I need your help. I don’t want to give up

Guy Purcella is organizing this fundraiser.

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Can you help Us Reclaim Stability After Years of Health Battles and Hard Work?

Hi, my name is Guy Purcella. I’m 64 years old, and my wife Carla is 72. For the last six months I’m averaging 4 hours of quality sleep a night and only about five hours total and that’s broken up into two or three hours followed by two or three hours of severe pain followed by another attempt at sleep. I often feel like giving up. I need your help.

For most of my life, I was the kind of person who could solve any financial problem with hard work, smart decisions, and sheer determination. I never gave up, and I never asked for help — because I didn’t have to. But after years of mounting health issues and setbacks, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that I can’t do this alone anymore.

About six years ago, we came dangerously close to being homeless. We’ve been forced to rent since 2011, and we’ve had to move more than 10 times in just the last 14 years. That level of instability takes a real toll. We’re not asking for luxuries — we just want a permanent home where we can finally settle, heal, and stop surviving one crisis at a time.

I’m a proud U.S. Air Force veteran, and I still honor my oath to the Constitution — not just in words, but through action. I am doing everything I can to live up to that promise and will continue to do so until the day I die. Despite my health battles, I work seven days a week building a YouTube channel that now has over 330,000 subscribers. (@ThatKiltedGuyDIY) Through that platform, I teach drywall and home improvement skills, and I’ve also created several eBooks, online training courses, and 3D-printed tools. The potential is massive — but I’m struggling to move fast enough because of physical limitations and lack of resources.

My health battles include:

Severe Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): Often prevents me from sleeping or even sitting down. I spend many nights pacing for hours just trying to endure what feels like torture.
Chronic, debilitating back pain from nerve damage — worsening over the past 18 months with no lasting relief yet. This is the biggest problem. It's been going on over a year. Just last night I only slept 3 1/2 hours due to the pain that narcotics didn't control. They think I have Nerve pain like Stenosis, Impingement, Central Sensitization, Facet joint degeneration or something similar but they still don't know. Narcotics barely touch the pain and sometimes I'm up all night in agony. It's getting hard to stay strong but I'm trying. I describe the pain as it's like a steel rod in my lower spine vibrating rapidly, 24/7. It NEVER goes away, no matter what I do, and that's what's getting me down.
I'm blind in my left eye from a hole and wrinkle in my retina.
Vertigo from a virus that destroyed 40% of the nerves in my right ear in 2018. My brain has learned to compensate, but it still flares up unpredictably.
Peripheral neuropathy that causes constant burning in my feet.
Sleep apnea. I have a Cpap machine, but can't use it much as sleeping in our bed is often too uncomfortable and I sleep in a recliner much of the time.
Long COVID — going on over 5 years now. It has improved somewhat, but the fatigue is still a daily burden.
Depression and anxiety — made worse by the ongoing pain, lack of sleep, and financial pressure. I’m now seeing a VA counselor to help manage this.

According to my Apple Watch, I’ve averaged just 4 hours of quality sleep and less than 5½ hours of total sleep per night over the past month. That’s due to a mix of severe pain, RLS, and overwhelming financial stress.

Carla’s health challenges include:

Three total knee replacements
Asthma (mild to moderate)
AFib (atrial fibrillation)
Severe mobility issues — she now uses a scooter most of the time
Multiple surgeries (shoulders, wrist, arm, gallbladder, appendix, and breast cancer)
Multiple allergies, including food and medication-related

She does everything she can, but the truth is, I have to carry most of the load to keep us going and I gladly try as we have a wonderful marriage.

There are specialized clinics that deal with RLS and nerve pain that the VA might approve through community care. But even if approved, we’d still have to cover travel, lodging, and time away from work. This campaign could help make that possible — and give me a shot at real relief.

If we had more financial stability, I’d also pursue alternative treatments like Red Light Therapy, Rolfing, holistic care, and improved nutrition with organic, healthier food options & more. Right now, we simply can’t afford to try any of that.

I’m asking for help so we can catch up on the debts that built up from years of just trying to survive. With even a modest amount of support, I could finally focus on growing our YouTube business and building a future where we’re no longer just getting by. And I want to see a pain clinic outside of the VA that offers treatments the VA can’t offer and that will have to come out of my pocket.

We’ve done everything we can. Now we need a little help. If you’ve ever been in that space — where a little support could change everything — you understand where we are. Your donation, share, or even your kind words could help us begin the next chapter.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Guy & Carla Purcella