I must escape my moldy trailer
Hello friends…
If you had asked me a few months ago if I’d be trying GoFundMe and writing to you like this, I would have laughed and said “no way.” But in light of my current circumstances, I’m here now, asking you for help.
I have serious mold in my trailer, and it’s causing serious problems. I already have several medical conditions that make my health pretty precarious, and the mold is making those conditions much worse. Honestly, if I stay in this place much longer, it could kill me. I’m working to find a new long-term living situation, but most of my options will either take money that I don’t have, or considerable time and waiting lists (months, possibly years) before they can be put in place. In the meantime, though, an opportunity has come up that could get me out of my current trailer quickly, and keep me stable until I can make a longer term solution happen.
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As some of you may know, I’ve been living on really limited means for a while now. I’d like to think that I’ve used my grit and ingenuity to not only get by, but to live life to its fullest, and I certainly like to ride on the edge with a smile. I’ve tried to make it a point to always be there for my friends, regardless of the problem, with a sense of humor and without hesitation.
The thing is, these days I’m on a fixed income, and about 65% of that income goes toward renting my place, which is so moldy that it’s literally decomposing around me. After years of full throttle living (yes, motorcycles have always been a part of that), my body is now turning against me. I have congestive heart failure, SVT attacks, small cluster strokes, and chronic respiratory issues that require me to be strapped to an oxygen concentrator every night. I take meds to speed up my heart when the congestive heart failure makes it want to stop, and I’m on meds to slow my heart when the SVT attacks cause it to race like it’s going to burst out of my chest. Over time, all of those medications that I’ve been taking, especially the prednisone, have caused my spine to become brittle, like a stack of potato chips. I’ve tried for a long time to make things work on my own without asking for assistance, but I’m changing my tune because it’s become increasingly clear that living in a moldy trailer is really hurting me, and I need help.
I moved into this current situation a year ago, to escape a tin can of an Airstream with lousy ventilation and no room for all of my essential medical apparatus. The new trailer had issues, but mold didn’t seem to be one of them, and with my limited means, it seemed like the best solution at the time. I did a lot of things to turn it into a proper home, but then the mold revealed itself, and things went from bad to worse. I’m currently crammed into the living room with my medical gear while the walls of the bedroom are crumbling to the floor, and I can’t stop wheezing.
My options are limited. With my income, regular apartments are out of reach, even really small ones. At this point I’m open to assisted living options, but the waiting lists for people on fixed incomes are long, in some cases so long that the lists are closed. So the fix that currently presents itself is a used, but well maintained, 15’ Coleman Lantern BH that is currently for sale at North Trail RV Center in Bonita Springs. It comes in at a hair short of $9000, and about $2000 would be needed for a down payment. If the funds could be raised to buy it outright, I could avoid the finance package with a really nasty percentage rate. One trailer to another is obviously imperfect, but it’s a viable option, and I need to be out of the current trailer now.
You might be wondering, where is my family in all of this? The fact is, my family is small, and most of them operate on limited means as well. They are helping me research all of my options, and they’ve been helping me along the way as much as they can, but there’s only so much they can do. So I’m hoping that you, my SW Florida family, can help me rally as well.
Thank you for reading this…considering this…and for all of your love and support.
