Help Scott Kellogg
Donation protected
I’ve had a rough year.
In February I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I’m on a myriad of medications that control it but kept me at the mercy of some of the side effects. One of them being, constantly having to piss, so I haven’t had much desire to go into public or meet people for any kind of plans because I think it could kick in any time and I’m running for the bathroom before I can even get the words out saying I had to go. I run the risk of having an accident and I’m (as you all know) a bit too proud to have that even happen in front of people who care about me.
The diuretic is necessary to keep fluids off my extremities, lungs, and heart. If I don’t take it, at times it becomes hard to even breathe, which is one of the reasons I was hospitalized in February.
That set me back financially, further than I’d soon expect, because my lack of presence for a couple weeks during that time, was considered at that time to be a lack of care for my customers and my business.
This also was possibly the leanest summer I’ve had financially, with sales in some cases being down as much as 70% one month from the previous year, and 120% from three months previous. I know that it had a lot to do with COVID money running out, gas being $5 a gallon, and people tightening their belts. But it’s impact on me was considerable, and my online business suffered as well.
In August, my landlord of six years disguised her intention of displacing us from our house, by raising the rent $800 per month. She was unhappy with the state of the yard and decided to do a short notice inspection of our house, for the first time in six years. She was unreasonable about the state of things and had no compassion for my ailment and became argumentative and started to overcorrect me and almost anyone who knows me would be able to determine how that might have turned out. Not only did that not end well. We were in no way capable of paying that kind of increase, especially when I took on two new rental properties that had intention of my wife and I starting two new businesses.
The ideas were clear and immediate money makers and were thwarted by us having to move in to one of the properties and the other becoming storage from the massive amount of shit accrued over 6 years that appeared to be more like 20 years of hoarding.
This all happened around the time that the newest group of health problems started to show up. I’ll address that shortly, but this is also the time my van was stolen. My bag with my medications, and a large amount of cash were stolen, and the van was a total loss after they ransacked it, stole the stereo, ruined the locks, and steering column. During this time I was feeling more run down, exhausted, and in pain everywhere. I just figured that it was part of the CHF being exacerbated, but it was debilitating and I couldnt help with the move unless my day to day energy was up.
Between still being in the house, and paying for the shop and the other two properties, we were syphoning money out hand over fist, and even the fundraiser that my wife set up, disappeared quickly. My energy level became worse, had basically made it so I can’t leave the couch for anything, due to pain and physical illness, over the last two weeks.
I had been telling my doctor about these symptoms when I saw him over the summer and he contributed it to the fact that I’m 53 years old, overweight, and the CHF.
Nothing was done about it until I went in for a med review for my current medication and a a fill-in doctor that I had, Suggested getting some blood tests For rheumatoid arthritis. The results came back with an alarming ANA screen as speckled with a value of 1:320. Normal level is 1:10. It is an autoimmune issue, that is indicative of Lupus.  It Made sense with the pain, inflammation, multiple trips to the ER my level of fatigue and irritability. It was either that or I’m dying of cancer. Lupus is no Cake walk apparently, but I like my chances better with that then the latter.
This is all happening with my financial world crashing around me. I haven’t opened the shop for a week, the power has been turned off there, I still owe $680 for octobers rent, plus rent coming up for the shop, my house, and the other space with no income in less than 6 days. My personal phone service has been turned off.Everything of value i own is in the pawn shop. My wife has one foot out the door, partially because of things not ending up the way she’d like them to be, and partially because I’m not always the nicest guy when I’m sick.
I’ve never been much for divulging my personal shit when times are tough, but I didn’t think I could be hush hush about it anymore. I’m sick, close to losing my business, being homeless, and being on my own. I’m not trying to pry sympathy from anyone, and I have a hard time thinking of setting up another fundraiser page, but I’m out of ideas and I can’t help thinking that things aren’t supposed to be like this.
Im going to do what the doctors tell me. I’m going to change my diet, because i know I can. I’m going to try to spend more time with friends that are important to me. I’ll give you a call if I get my phone turned back on. Fuck…that sucks to say out loud. I haven’t had to say that since I was 22 years old.
I have the following that puts me in a pinch:
Rent from October and November: $2580
All of my valuable gear in the pawn shop:
$14,200
Electric bill:
$966
Personal loans (private and public):
$67,600
Personal phone service:
$1517
Internet bill for online business:
$459
I am only hopeful that I can get to the point where a small fraction of any of this can be covered. What I’m primarily asking for, is money to pay for a part time employee to help run the shop until I can get better. I don’t expect people to pay my debts, and I plan to take care of these but I just need to be able to get back on my feet.
I have been borrowing a vehicle from a friend who has been so generous.
I haven’t played or made live music in nearly three years…that sucks.
I’m really no one special, but I hope that I’ve made enough impact on friends that I’m not gonna go out feeling like an unloved failure.
Thanks for making it this far, if you did. This had to be hard to continue reading. Most of all, thanks for always making me feel important to you. I am very lucky to have had the people in my life that I have, and I love you all.
