Help Financially Rebuilding My Life After A MASSIV
A few words from Don
Hi, It’s me - Don. For those of you who know me, you know that I have been a healthcare worker pretty much my entire life and I was a Frontline Healthcare Worker at Jackson Long Term Care Facility working as a Registered Respiratory Therapist. My job was managing the Ventilators on the Respiratory Floor. I worked at this facility from 2006 to March, 2020 as a contractor. On March 19, 2020, I got very sick and tested positive for COVID 19., I was one of the 1st people out of almost everyone I know who got Covid during it’s first and initial wave. On March 19, 2020, I went to Mount Sinai’s ER because I had the worst headache. As a respiratory therapist, I may myself a DNR, and asked not to be put on Life support because most people in the beginning were dying on life support and at the time hospitals weren’t allowing visitors so therefore patients sue alone. I decided to go home but later I found out I have a 5 cm tumor in my left lung and was diagnosed with pneumonia associated with COVID-19. My labs results also showed my blood was clotting.
During that time, my co workers raised 600 dollars for me while I was sick and unable to work, and many friends were leaving food for me outside my apt in Miami Beach. All of that was really appreciated because Covid had me feeling horrible, weak and tired. After three months and losing 30 lbs, I started feeling somewhat better but unfortunately I was still suffering from COVID Health Issues. It was so bad that I couldn’t even walk to the end of the block to go to the store to try and buy something to eat without getting winded, out of breath, wheezing, light headed and tired. A few weeks after “getting over” being sick from COVID I started experiencing brain fog, where I had difficulty focusing on things and sometimes even forgetting things that I never would have before, and even went sleep walking twice. I know that because some lady found my iPhone 3 blocks away.
I had not been working and had been living off of my savings. Of course that savingiwas running low and my rent and bills still needed to be paid. Even though I wasn’t mentally, or really physically ready to return to work, I had to. I never been late on my rent in 16 years. A friend, suggested I do a GoFundMe but I didn’t because I felt embarrassed to be asking for money at that time.
Things at work had gotten a bit complicated, since I had been gone for an extended period of time, but two weeks after returning to work, I lost my job of 14 years working at that facility. Nobody gave me an exact reason for why I was being terminated from Jackson Longterm care. But I was informed that things had been said such as, they assumed I was walking around the facility sick with Covid, when I wasn’t. I do believe I was a target because I was a contract employee and not a Jackson employee. The administration there was not up front about anything, and I was totally bllindsighted by them. I should mention that the staff there loved me because not only did I do my job but I always helped out where I could, with the NURSES, the CNA’s even the maintenance workers. So much that in December of 2019 the staff even threw a little surprise party for me to show their appreciation.
Since then I’ve worked on and off, but was not really mentally ready or physically able to return to work full time. I managed to collect some unemployment for a short time and would go to the food drive to get some food. Throughout, all of 2020 I pretty much used up and depleted my savings to pay off my rent and bills every month. I could have collected rental assistance but didn’t.
I got very little support from my boss at the agency and even less from Jackson to the point that the healthcare field that I enjoyed working in for so long had now left me very disappointed, which in turn was the cause that I lost my passion for a job I had been doing since 1996. In June 2021, I applied for rental assistance and got 3 months. Therefore I got a little relief knowing my rent was paid until September.
In August, 2020, Even though my passion was gone when an opportunity came to travel to Philadelphia for a respiratory assignment I decided to take it and give it a try. I figured in 13 weeks I’d make more than I would in a year and then take time off and treat my post COVID health issues.
I decided to try to raise some money on Facebook so I can start this travel assignment and pay for my Airbnb, etc. Got about 300 and then I ended the campaign after two days. Just felt weird again. I’m very grateful for the 340 that was donated . That was every generous of them. I apologized if I just replied with a simple thank you. So to Geraldine, Heiner and Freddy and Luis Rodrigues , I was grateful for your donations. I was able to get some of the money to start this travel assignment. But once again bad luck came my way, and my contract got canceled after two weeks. Which was not a good thing for me financially but maybe it was a good thing since I had been having a hard time focusing and concentrating, and having to work in a hospital atmosphere was much more physically enduring than working at a longterm facility. So therefore I returned to Miami.
I still have several doctors referrals that I haven’t gone to yet for my brain fog, memory loss, post covid respiratory issues and thick calluses developing under my feet which some people experienced after COVID-19 . And now fear and depression are starting to take over. I’ve never been unemployed before and have never needed to ask for help. I might not have had an abundance of money, but I always had enough to pay my bills and be comfortable without worry. The money I made at the University of Pennsylvania hospital help me until December 2020, I reapplied for rental assistance and that will be ending next month.
I’ve been hesitant in doing a GoFundMe page. Maybe out of embarrassment for having to ask for help. But now I feel I don’t have a choice or the luxury to do that because I’m behind on my utilities, bills and my rent just increased. I have another month of rental assistance. I’d be grateful for little donations or anything would help.
I have been applying for work outside of healthcare. I sort of think it’s time for a new career, and a new start, but just don’t know what I can do? I rented a car two times to drive for Uber. That was okay but renting once a week is a lot. I wish I had money for a car, but unfortunately I don’t. So if anybody has a car they aren’t using and want to donate it to me so that I can try and make some money to get back on my feet, I would be so very grateful. I believe it must be at least a 2010 to be able to use it for rideshare?
Or if anyone has the opportunity or ability to hire me or give me a job that they think I would be good at – I am open to suggestions. Any help, advice or ideas, I’d would truly be very grateful.
I know COVID has ruined not only my life but that of many people, some who are in worse situations than I am. I Just feel my story is a mess since I was frontline worker who got sick at work and now ironically due to what I was helping people with, I find myself unemployed. Yes there are lots of respiratory jobs out there but honestly I am still not mentally ready to go back to that environment.
If I manage to get some help from here, that would be great! Just to give me a bit of a cushion to get back on my feet and not have to worry. Perhaps I back to school and learn a new trade? I can’t believe that after 2 years of being sick from Covid I am still having so many issues. Right now, I just worried about how I will manage to survive the rest of the year. Hopefully I can find work soon and get back on my feet. I’d really would appreciate anything I get and welcome any advice. The next two months, I’ll finally goto my doctors referralso I can better manage but health issues from COVID 100% of any donations received, is for bill, rent and medical I haven’t gone see any of my referrals bc I haven’t been working
Any help be grateful.
And please feel free to share this link. I’d appreciate that very much
Thank you
Donald Chung, BS,RRT