Disabled Attorney Losing Home of 47
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I am a disabled attorney living with my 76-year-old mother who takes care of me. In 2011, I was bitten by a tick and was infected with Ehrlichiosis Chaffeensis and Rickettsia. A week later, I contracted Coxsackie B4 virus. Because I was kept on antibiotics for 19 years, I had no immune system to fight these illnesses. I was untreated by my FORMER doctor for 11 mos. By then, the tick bacteria had infected my Cerebral Spinal Fluid. Now I have a Pseudotumor Cerebri and have lost the use of my left side. (Coxsackie virus is a "Cousin" of Polio). I cannot drive. I need help dressing/bathing. I just had my 7th spinal tap on Monday last. I may need a brain shunt to drain the excess fluid. I have been hospitalized at least 5 times, have been to the Mayo Clinic, have had 20 + MRIs/CT scans, and have been rushed to the ER at least 20 times. I live in Chronic Pain. One of my Ten + medicines cost $1600/mo. Before the ACA, I paid $1000/mo. + meds for my health insurance. I quickly went through both my mine and my mother's LIFE SAVINGS of over $120,000. Three months after I was sworn in as an attorney, my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given six mos. to live. I closed my law office and moved back home to care for him. He made it almost 2 years. My parents had been married 40 years. My mother and I already lost my brother to a hit and run driver. He was 19 and I was 14. My mother cannot bear to lose her only other child. We are about to lose our home of 47 yrs. Besides being homeless, our home is the last thing we have left of my Dad and brother. I also face losing my healthcare under the ACA. I tried to do everything "right". I went to school to take care of my parents and worked as a criminal defense attorney helping those less fortunate and the wrongfully charged and convicted. During my undergraduate years I ran a childcare program that cared for low-income and disabled children. We had no life insurance when my dad died. He accidently let it lapse and was too embarrassed to tell us. My mother worked until age 75 but had to quit to take me to my Drs. appointments. If we don't lose our house in the next six mos., I will be homeless when she dies. I can't drive. My disability process takes 24 mos. We cannot make it that long. If I lose my Healthcare, she will have to try to find a job at age 76. Even if I am able to keep my ACA, we will lose our family home. Please, will someone help us? If she outlives me, she will be homeless with no money for retirement or medical assistance. If someone can help us, I promise to pay it forward. I will take in rescue animals or take in a person who needs shelter. We are desperate and need help. Please open your hearts so that we can keep our home. I am in chronic pain and my mom and I want to die at home like my father. God bless you, Julie
Organizer
Julie Evans
Organizer
Louisville, KY