Achieving independence

I have been so incredibly blessed! 
I not only reached but surpassed my goal ... so I  turned off "donations" ... but I've had several requests to turn them back on from people who want to help, so I have turned them back on. 
 
I'm still keeping this page mainly to have a place to post updates. 

Thank you all so very much!

Original posting:
Since 2006, as my family and friends know, I have been trying to hold my own in an epic, catastrophic, medical tornado. Throughout this relentless ordeal, I worked constantly to maintain independence and retain as much "normal" life as possible.

I saved money in every way I could, because I knew that at some point, I would need as much of it as I could generate, to get the things that would help me to "get my life back.”  I thought I’d prepared pretty well, but my savings got sucked up by unexpected medical and mechanical expenses and medications.  There was just no way around it.  

I survived it. My savings did not.

Now, finally, I’m at the point where some semblance of "normal" life is actually possible, which is really, really good news.  All I need is determination and a lot of expensive technology.  I’ve got the determination. What I don’t have is money for the technology.  Any hope I may have of continuing to remain independent and active depends on my being able to pay for essential things, and my savings are gone.

I had new prosthetics made in January, but they already need to be remade because they made it possible for me to be able to exercise - and I've lost so much weight that I can’t use them anymore.  The new legs will cost me $2,500 (Insurance covers the rest.)

 I also need a new chair, to replace the one I have, which has a fried motor. I went through special exams that "proved I needed an electric chair".  The red tape for that assessment was abundant – but it has finally been approved. The exams were not “medically required” so were not covered by the insurance company that required them, each costing between $50 and $200.
 
So here I am, allowed to purchase a new chair. Together with my new legs, I will soon be able to walk enough to be able to get into my car and drive!  My physical therapy and work at the gym is dedicated to that goal.
 
I am finally where I have fought so hard to be.
 
But it requires the technology, which requires money. In addition to the new legs and the new chair, I need a lift installed on my car, and my car then has to be reprogrammed  to use hand controls. I need to be trained to use the new, electronic controls.  

The lift costs $2,800 and the reprogramming costs $1,000.  The class for driving with the controls costs $1,000.  The chair itself will cost me $700.00.  

I am $6,000 short of being able to have this chance to have some independence. 

The legs and the chair are essential. Having the chair-lift and the program for my car would allow me to have a level of independence that I’ve hoped for and dreamed about for years.

I know I am not the only one asking for help. We’re in hard times. Many people also need many things. Many people are asking for help acquiring those things. -  And now, I’m one of them.  I need help.

If I can function independently, the many people who have been helping me will also get bits of their lives back.  Your contribution – whatever you can manage, however much that is – would provide a lot of help.  

Can you contribute to my independence?  

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I will be very grateful for any help you can give.