Erica Norris, a school psychologist and mother of three, is a kind and compassionate person 24/7. It’s her nature. But now she needs our help in a time of acute need.

Over the past 10 months, Erica has become increasingly ill, racked with excruciating pain and a growing list of debilitating symptoms that were diagnosed to be fibromyalgia. Increasingly, she was unable to get out of bed for days. In June, Erica lost her job as a school psychologist, along with her health insurance. Her spouse Sarah (my niece) is a paraprofessional for children with special needs but earns little and receives no benefits. Their family of five had descended below the poverty line, living paycheck to paycheck, at best. Erica has applied for disability assistance as her unemployment checks will end in December.

Erica’s condition continued to deteriorate throughout the summer and fall. The pain increased throughout her body; she experienced crippling migraines, vomiting, diarrhea, and periods of what seemed to be dementia. In early November, Sarah found her incoherent and shuddering in what appeared to be a seizure and a stroke. She was rushed to a hospital by ambulance where she was admitted for the second time in a month. This time, in addition to the usual battery of MRIs, CT scans, bloodwork, urinalysis, and other tests, a new, curious, and thorough doctor ordered a spinal tap which revealed that Erica did not have fibromyalgia – she has Multiple Sclerosis.

An accurate diagnosis is indeed a blessing; there is now a path for treatment and recovery. But MS presents a whole new set of medical, emotional, and financial challenges. She has been told that her two most recent hospital stays will not be covered by insurance. The family is doing all that we can to help Erica and Sarah, and their kids, through this very tough time. Sarah’s mother (my sister) staved off foreclosure on their house by taking out a home equity loan, which will cover their mortgage payments until March. I too have provided financial help, as have Erica’s parents.

Erica now faces a challenging road to recovery, and we are confident she will succeed in reclaiming her life. She is one tough cookie. But it’s the meantime that is critical. She and her family need help to pay the incoming torrent of medical bills to keep their heads above water until they can dig their way out of the deep hole in which they find themselves.

We realize these are difficult times for many with rising costs, including healthcare. We know it is asking a lot of you to donate to the cause, and if you are unable, we certainly understand. If you are, however, able to contribute a gift of any amount, it will be profoundly appreciated.