Help A Sister Out -- Or -- Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?

I'm really going to try to make this sob/long story short. It'll probably still be long.

+I nearly had a nervous breakdown and missed 7 days of work and was almost committed for panic attacks and suicidal thoughts.

+My psychiatrist, a one Dr. Daniel Crane in Manhattan is running an INSURANCE SCAM. He told my insurance I had a preexisting condition (I haven't been treated/had insurance in 4 years, therefore it is no longer, legally, considered a preexisting condition,) which put a clause into effect. A clause in my insurance that states that if I have a preexisting condition that I have to wait TEN MONTHS for any psychiatric coverage to be covered by my insurance. He bills EmblemHealth $350 dollars for appointments that take 2 minutes. I timed my last one. From the time I stood up to the time I was out paying my $40 copay it was 2 minutes and 42 seconds. BAM. 40 bucks and bill the insurance for $350.

BUT - Since they LIED to my insurance and EmblemHealth (GHI) 's only job is to try to deny as many claims as they can, I am recieving EOBs (explanations of benefits) for these appointments and will be held responsible for over $1,300 in medical bills I was assured were covered under my plan.

ALSO - Despite the fact that you need pre-certification/pre-authorization to obtain psych benefits through my plan, they WAIVE the first 10 visits. Isn't that a clever little scam? Because if the ignorant bitch behind the cheap desk HAD had to get a pre-authorization then this would have been paid for. But she didn't have to. Why? Because my insurance wants to deny all my claims, and my psych wants to collect money from me. Like this:

Bill Insurance for $350: Get paid maybe $150 - $180

Bill Candice for $350: Get paid $350

Here's a review he's gotten:

I would not trust this doctor with making a mental health evaluation on one of my family members and I urge you to use a different medical practice. There are many wonderful doctors in NYC. In addition, the office staff are astonishingly rude and abusive. There is an African American woman there who obviously needs serious help, she is abusive on the phone, screams at patients, shares confidential information in an open office environment and threatens to call the police if she doesn't like you. Yes, this sounds pretty crazy for a mental health office....but some times the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Dr.Daniel Crane knows all about this, patients have complained numerous times and many patients have left for this very reason, but he fails to do anything about it. What does that tell you about the practice and the man in charge?‎

+We owe a friend of ours over $1,000. He has helped us in our down times and been one of the best friends you could ever ask for. He takes care of us and makes sure we don't have to hurt, and I hate owing him the money. This man is the only reason Aaron and I decided to stay in Brooklyn another year. He's kind, brilliant, driven and inspiring.

+Aaron hates his job so he has been taking little other jobs here or there. Giving up double shifts, taking shifts that pay roughly half as much, and is generally backing away from his job without really talking about it or going over how we're going to deal with the fact that his income has now been cut nearly in half -- and he WAS the breadwinner by a good $500 - $700. He is also taking time off for some festival which will also be unpaid and had to pay for a rental car, food, and any other things that may pop up on the road.

+While Aaron is gone on his trip we have 2 friends coming to spend their vacations with us. Stay with us. And we won't have any money to go out and do anything because of this short notice music festival.

+I have been accepted to and granted a panel in the Crown Heights Community Mural Project -- I can't even afford to buy the paint or brushes. So maybe there will be just a big white wall in the middle of all 30+ other murals surrounding my panel.

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I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I am not asking for money.

What I am going to do is discount my paintings. Discount them a lot. Which KILLS me to do, honestly. But I am left with no choice.

So.

All Seeing Tree, Acrylic on canvas, 24" x 24"

Previously listed at $350 -- Will now be going for $200

Emergence, Acrylic on canvas, 22" x 28"

Previously Listed at $600 -- Will now be going for $350

SOLD!!!

Attempt, Acrylic on canvas, 16" x 16"

Previously Listed at $350 -- Will now be going for $200

Reluctance, Acrylic on canvas, 20" x 30"

Not Previously Listed, was asking $550 -- Will now be going for $300

Ecidnac II, Acrylic on canvas, 16" x 20"

Previously listed at $300 -- Will now be going for $150

106, Acrylic on canvas, 16" x 20"

Previously listed at $200 -- Will now be going for $150

Decision, Acrylic on canvas, 16" x 20"

Not previously listed, was asking $300 -- Will now be going for $150 SOLD!!!

Tack on about 20 for packing/shipping safely -- then we're good.

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Well, there you have it. My paintings, recently, have felt empty and ugly with all that's been going on. This stress is driving me into the ground. All I have is the work I've had for the last year or so, which is all listed above.

So, if you, or if you know ANYONE, or ANYONE WHO KNOWS ANYONE, who is looking for some art to adorn their walls.... it would literally mean everything to me right now.

In addition to the paintings available -- I am TOTALLY open to commissions and all you have to do is tell me what size and what concepts you have and I will create you a 100% organically created, natural piece of art. Just for you, one of a kind. I can even give you a quote, or you can tell me what kind of budget you're working with and I will work with you.

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Also, If any of you marvelous people here in Brooklyn need help with anything -- moving, painting your walls, fixing plumbing or re-grouting your tub.... I SERIOUSLY clean a MEAN house. And I can even give you references that will TELL you how amazing I clean houses. And I do it cheap. I work with you. Show me the job, tell me your budget, we'll make it happen. I'm dead serious about this.

BTW, I have references that will also let you know that I am 100% free of any sort of judgement or comment on your home. All I see is things to be organized and moved and scrubbed and thrown away. It's kind of how my crazy brain works. So there is NO need for embarrassment if you think there is. I really turn into a robot when it's cleaning time. It's like turning on a roomba.