glad it's not just a me problem. I had $0 payments during my internship, and now during my residency, it's still <$100/month, so I'd definitely consider it for you.
 
My husband was supposed to get home at 8pm last Friday, but stupid delays on more than one flight made it to where he got home at 2am instead. And the weather was fine.
They didn't put my bag on my plane, acted like it was my fault that happened, lied to me about it coming on the next plane, and then acted like I was stupid for not filing a bag claim the first time I talked to someone even though I was explicitly told not to by the service agent. Every person I talk to tells me something different about where my bag is and acts like all of the other people I talked to were idiots when I suspect that it's just all of them who are that way.
I was lied to again about it coming in this morning (guess what, still no bag) and told that they have absolutely no way to contact any AA people in any other airports so they can maybe tell them to put my stupid bag on a plane to get here, which makes no sense given that phones have been in existence for over 100 years.
Very, very frustrated by the incompetence they've demonstrated thus far.
 
it is now the coldest it has been, i hate it. hate cold hate winter. boo. after 24 hours of wearing my winter jacket, scarf, gloves, and earmuffs, i'm about ready to call it quits and move to the equator. seems reasonable, otherwise it is going to be a very long, very terrible few months. :dead:
 
Can't. stop. coughing. omg. and the worst is when people turn around and stare. like... have you never seen a person cough before? carry on.
 
They didn't put my bag on my plane, acted like it was my fault that happened, lied to me about it coming on the next plane, and then acted like I was stupid for not filing a bag claim the first time I talked to someone even though I was explicitly told not to by the service agent. Every person I talk to tells me something different about where my bag is and acts like all of the other people I talked to were idiots when I suspect that it's just all of them who are that way.
I was lied to again about it coming in this morning (guess what, still no bag) and told that they have absolutely no way to contact any AA people in any other airports so they can maybe tell them to put my stupid bag on a plane to get here, which makes no sense given that phones have been in existence for over 100 years.
Very, very frustrated by the incompetence they've demonstrated thus far.

IME, things magically get taken care of more quickly if you take the issue to social media and repeatedly tag the airline. It seems stupid and whiny, but it gets results.
 
Top