The Assertive Cancer Patient

Seattle Heat Wave

All through the month of June, while we suffered through temperatures in the low 60s and something like 20 days of rain in a row, one of my friends (yes, you, Peter), kept saying, "Summer never comes to Seattle until after the 4th of July," which I found annoying, because June of 2009 was a wonderful month ... 

But, in any case, here we are, on July 8, and temperatures are supposed to hit 94 today. (So Peter was right, at least about this year.) To go from low 60s to 90s in just a day or two is brutal. I'm not sure my garden can take it, and I have drafted Younger Son to help me water.  We soaked the garden this morning, and when I got home from treatment at about 3, the strawberry plants were wilting.

I'm not sure I can take these temperatures either--I am wilting like a strawberry plant--and so I sent YS out to water again. He's acclimatized after China, or so he claims, while I collapse on the couch with cold drinks, my dog, and my laptop. I would prefer not to have to go to my cancer center--or one of my cancer centers, I should say--for IV fluids, so I am going to do my best to drink a lot and stay in out of the heat. 

Laurie and I tried to walk Connie this morning, at 9, and it was already too hot. We ended up in the park, sitting in the shade and throwing Connie's new frisbee from the shade. It was high 70s at 9 a.m. 

My plan tomorrow is to try to wake up earlier than usual, and get a few things that require brainpower done while it is still cool--like calling my mortgage company, which still hasn't responded to my request for a extension on my "forbearance plan," which I mailed to them in April. Yes, this is Citibank I am talking about. 

Because I've blogged about Citibank a few times in the past, I frequently receive e-mail from people who have had problems with Citibank or have been treated badly by the bank. Of course, most of these people want my help, and I feel like saying, "Read my blog," since everything I've done in my battles with the bank is detailed there. (See: Citibank)

That sounds a little pissy, which we can blame on the heat, but also on my own lack of energy and the fact that I like to reserve my "helping energy" for people who have cancer, preferably people with advanced or metastatic cancer or people who are newly diagnosed--those are the people I feel most drawn to. Middle-class people who are employed (with health insurance) and healthy and just had their HELOCs canceled? Not so much. 

OK, I'm wandering here. I had my second radiation therapy treatment today to the right femur--the second time this bone has been radiated in the past six months or so, but in a slightly different spot. So there will be more "Tales From the Gowned Waiting Room," even though I don't bother to change into a gown for my treatments--I just pull down my pants. 

Also, I realized this morning that I don't even remember how many times I have had radiation therapy anymore. I'll look it up on my blog, once the heat wave is over, but this is something like the eighth time. I keep thinking they are going to run out of spots to radiate ... 

I want to get one of those little human outlines that sometimes pop up in my medical chart and mark off all the areas of my body that have been radiated, because I'm guessing it's something like 30 to 40 percent of my entire body, depending on whether or not you include my whole head for the tumor that was treated with cyberknife in January. 

OK, this is getting weirder and weirder. Signing off now. Don't worry about me, those of you who worry. I'm in a good mood emotionally, and I'm pretty fair physically. Still behind on jewelry orders and replying to e-mail.

P.S.: I looked it up: This is the NINETH time I have had radiation therapy, all but the first time were to treat bone mets. The first time was after I had a local recurrence of breast cancer in the skin where my right breast used to be. Read more: Radiation

@ Jeanne Sather 2010. 

 

Saving My Home

I really don't have the energy to deal with this, which makes it all incredibly frustrating. 

But my Forbearance Agreement with Citibank, which meant I didn't have to make mortgage payments for six months, is up, and I am past the time I need to find another solution. I should have been working on this for the past two months, but medical issues have taken up the best of my time and energy. 

It's frustrating. Oh, I already said that. 

Anyway, back in early January, I contacted Rich at the Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project, to see if he could help me. We had a few e-mail exchanges and then a phone conversation. At that time, I was leaning toward asking Citibank to extend the forbearance agreement by another six months, but Rich had a better idea. 

He thought that I might be able to refinance under something called a HAMP modification, using both my income and Older Son's income, since he is now a member of my household again. And he gave me the name of a person to contact about this, a HUD-approved counselor at a place called Parkview Services. 

I e-mailed that person last week, but didn't hear back from him, so I just resent the e-mail today and I will call him tomorrow as well. I imagine that these folks are still swamped, the economy and the housing market being what they are. 

In the meantime, I've written a letter to Citibank explaining the situation and what I am doing--seeking a HAMP modification. I'll mail that tomorrow with all the bells and whistles--certified mail, return receipt, signature required ... So that there is no question of their having received it. 

Citiank has been calling me every day, and in the letter I made a request that all communication with me regarding my mortgage be in writing. That should stop the phone calls. 

Read more: Citibank

Meanwhile, it's another beautiful day, and I'm trying to work myself through a "to-do" list with something like 20 items on it.

Support this blog:  

@ Jeanne Sather 2010.   

 

Keeping My House

 One of my biggest challenges during the past few years has been hanging onto my house. 

I love my house, but it is very expensive. I bought it 11 years ago, when I was at my peak, salary-wise,  as most people do, but my income has been sliding ever since. 

