Chronic Illness Facing Eviction
My name is J.L., and four years ago my family was told I wasn't going to make it through the night. Without medical explanation, I am still here. I fought and tried to create a "new normal." Forty surgeries/procedures since, and I have faced that my condition will deteriorate over time ending my life. I have tried to maximize my existence, and after 3 years homebound, I went to work. I was a Family Services Counselor for families with children under six that had been reported for abuse/neglect. Unfortunately, after 3 months, I was hospitalized for two months; May-July 2016 with biliary pneumonia and sepsis. It is no surprise that my contract wasn't renewed; though impressed with my work. So, in October I began working as a clinical therapist focusing mainly on person's suffering from trauma. With the office an hour away, I secretly slept in my office to help reduce the a strain on my body. However, 3 months later, I was hospitalized again for two months; January-March 2017, with sepsis and reverse peristalsis preventing food intake. It was the most severe incident of sepsis to date; fever near 105°F, tremors, and rigors causing my jaws to clench causing a molar to crack, and writhing in pain along for help until I lost awareness for several hours. I have been recovering since with a nurse to manage my chest port and feeding tube, a personal support worker twice a week to shower, social worker, occupational therapist, and dietician to stabilize me. I finally got good news! My bloodwork looked the best in years, and I saw my doctor to start trying to work again...part-time. On the way home, my son was driving and we had a severe accident on the highway that totaled my van; leaving me homebound once more. Now, all monies depleted, credit cards maxed, no income, and no way to get around to appointments or groceries, but most importantly, unable to travel to get the medications that keep me alive. To make things worse, without an income, I cannot get assistance from community resources because I cannot show a plan to sustain myself. So, my utilities are scheduled for disconnect, I have to go to Court on eviction 7/26, and my last connection; phone and internet, is to go off any day. It was suggested that I have my son move back in to assist and show a more manageable budget, or lose everything and go to a shelter. He did not want to, so I tried to give him his own space in the basement to continue to work with his team on independent living/life skills that the landlord now says cannot be occupied. Both of my parents suffer from dementia, my mother just had her home auctioned without her knowledge and is losing everything. We have no family for support. I don't know what else to do, so I am reaching out to you. I am humbled, frustrated, but determined!! I hope to use the funds to pay arrears on bills, update my professional insurance and credentials to work from home until such time I could afford another vehicle, and continue to help my son build his strengths for the day I am no longer able. You can see more on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgmWm_IrZmpC5xCLX5UWGeQ