Help Chris Goode Lee
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Chris's story, in her own words....
I'm not even sure where to start without reinventing the wheel. So the long and short of it is this...
I've always been the one to help others. Twenty seven years as a Trauma Nurse, it's just been my fabric to do what I can for others. Now the tables have turned. I've fallen on desperately hard times. When I was approached by my friend this evening, I was moved beyond words could ever express. Actually a whole group of friends are working on this with me. Never in a million years could I ever ask for help on my own. It's the hardest thing on earth for me to do.
In 2008, I was brutally attacked by a patient in the ER. It was a fatal blow to my career. Two months later, I was diagnosed with stomach and colon Cancer. On the heels of that, just two months later, I lost my 15 year old son. Soon followed...my mother, my kid sister and my father. It's now just me, and my 16 year old daughter. And I could never leave out my friends, who have become my family.
I can't lie. It's been a struggle. I've lost our home, our car, and will now be losing our possessions next week. I'm drowning in debt and medical bills of years past.
I have tried my absolute best to do all of the right things, and make the right choices. The tides just don't turn in my favor. But I can accept that. Last summer, our personal safety was compromised, and I had to up and leave everyone and everything we had ever known. We left our hometown, and moved 1,300 miles away, with nothing more than the clothes on our backs. It's now nine months later. We're in a strange place, trying to make a home of it. We've been here since August, and still have nothing more than what we left with. I'm trying to keep the roof over our heads, and food in my daughter's stomach. We have no wall hangings to look homey. We still have no furniture. None.
I recently returned back to my hometown, to secure my daughter's safety. I had to renew a restraining order. That was my rent money. It was the money slated for the storage unit which houses all of our possessions. They will be gone by next week. My daughter's musical instruments which soothed her soul, and made her feel secure. Our clothing. The things that my son and daughter made when they were little. My grandmother's hope chest. Anything and everything that ever gave us comfort. On the first, rent is due. The money isn't there. We lost our home, and now we'll be losing our apartment.
Because of multiple illnesses, stacked one on top of the other, I'm unable to work. My health is failing, though I never let on. It's that pride thing again. I leave myself no choice but to hold my head up, and maintain that pride that has been chipped away at over the years. It's the only way I know how to do it.
My only wishes are to keep a roof over my daughter's head, food in her belly and clothes on her back. She's missed out on so much, at the expense of me. I can't send her to the movies or bowling with her friends. She orders just a salad, because she feels bad that others have paid her way. She's a track runner, with running shoes almost two years old. She does not have a bedroom set, or a wall hanging to cheer her days. My heart breaks for her. My indulgence is buying my medicines, which keep me going long enough to watch her grow into a beautiful young lady. I will go without, rather than seeing her do the same.
I'm blessed beyond belief with wonderful friends, who I'm proud to call my family. I'm so touched, and moved beyond words can ever express. I'm truly speechless. I've never been so humbled in my life.....
I'm not even sure where to start without reinventing the wheel. So the long and short of it is this...
I've always been the one to help others. Twenty seven years as a Trauma Nurse, it's just been my fabric to do what I can for others. Now the tables have turned. I've fallen on desperately hard times. When I was approached by my friend this evening, I was moved beyond words could ever express. Actually a whole group of friends are working on this with me. Never in a million years could I ever ask for help on my own. It's the hardest thing on earth for me to do.
In 2008, I was brutally attacked by a patient in the ER. It was a fatal blow to my career. Two months later, I was diagnosed with stomach and colon Cancer. On the heels of that, just two months later, I lost my 15 year old son. Soon followed...my mother, my kid sister and my father. It's now just me, and my 16 year old daughter. And I could never leave out my friends, who have become my family.
I can't lie. It's been a struggle. I've lost our home, our car, and will now be losing our possessions next week. I'm drowning in debt and medical bills of years past.
I have tried my absolute best to do all of the right things, and make the right choices. The tides just don't turn in my favor. But I can accept that. Last summer, our personal safety was compromised, and I had to up and leave everyone and everything we had ever known. We left our hometown, and moved 1,300 miles away, with nothing more than the clothes on our backs. It's now nine months later. We're in a strange place, trying to make a home of it. We've been here since August, and still have nothing more than what we left with. I'm trying to keep the roof over our heads, and food in my daughter's stomach. We have no wall hangings to look homey. We still have no furniture. None.
I recently returned back to my hometown, to secure my daughter's safety. I had to renew a restraining order. That was my rent money. It was the money slated for the storage unit which houses all of our possessions. They will be gone by next week. My daughter's musical instruments which soothed her soul, and made her feel secure. Our clothing. The things that my son and daughter made when they were little. My grandmother's hope chest. Anything and everything that ever gave us comfort. On the first, rent is due. The money isn't there. We lost our home, and now we'll be losing our apartment.
Because of multiple illnesses, stacked one on top of the other, I'm unable to work. My health is failing, though I never let on. It's that pride thing again. I leave myself no choice but to hold my head up, and maintain that pride that has been chipped away at over the years. It's the only way I know how to do it.
My only wishes are to keep a roof over my daughter's head, food in her belly and clothes on her back. She's missed out on so much, at the expense of me. I can't send her to the movies or bowling with her friends. She orders just a salad, because she feels bad that others have paid her way. She's a track runner, with running shoes almost two years old. She does not have a bedroom set, or a wall hanging to cheer her days. My heart breaks for her. My indulgence is buying my medicines, which keep me going long enough to watch her grow into a beautiful young lady. I will go without, rather than seeing her do the same.
I'm blessed beyond belief with wonderful friends, who I'm proud to call my family. I'm so touched, and moved beyond words can ever express. I'm truly speechless. I've never been so humbled in my life.....
Organizer and beneficiary
Natasha Caron
Organizer
Laurel, MS
Christine Lee
Beneficiary