For the past six or eight months, I haven't paid my mortgage. My mortgage company allowed this through a special forbearance program. That expires this month, however, and without intentionally burying my head in the sand, I've been slow to get to work on the next steps to keep the house. 

Since early November, when I was hospitalized for eight days, most of my time has been taken up by medical issues, and I haven't felt well for much of that time either, which makes it tough to get on the phone and negotiate with banks and mortgage companies. 

However, good news: It looks like we will be able to keep the house. 

There are some things I'm going to have to do, and do fairly soon, but I think things will be OK. I don't want to spell out all the details here right now, because I don't have the bandwidth to even think about it at the moment, let alone write about it, and no questions, please. All will be revealed in time ... 

This is a huge relief, though, and knowing that I won't have to move has made me feel lighter, happier, better able to deal with everything else that is going on. The boys, of course, were not aware of this situation, or only vaguely, but they love this house and they already have plans to keep it, if at all possible, and I want that for them. 

So, I have this image of myself sitting on the front porch with my dog and a shotgun, defending my home against all comers. Would they really drag a dying woman from her home?

The shotgun is, of course, metaphorical, but it's a great image, yes? Connie and me, on the front steps. 

Read more: Citibank

The photo is me at about 2 years of age. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2010. 

Citibank: Rock and Roll!

It's time for another victory dance--Citibank granted my request for a "forbearance" program for my mortgage. 

This means that I can stay in my house, and I don't have to make a mortgage payment until February of 2010. That's six more months--which is YEARS in cancer-patient time!

So I have six months to decide if I want/need to sell the house, or for some source of income to drop from the sky, or for the whole thing to become moot ... (That latter option will not be popular with the people who love me, but let's be real: I don't know how much longer I will live. I think I'll live another year, but maybe not.)

That's all for now, I'll write more about this whole issue soon, but I have a houseguest right now, and I'm also pretty tired. Nothing for anyone to worry about, but I've been busy this past few days with my friend, plus all my usual responsibilities (dog, garden, kittens, sons ...), and I'm still not feeling very well after that first round of the new treatment regimen.

More on that soon as well. I have a plan for Friday's appointment with my oncologist. My questions are all written, and I know what I am willing to do and what I am not. 

Despite being tired, I feel very strong. Kicking-ass-and-taking-names kind of strong.

Wanta read the whole saga? See: Citibank

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

More About the Foreclosure Project

Yesterday I spoke on the phone with Aline Carton, a lawyer who is the manager of the Washington State Bas Association's Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project. 

That's a mouthful, so I'm calling it the Foreclosure Project for short. The Foreclosure Project is designed to help people like me who are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. 

I was impressed by what Aline had to say. 

First, the project has three full-time staff members. 

Second, some 360 lawyers statewide have volunteered to provide assistance to home owners. That's pro bono assistance. 

The lawyers are going to be busy: Every month, there are 3,000 new foreclosure filings in Washington state. The Foreclosure Project is working with the Northwest Justice Project and various housing counseling agencies to help people stay out of foreclosure. 

I was most interested to find out what kinds of things they can do to help.

One possibility is to negotiate a loan modification with the lender. For example, to negotiate a lower interest rate to make the loan more affordable to the homeowner. 

Another possibility is to help the home owner decide if it is worth trying to keep their house. If, like so many people these days, they have zero equity in the house, they may be better off just walking away from it. 

Along the same lines, bankruptcy may be the best option for some people. 

The lawyers will also look at the original loan to determine if the homeowner was the victim of predatory lending practices. If there was a violation of the Truth in Lending Act, the lawyers could take legal action to stop the foreclosure and secure a better loan for the homeowner. 

The Foreclosure Project is just getting up and running, but if you live in Washington state and are worried about losing your house, you might want to check them out. The place to start is with their Web site: Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project

If you live in a state other than Washington, they can't help you, so check with your local or state bar association and see if they have a similar program. 

I'm talking to a staff person on the phone tomorrow to see if I qualify for help under the program. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I love my house!

See also: The 'Foreclosure Project'

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

The Citibank TImeline

I've detailed my hassles with Citibank, my mortgage holder, on this site over the past year or so, starting when Citibank illegally canceled my home equity line of credit, then reinstated it, then canceled it again ...  

Now, Citibank is sending me letters saying that my mortgage is in default, this despite the fact that I applied for assistance under Citibank's own "Workable Solutions" program back in April. Citibank has yet to respond for my request for assistance, despite acknowledging TWICE in writing that it had received my application. 

So it's time to take action. I'm talking to a lawyer from the Washington State Bar's Foreclosure Project this afternoon. I'm also going to send a letter to some of the top executives at Citibank, and I think it's time to talk to some reporters as well. 

To prepare, I'm getting my ducks in a row. I started by checking my math, and sure enough, I have between $100,000 and $200,000 in equity in my house, so I certainly don't want to let Citibank take it. That would be stupid. (I am getting an updated appraisal on the house done this week.)

