A family in need

Hi there, my name is Alex Dawson. I rarely go online these days but have been really struggling lately and don't know where else to turn to. I'm hoping by reaching out that maybe others might reach back to me. I am a mother of 3 small children, ages 8, 5 & 3. Over this past year my family has been on a roller coaster of emotions and difficulties and even though things are finally starting to look up, we are still in serious need of help. Last March 2022, I was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer. Luckily for me and my kids, this is not a death sentence and I will be able to have a 100% recovery with the proper care. However, since receiving the news I have seen a different outlook on life and am striving for better.

For the past several years I have been trying to leave a very toxic/abusive relationship. I haven't been able to properly handle things with my medical situation because of the abusive nature of this relationship. (When I say abusive I mean in more ways than 1, there is physical abuse involved, but also so many other ways to be abused that I wasn't even aware of until now). Physical abuse is one thing, but emotional abuse and financial abuse also have devastating, long lasting effects. I have finally gotten the courage to do what is right and end this relationship but it still comes at a cost.

All of last year I struggled to keep my apartment, so that I had a stable place to live with my babies. It got so bad at one point that I had to fight eviction in the courts and was able to save our home. By fall of 2022 my health was declining because of the stress from the financial burden and had a scheduled surgery set in October to remove the cancer and work towards recovery. That same week my car broke down unexpectedly, there weren't any prior warnings at all and the car ended up being a total loss. I had to junk the car and use the money towards rent again. But in turn didn't end up getting my necessary surgery that week and it had to get postponed.

Throughout all of this I do work part time and do everything I can, but as of right now with what is going on with my health I have to take time off from working. I also cannot work at this time due to the lack of transportation, to be able to get my children to and from daycare. I don't have many people who I can rely on for help, which is why I am quite literally stuck.

I hate having to try and take this avenue, but I really don't know where else to turn. I am involved in programs (food pantries/government aid/recovery programs) that help as much as they can, but there is only so much I can ask of these small places.

I have used every dime of my tax return to pay off the back owed rent (3 months) and other bills that I was left to handle alone. I thank God that I was able to get to this point because the stress of being homeless with 3 kids is an unbearable burden. Even though I am grateful I was able to climb out of the deep hole I was in, but I am still so scared because I still need to catch up on everything else and have no idea how I am going to make it happen. I have paid up until April with the money from my taxes but that is as far as i could stretch it. But, along with just trying to take care of normal day to day expenses, the stress is starting to take over again and I don't want it to affect my health the way it had last year.

I am scheduled to go in for my final surgery next week on April 5th, and then with God on my side I will be 100% cured and be on the road to recovery. But with that in mind, I know I won't be able to work for the immediate time being and I do not want to get in the situation I was left with before and facing eviction.

I'm hoping that by putting myself out there like this, that maybe even if anyone could give the littlest of help, it could make the biggest difference in our lives. The money would be solely for the purpose of keeping a roof above my children's head until I am able to go back and work full time after my recovery. This is my 2nd surgery and I am expecting to be fully recovered by 2weeks to a month after surgery as long as I can properly heal and recover.

It has been a long road since getting this news last year, and I am finally coming out the other side of the tunnel.

If you might be able to help in any way, even slightly, please consider donating (any little bit helps). Your help would help me ensure a stable home/life for my kids during a time we are all trying to deal with my medical situation. Since my mother passing of cancer, this whole diagnosis really got put into perspective for me and I do not want to take life for granted any more! Please consider helping so I can take the time to recover without the stress of losing my home for my babies.