Les's Medical and Housing Fund

WHAT HAPPENED?

Last November I started feeling really bad. I thought maybe I was just fighting off the flu or something. The main symptoms were a bad cough, swelling in my extremities, and dizziness. These symptoms got worse no matter what I did. Over the counter meds were not helping. I tried getting more sleep and eating better but nothing seemed to help.

I kept soldiering on. I thought that whatever was wrong I would eventually shake it. I would come to learn that this was a bad Idea. On December 13th I collapsed at work. I was struck with heavy pressure in my chest, pain in my arms and legs, and severe heart palpitations. I assumed I was having a heart-attack. My work called an ambulance and off to the hospital I went.

WHAT'S WRONG?

It was determined that no, I wasn't having a heart attack (which was a good thing) but instead I was experiencing the symptoms of massive heart failure ( which was not a good thing.) The heart failure is actually a chronic condition brought on by a disease called Cardiomyopathy. Which is a fancy word for swelling and thickening of the heart muscle. And it turned out that my conditon is fairly well advanced.

For my age (51) it is uncommon to have this level of disfunction--but not unheard of. My cardiologist's best guess is that it is genetic. I know that my mother had some sort of 'heart condition' that she never really explained to me. So I am assuming she may have had it too.

HOW CAN I HELP?

It is awkward and embarrasing to take this step. But eventually Need trumps Shame--so I humbly ask for your help. If you can't help directly please pass this on to your social networks. Maybe someone may be able to help and hopefully a few small amounts might start to add up. I sure hope so.

Most significantly I will be homeless if I am unable to make rent. I currently have no other recourse. I am living in a very modest room with a bath for which I pay $70 dollars a week. I continue to pursue every available means to raise funds. I keep running into closed doors. This is my desperate situation. This is why I have decided to give this website a shot.

HOW IS YOUR HEALTH NOW?

After a heart cath, ekg's, testing, and follow-ups it was determined that my heart is really not in very good shape at all. I'm about 10-20% function of what a healthy heart should be for someone of my age. In March of this year I had heart surgery to install a pace-maker/defibrilator to help regulate my heartbeat and be a back-up in case I develop cardiac arrest.

I am coping. But daily life and normal activities are a struggle. The symptoms of chronic heart failure make me weak and dizzy with a fair amount of pain and swelling. This has basically made me disabled.

HOW ARE YOU MAKING DO?

Since the incident at work I have been living on temporary disability luckily provided by my medical insurance through my work. It was difficult making ends meet on the very small amount of income that was provided. I had to move to much cheaper place and cut back to the bone on expenses. I have no children. I was an only child. My parents have passed, and I have no living relatives to turn to. This lack of family support complicates my situation dramatically.

During this time I have been trying to connect to various government agencies and charitable groups to see if there is any help available out there. To my dismay not much was to be found. I have applied to social security but it is my understanding that takes months not weeks to hear a resolution from them. I spoke to a representative who told me that I should hear something by as early as September or as late as November.

I have investigated and I am applying for subsidised, section 8, and transitional housing where I can--but all of these have long waiting lists. They vary from 2 months up to 6 months or longer. But the ball is rolling on these.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

My problem is that my temporary disability has run out leaving me with no income at all. Here in southern Indiana where I currently reside there is NO monetary support for someone in my situation. Nothing at all beyond SNAP-food stamps. And since I am unable to work--this has made for an emergency situation.

When I signed up they asked me to put in a total amount of my campaign goal. I chose $2500 because with that amount I could continue to make ends meet until one of the subsidised housing places became available. One of which told me may be as short as 2-3 months. This amount is also to help pay for my prescriptions which  are costly even with the discounts available. They cost upwards of $300-$400 dollars for a 3-6 month supply. My cardiologists keeps changing them around so this is a moving target.

Also among my modest expenses are my insurance payment ( and gas) for my car--since it is impossible to get around this area without a vehicle--and my cell phone bill which is my means to stay connected to friends, doctors and housing contacts since I have no land line or other means to communicate.

There are other small expenses as well but this $2500 goal would go a LONG way to bridge this chasm until housing becomes available. Even if I don't come near this goal every little bit helps in my situation. Even $70 would mean another week with a roof over my head to help make plans and have a place to live.

Thank you for your time reading this.

It's a bit long but I felt I needed to explain my situation as well as I could. Please contact me if you want more information or have suggestions, offers, or advice.

I really appreciate it.

~Les