May 2008

Citibank canceled my home equity line of credit. See:

Blindsided by Citibank 

Letter to Citibank

Complaining to the FTC About Citibank

June 2008

Citibank reinstates my HELOC. See: 

Citibank: A Victory Dance!

November 2008

Citibank cancels my HELOC for the second time. See:

Those Evil Folks at Citibank Do It Again

December 2008

Citibank reinstates my loan for the second time. See:

Citibank: Reinstated, Once Again

April 2009

I apply for help from Citibank under its Workable Solutions program.

May 2009

Citibank acknowledges receipt of my application with a form letter that says I will hear from a "Loan Mitigation Specialist" within 30 days. STILL WAITING ... See: 

A Reply From Citibank, Sort Of

June 2009

Daily phone calls from Citibank, letters stating that my loan is in default. Also, second copy of the same letter acknowledging receipt of my application to Workable Solutions. See:

Those Lovely Folks at Citibank: The Left Hand Doesn't Know What the Right Hand Is Doing

July 2009

I write to Citibank, again, pointing out all of the above. The threatening letters continue, but the phone calls have stopped. See:

Writing to Citibank, an Exercise in Futility?

Another Letter to Citibank

I contact the Washington State Bar Association's "Foreclosure Project," which is designed to help people like me. See: 

The Foreclosure Project

Dare I point out that I'm SICK here?

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

The 'Foreclosure Project'

The Washington State Bar Association has a new program, the Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project, designed to help people like me who are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. 

My mortgage is with Citibank, which has its own program to help people who can't pay their mortgages avoid foreclosure, but, as I've documented on this site over the past few months, Citibank has been unresponsive to my application for assistance (although they've acknowledged TWICE that they received it) and has been threatening me with foreclosure.

So I think it's time for me to get some legal assistance, before I lose my home. 

I'm clearly not alone. Every month, there are 3,000 new foreclosure filings in Washington state, according to the Bar Association's Web site. 

The Bar Association has been recruiting lawyers to help with the project since May, and began accepting clients on June 15. Again according to the Web site, homeowners must be referred by a federally approved foreclosure prevention agency in Washington state. 

I'm getting to work on this today. 

For more information: Home Foreclosure Legal Aid Project

If you don't live in Washington state (and most of my readers don't), call your local bar association and see if they have a similar project. 

Read more: Citibank

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Circling the Wagons

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I have a lot of problems to solve right now. 

(I could get all new-age-y and call them "challenges," but let's get real--they are problems: No car. No money for the house payment. And a shortage of tolerable cancer-treatment options.)

But I'm feeling pretty OK right now, mentally, and I've spent the morning making contacts and gathering information that will help me deal with most of these problems. I'm leaving the cancer-treatment issue till Friday, when I meet with my oncologist. 

After a productive couple of hours of e-mailing and researching, I'm feeling a bit worn out, so I think I'm going to stop here and shift gears. 

Time to shower, change into clean clothes, and walk to the grocery store with Connie the Wonder Dog for company. I have a zucchini and some tomatoes from the garden, and I want to get some tofu and rice. I'm going to make a quasi-Asian dinner with sauteed zucchini and tomatoes, fried tofu, and Japanese rice. Older Son should be here to help me eat it. 

My years as a journalist certainly prepared me for life as a cancer patient! Not only do I have great research skills, but I also have lots and lots of contacts in a wide range of fields. People who I can call on for help. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Another Letter to Citibank

July 9, 2009

Since I mailed my application to your Workable Solutions program on April 27, I have received two copies of a letter confirming that you have my application, one dated May 6 and the other June 3.

Both letters were identical, and both said that I would hear from a “Loan Mitigation Specialist” within 30 days.

I have not been contacted by this loan mitigation specialist, however, I have now received a total of five letters—all computer-generated form letters—threatening me with foreclosure.

Meanwhile, I am still waiting to hear from your loan mitigation specialist. Does the left hand know what the right hand is doing?

Please stop the collections phone calls to my home phone. All communications with me concerning my mortgage must be in writing.

As I said in my letter to the Workable Solutions program, I have advanced cancer and I am in bed much of the day. I do not answer the phone.  

Writing to Citibank, an Exercise in Futility?

Since I last posted about Citibank on June 22, I've received FIVE more threatening letters, but they are all form letters. Not a single one addresses my application for help under Citibank's "Workable Solutions" program. 

I sent Citibank an application for help under this program on April 27 (See: Citimortgage Letter), and I've received two form letters telling me that I will hear from a Loan Mitigation Specialist within the month. The first of these form letters was dated May 6, and the other June 3.

So I've been waiting to hear from the loan specialist, and in the meantime, as I mentioned, five threatening letters have arrived--all of them computer-generated form letters. 

Does Citibank's left hand know what its right hand is doing?

It certainly doesn't appear so. 

But just to keep the ball in play, I will write to them again, today, and point out that I have applied for assistance and they have not responded. 

For more on this ridiculous dance with Citibank, see: Citibank

If you have a HELOC with Citibank and they've canceled your loan, please e-mail me and I can put you in contact with an attorney who is bringing a class-action suit against Citibank. jeanne.sather@gmail.com

@ Jeanne Sather 2009.