Help a Family in Need: Jaime's Story

Hi, my name is Jaime. I am a 44-year-old mother of one who has been married for 21 years and has spent most of my adult life working in the medical field as a C.N.A.

For the past few years, I have been dealing with health issues that have only gotten worse in some cases. About two years ago, I started having significant issues with my knees. The pain from doing everyday things like playing with my son became too much for me. I did everything the doctor said, but my knees only got worse.

Then, in February of this year, I lost my job. I began panicking over what to do about my family. My husband, who has been disabled since 2007 because he broke his back, sat me down, and we talked about me applying for disability. After talking to him, I went to some of my family and friends for their advice. Some told me to suck it up and go back to work—not in those words, but still, their message came through. Others told me to go ahead and apply because they see I can't even walk without pain stopping me.

We have tried our hardest to do this without any help, but we do need help. All we are asking for is help with paying some overdue bills and to be able to buy school supplies for my son's upcoming 6th year. I don't like asking for help, and my husband, that old Texan, really doesn't like asking for help. But I do need help to keep us going for a few more months. Thank you very much for any help you can provide.