In February I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I’m on a myriad of medications that control it but kept me at the mercy of some of the side effects. One of them being, constantly having to piss, so I haven’t had much desire to go into public or meet people for any kind of plans because I think it could kick in any time and I’m running for the bathroom before I can even get the words out saying I had to go. I run the risk of having an accident and I’m (as you all know) a bit too proud to have that even happen in front of people who care about me.
The diuretic is necessary to keep fluids off my extremities, lungs, and heart. If I don’t take it, at times it becomes hard to even breathe, which is one of the reasons I was hospitalized in February.
That set me back financially, further than I’d soon expect, because my lack of presence for a couple weeks during that time, was considered at that time to be a lack of care for my customers and my business.
This also was possibly the leanest summer I’ve had financially, with sales in some cases being down as much as 70% one month from the previous year, and 120% from three months previous. I know that it had a lot to do with COVID money running out, gas being $5 a gallon, and people tightening their belts. But it’s impact on me was considerable, and my online business suffered as well.
In August, my landlord of six years disguised her intention of displacing us from our house, by raising the rent $800 per month. She was unhappy with the state of the yard and decided to do a short notice inspection of our house, for the first time in six years. She was unreasonable about the state of things and had no compassion for my ailment and became argumentative and started to overcorrect me and almost anyone who knows me would be able to determine how that might have turned out. Not only did that not end well. We were in no way capable of paying that kind of increase, especially when I took on two new rental properties that had intention of my wife and I starting two new businesses.
The ideas were clear and immediate money makers and were thwarted by us having to move in to one of the properties and the other becoming storage from the massive amount of shit accrued over 6 years that appeared to be more like 20 years of hoarding.
This all happened around the time that the newest group of health problems started to show up. I’ll address that shortly, but this is also the time my van was stolen. My bag with my medications, and a large amount of cash were stolen, and the van was a total loss after they ransacked it, stole the stereo, ruined the locks, and steering column. During this time I was feeling more run down, exhausted, and in pain everywhere. I just figured that it was part of the CHF being exacerbated, but it was debilitating and I couldnt help with the move unless my day to day energy was up.
Between still being in the house, and paying for the shop and the other two properties, we were syphoning money out hand over fist, and even the fundraiser that my wife set up, disappeared quickly. My energy level became worse, had basically made it so I can’t leave the couch for anything, due to pain and physical illness, over the last two weeks.
I had been telling my doctor about these symptoms when I saw him over the summer and he contributed it to the fact that I’m 53 years old, overweight, and the CHF.
Nothing was done about it until I went in for a med review for my current medication and a a fill-in doctor that I had, Suggested getting some blood tests For rheumatoid arthritis. The results came back with an alarming ANA screen as speckled with a value of 1:320. Normal level is 1:10. It is an autoimmune issue, that is indicative of Lupus.  It Made sense with the pain, inflammation, multiple trips to the ER my level of fatigue and irritability. It was either that or I’m dying of cancer. Lupus is no Cake walk apparently, but I like my chances better with that then the latter.
This is all happening with my financial world crashing around me. I haven’t opened the shop for a week, the power has been turned off there, I still owe $680 for octobers rent, plus rent coming up for the shop, my house, and the other space with no income in less than 6 days. My personal phone service has been turned off.Everything of value i own is in the pawn shop. My wife has one foot out the door, partially because of things not ending up the way she’d like them to be, and partially because I’m not always the nicest guy when I’m sick.
I’ve never been much for divulging my personal shit when times are tough, but I didn’t think I could be hush hush about it anymore. I’m sick, close to losing my business, being homeless, and being on my own. I’m not trying to pry sympathy from anyone, and I have a hard time thinking of setting up another fundraiser page, but I’m out of ideas and I can’t help thinking that things aren’t supposed to be like this.
Im going to do what the doctors tell me. I’m going to change my diet, because i know I can. I’m going to try to spend more time with friends that are important to me. I’ll give you a call if I get my phone turned back on. Fuck…that sucks to say out loud. I haven’t had to say that since I was 22 years old.
I have the following that puts me in a pinch:
Rent from October and November: $2580
All of my valuable gear in the pawn shop:
$14,200
Electric bill:
$966
Personal loans (private and public):
$67,600
Personal phone service:
$1517
Internet bill for online business:
$459
I am only hopeful that I can get to the point where a small fraction of any of this can be covered. What I’m primarily asking for, is money to pay for a part time employee to help run the shop until I can get better. I don’t expect people to pay my debts, and I plan to take care of these but I just need to be able to get back on my feet.
I have been borrowing a vehicle from a friend who has been so generous.
I haven’t played or made live music in nearly three years…that sucks.
I’m really no one special, but I hope that I’ve made enough impact on friends that I’m not gonna go out feeling like an unloved failure.
Thanks for making it this far, if you did. This had to be hard to continue reading. Most of all, thanks for always making me feel important to you. I am very lucky to have had the people in my life that I have, and I love you all.
Organizer and beneficiary
Scott Kellogg
Organizer
Spokane, WA
Kip Brierley
Beneficiary