Joanna's Medical et al Fund
Donation protected
I have known Joanna Schlesinger Grimm since the early 1960's. In the last 10 years she has faced serious health problems problems that have put her in serious financial
trouble. Her need for help is urgent.
I will let her tell her story, in her own words:
It's humbling to a point of embarrassment but I have no choices left to me. I have been struggling with health issues since first being diagnosed in 2011 with serious colon problems. i was referred to the wrong type of Dr , as i have been living modestly on SSDI-disability & Medicaid.Surgery was done in Dec 2015 & it turned out to be totally unnecessary & the wrong type of Dr! Medicaid denied my PCP's referral to a gastroenterologist & a Urologist did the surgery that did NOT address my problem.As time went by, I presented the symptoms over & over..FINALLY I was approved but for 1 year ,Medicaid advised me in an official capacity to take laxatives DAILY! I KNOW that's NOT a good idea & lived with the pain & the quality of my life plummeted. now I've gone through rounds & rounds of chemo & radiation, alone, as my family has estranged themselves from me. They are embarrassed that I live on $700 a month. My emotional issues now have taken a downward turn. Life changed drastically, as I stupidly did not hire a lawyer when my husband divorced me after 30 years of marriage. I was devastated & naively thought if i'm nice, he will come back. He did not & married the gal I didn't know about. I certainly take responsibility for half of the problems, but in hindsight- I was a foolish, stupid middle age woman, lost & alone.Now that Ive been seriously ill- I just need help to pay off everything that's in arrears & have the ability to hire someone to help me bathe, etc- maybe weekly. $700 has just not been enough to live a very basic life, since my benefits have been cut & cost of living continues to rise. I live in a very small apt in Painesville, OH- not the greatest place but affordable..12 years ago!I will get $15 in January, added to the $700- that's the first "raise" I've been given..it's not a lot but to me ,every cent helps. My electric bill has been in arrears.I recently asked a local agency for help & was able to get the shut off notice pushed back,but it's like the old adage about borrowing from peter to pay Paul...Several generous, kind old friends have helped me as much as they can, but they have their own families, bills, etc. I find this very difficult to write. I'm vulnerable, physically weakened & sick from side effects & stupidly borrowed $ from ACE & Cashnet...@ 300%..:( I feel so stupid, as I know this made everything WORSE!! i'm so stressed all the time- I am thinking of quitting this round- it didn't work before..I can have surgery to get a colostomy bag but not the more expensive , rebuilding the sphincter muscle- i'm all over the place writing this. It's very hard to focu. my landlord is selling this house where my apt is & all was well but just a ffew days ago- I was informed I have to move by February! I will be homeless or in a shelter & the thought of ending up like that just shatters me. If I could pay off the ridiculous loans, & not keep " re-financing" (legal loan sharks!) & have monies to rent a room, efficiency-this is a tiny place but it was my safe place& now it's not. if I wasn't so challenged by my medical problems, I'd be happy to work, but it's simply impossible at this time. It's risky to do this because if I lose my benefits- I see no way to support myself at 62-63 yrs old, severe PTSD, depression, along with several other conditions that cause seizures & i have fractured my skull f, ffalling down & nobody here to help. When I first started making this little life for myself, by myself- I could work & help others & feel productive & needed. When my children decided my illness was too stressful for them to continue to be in my life- I lost my raison d"etre...I'd managed to save over $10,000 . I kept it in my freezer.lol...I gladly used it all to allow my grandson to visit for years- then it had to sadly, be used to bring him here to safety. Now I could really use all that oney that went to attorneys for custody, etc. I'm happpy to say he's doing great & willbe 13 in May. I don't see himanyore-collateral damage. I don't know what else to say. i'm baring my soul inhopes that I a miracle. can get back on my ffeet, deal with the chemo , hopefully beat it!! I would be grateful for any help. i know times r tough 4 everyone, so I do not expect anything but i'm hoping 4 a miracle..or the lottery?! Thanks to anyone for any donation. Blessings to everyone.
