Pamela's Crohn's Disease Relief

My name is Pam Dawson

I am a teacher.  All I ever wanted to be was a teacher.  In Kindergarten, the teacher asked us to draw a picture of what we wanted to be and I drew a picture of her.

After getting married and having a child, I put myself through college (using student loans) and I became that teacher.

I had many wonderful years of teaching and then I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.  

I have been in and out of the hospital several times a year but each time I got to go back to the classroom.  

For a few years, it seemed like things were getting better in the Crohn's Disease area-until last week.  The week before my 50'th birthday.  

I got horribly sick from the Crohn's Disease and am suffering severe complications.  One of those being a condition called C-Diff.   As a result, I will be on short term leave of absense.  

, I crapped my pants a lot in a classroom full of students, I tried to get help and couldn't- in that moment of panic and ran out of my classroom.

I put my job in jeopardy

I am so worried because without my job, I will be in bad shape




Life can change in an instant.  Before November, I was working, paying down unnecessary bills and was down to one small credit card and a ridiculous student loan. 

I took out the loan because the district said it needed Special Education Teachers and the loan would pay for itself over time.  This did not happen as our state is locked into a freeze. 

I am too sick to work but  not sick enough for disability. 

My immediate need was met (thank you online angels) fairly quickly.  I was able to get enough in donations to pay three months of the STUDENT LOANS 

I have tried to call the company NAVIENT and tell them my situation and that I don't know how long I wil be off -if I even get well enough to go back to work.  They did not care at all.   

I have 7-8 years left to work  if my health allows.  However, I don't think this is going to be successful.  I am afraid that I will get sick again and maybe even die this time.  Had I not gotten so sick in class, I would have collapsed that day or next, because I am pretty good at ignoring the pain and powering through. 

I feel stuck because if it were not for the NAVIENT STUDENT LOANS I would be able to make better informed decisions and retire early.  But, until the loans are taken care of I will continue to work sick and when I die, then NAVIENT can I guess take my life insurance as long as they leave my family enough money  to bury me


I am asking for help.  Not from those who are just barely making it themselves-but if the right people saw this maybe a miracle could happen. 

If I ever get out of this mess, I will be aligning myself with the CCFA and help others that are in the same place I find myself in currently. 

This world is cold and not many care.  It is time we take care of each other.  I promise that is my goal when this is over-if I live through it. 

Thank you
Pam