The Nine Lives Initiative
Donation protected
My name is Porsha, and I am the highly stressed yet always blessed mommy to an 8yr-old powerhouse named Lucian. I named my son Lucian because the name's meaning was 'bringer of light' or 'man of light.' I remember wanting his name to have meaning, be unqiue, and relate somehow to those who came before in our family--because family, to me, is everything. No matter the issue; family comes first and that bond is unbreakable.
Sadly for me, I came to learn that even the bond of family can be broken when times get hard.
In November 2007, I was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Myopathy (www.umdf.org).
This disease is progressive, at its most extreme your organs/systems start to fail one-by-one until inevitably--death.
My fiance and I had been together for 2yrs at that point; we were more committed than ever at my diagnosis, having had Lucian the year before and lost a baby one month prior. To us, all that mattered was 'La Pequena Familia;' The Little Family.
Simply put...We were Immortal. We were Invincible. And we were VERY Much in Love.
...6 years later, everything changed.
Though people change, I am a firm believer that 'change' is simply becoming more comfortable with ourselves as people. Unfortunately for me, that was NOT the case with my fiance. The more confortable I became with myself and my life *with* mitochondrial disease, the more my fiance was feeling 'shorted' by the changes I had to make for myself in regards to my health. Long story short?
He felt neglected, he felt put-upon, and he felt overwhelmed. He hadn't signed up for high medical bills, less romance; becoming the SOLE breadwinner when it became obvious I could no longer work. And he most *definitely* had not signed up for relocation back to my hometown so that my parents could help. He wanted out.
Fast-forward to November 2013.
I won't go into all the details of the split. I'll just say that on Thanksgiving morning, I was made aware that it had all become too hard and he wanted out and that he'd find a place to live by end of the year; he'd stay through the holidays for our son's sake. Unfortunately, Christmas Day was the end of us living together as a family--as the truth was revealed via his mother by accident (he and his girlfriend has possibly found a place). I couldn't find it in myself to even tolerate his presence, so he left the day after Christmas and did not return.
At the start of 2014, I moved back in with my mother. I had not worked for a few years while pursuing Social Security Disability. I had no job, no income, no friends nearby to talk to; I had not lived with my mother since I left for college 18yrs before.
My pride was destroyed. I had lost what i considered my home, because i was in to much pain to hold a job and earn income. I had lost the man I loved, because in my mind I was this pitiful, sick thing that he was no longer attracted to. I had lost my DREAM JOB JOB because of Mitochondrial disease and its affect on my body. All I had left was my son in my mind--whom I was wracked with guilt over for him losing all that he knew because I could no longer BE who I used to be. The person was, and that life that she led was OVER.
I saw two choices to pick from:
Choice #1: Continue to live with my mom indefinetely. Continue to wallow in the deep depression I had sunk into. Continue to go through the motions, at least for my son's sake. Literally, I could just...CONTINUE.
...Or, I could go with Choice #2...
I could pick myself up off the floor and start yet another of those 'nine lives' I seem to have been blessed with!
I choose #2!!!
I need YOUR help. YES, You out there in Cyberspace or The Real World or wherever you happen to be at the moment! :-)
For the first time in my life, I find myself needing help, and laying down my pride to ask for it. I am still fighting for my disability benefits 3yrs after I first applied. My son's father pay's court-ordered child support and I finally received State Assistance vouchers to cover the rent so that my son and I can have a fresh start in a new apartment or home. But we have no furniture; no appliances, no electronics--not even eating utensils. We truly have just the clothes on our backs!
I've listed pictures of some basic furniture pieces and household necessities from Wal-mart.com as well as a total dollar amount that I estimate would cover purchasing furniture locally plus moving expenses.
As humble myself before you. Please donate, whether it's $5 or $500--anything helps me and my son find our fresh start together as a family.
Brightest Blessings, and Thank You for Listening!
Sadly for me, I came to learn that even the bond of family can be broken when times get hard.
In November 2007, I was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Myopathy (www.umdf.org).
This disease is progressive, at its most extreme your organs/systems start to fail one-by-one until inevitably--death.
My fiance and I had been together for 2yrs at that point; we were more committed than ever at my diagnosis, having had Lucian the year before and lost a baby one month prior. To us, all that mattered was 'La Pequena Familia;' The Little Family.
Simply put...We were Immortal. We were Invincible. And we were VERY Much in Love.
...6 years later, everything changed.
Though people change, I am a firm believer that 'change' is simply becoming more comfortable with ourselves as people. Unfortunately for me, that was NOT the case with my fiance. The more confortable I became with myself and my life *with* mitochondrial disease, the more my fiance was feeling 'shorted' by the changes I had to make for myself in regards to my health. Long story short?
He felt neglected, he felt put-upon, and he felt overwhelmed. He hadn't signed up for high medical bills, less romance; becoming the SOLE breadwinner when it became obvious I could no longer work. And he most *definitely* had not signed up for relocation back to my hometown so that my parents could help. He wanted out.
Fast-forward to November 2013.
I won't go into all the details of the split. I'll just say that on Thanksgiving morning, I was made aware that it had all become too hard and he wanted out and that he'd find a place to live by end of the year; he'd stay through the holidays for our son's sake. Unfortunately, Christmas Day was the end of us living together as a family--as the truth was revealed via his mother by accident (he and his girlfriend has possibly found a place). I couldn't find it in myself to even tolerate his presence, so he left the day after Christmas and did not return.
At the start of 2014, I moved back in with my mother. I had not worked for a few years while pursuing Social Security Disability. I had no job, no income, no friends nearby to talk to; I had not lived with my mother since I left for college 18yrs before.
My pride was destroyed. I had lost what i considered my home, because i was in to much pain to hold a job and earn income. I had lost the man I loved, because in my mind I was this pitiful, sick thing that he was no longer attracted to. I had lost my DREAM JOB JOB because of Mitochondrial disease and its affect on my body. All I had left was my son in my mind--whom I was wracked with guilt over for him losing all that he knew because I could no longer BE who I used to be. The person was, and that life that she led was OVER.
I saw two choices to pick from:
Choice #1: Continue to live with my mom indefinetely. Continue to wallow in the deep depression I had sunk into. Continue to go through the motions, at least for my son's sake. Literally, I could just...CONTINUE.
...Or, I could go with Choice #2...
I could pick myself up off the floor and start yet another of those 'nine lives' I seem to have been blessed with!
I choose #2!!!
I need YOUR help. YES, You out there in Cyberspace or The Real World or wherever you happen to be at the moment! :-)
For the first time in my life, I find myself needing help, and laying down my pride to ask for it. I am still fighting for my disability benefits 3yrs after I first applied. My son's father pay's court-ordered child support and I finally received State Assistance vouchers to cover the rent so that my son and I can have a fresh start in a new apartment or home. But we have no furniture; no appliances, no electronics--not even eating utensils. We truly have just the clothes on our backs!
I've listed pictures of some basic furniture pieces and household necessities from Wal-mart.com as well as a total dollar amount that I estimate would cover purchasing furniture locally plus moving expenses.
As humble myself before you. Please donate, whether it's $5 or $500--anything helps me and my son find our fresh start together as a family.
Brightest Blessings, and Thank You for Listening!
Organizer
Porsha Williams
Organizer