Joanna
trouble. Her need for help is urgent.
I will let her tell her story, in her own words:
It's humbling to a point of embarrassment but I have no choices left to me. I have been struggling with health issues since first being diagnosed in 2011 with serious colon problems. i was referred to the wrong type of Dr , as i have been living modestly on SSDI-disability & Medicaid.Surgery was done in Dec 2015 & it turned out to be totally unnecessary & the wrong type of Dr! Medicaid denied my PCP's referral to a gastroenterologist & a Urologist did the surgery that did NOT address my problem.As time went by, I presented the symptoms over & over..FINALLY I was approved but for 1 year ,Medicaid advised me in an official capacity to take laxatives DAILY! I KNOW that's NOT a good idea & lived with the pain & the quality of my life plummeted. now I've gone through rounds & rounds of chemo & radiation, alone, as my family has estranged themselves from me. They are embarrassed that I live on $700 a month. My emotional issues now have taken a downward turn. Life changed drastically, as I stupidly did not hire a lawyer when my husband divorced me after 30 years of marriage. I was devastated & naively thought if i'm nice, he will come back. He did not & married the gal I didn't know about. I certainly take responsibility for half of the problems, but in hindsight- I was a foolish, stupid middle age woman, lost & alone.Now that Ive been seriously ill- I just need help to pay off everything that's in arrears & have the ability to hire someone to help me bathe, etc- maybe weekly. $700 has just not been enough to live a very basic life, since my benefits have been cut & cost of living continues to rise. I live in a very small apt in Painesville, OH- not the greatest place but affordable..12 years ago!I will get $15 in January, added to the $700- that's the first "raise" I've been given..it's not a lot but to me ,every cent helps. My electric bill has been in arrears.I recently asked a local agency for help & was able to get the shut off notice pushed back,but it's like the old adage about borrowing from peter to pay Paul...Several generous, kind old friends have helped me as much as they can, but they have their own families, bills, etc. I find this very difficult to write. I'm vulnerable, physically weakened & sick from side effects & stupidly borrowed $ from ACE & Cashnet...@ 300%..:( I feel so stupid, as I know this made everything WORSE!! i'm so stressed all the time- I am thinking of quitting this round- it didn't work before..I can have surgery to get a colostomy bag but not the more expensive , rebuilding the sphincter muscle- i'm all over the place writing this. It's very hard to focu. my landlord is selling this house where my apt is & all was well but just a ffew days ago- I was informed I have to move by February! I will be homeless or in a shelter & the thought of ending up like that just shatters me. If I could pay off the ridiculous loans, & not keep " re-financing" (legal loan sharks!) & have monies to rent a room, efficiency-this is a tiny place but it was my safe place& now it's not. if I wasn't so challenged by my medical problems, I'd be happy to work, but it's simply impossible at this time. It's risky to do this because if I lose my benefits- I see no way to support myself at 62-63 yrs old, severe PTSD, depression, along with several other conditions that cause seizures & i have fractured my skull f, ffalling down & nobody here to help. When I first started making this little life for myself, by myself- I could work & help others & feel productive & needed. When my children decided my illness was too stressful for them to continue to be in my life- I lost my raison d"etre...I'd managed to save over $10,000 . I kept it in my freezer.lol...I gladly used it all to allow my grandson to visit for years- then it had to sadly, be used to bring him here to safety. Now I could really use all that oney that went to attorneys for custody, etc. I'm happpy to say he's doing great & willbe 13 in May. I don't see himanyore-collateral damage. I don't know what else to say. i'm baring my soul inhopes that I a miracle. can get back on my ffeet, deal with the chemo , hopefully beat it!! I would be grateful for any help. i know times r tough 4 everyone, so I do not expect anything but i'm hoping 4 a miracle..or the lottery?! Thanks to anyone for any donation. Blessings to everyone.
Joanna
Organizer
John Saypol
Organizer
Avon, CO
