Looking for a light in her never ending tunnel.
Donation protected
My name is Rick Lopez and I am a Healthcare Advocate. My job is to resolve various issues concerning healthcare, and working with people in dire situations get back on their feet.
Unfortunately, I have run into a problem I cannot fix, because I am dealing with the government. I'm speaking on behalf of a close friend that I've known for almost 19 yrs, so this particular case is a little closer to my heart and very concerning to me. Her name is Eneida and she is 52 yrs. old. At one point, I even employed this person. She has always had outstanding work ethic, but has hit a very rough patch she can't get out of for the past five yrs, no matter how many different avenues she attempts. Her problems begin on 12/16/14 when she was rushed to hospital after collapsing in her bathroom in the middle of the night. She was admitted and spent an entire week being seen by every specialist under the sun, trying to figure out how she ended up in the condition she was in. She spent most of her stay in ICU and was told she wouldn't have lived more than a day or two had she not been hospitalized. Her hemoglobin count was 1.3 (normal count should be at least 11) was diagnosed with acute anemia and given 6 blood transfusions to keep her alive. As a result of her fall, she also fractured her wrist and has some nerve damage on her entire left side and very frequent swelling of her left hand due to arthritis. All of these symptoms are also exasperated by her anxiety disorder or anytime she is stressed, which is a daily occurrence for her. She had no insurance at the time of her hospitalization, so she was never able to have therapy or even follow up appointments. At the same exact time as she was in the hospital, her 17 yr old car finally gave out. Upon leaving the hospital, she was left without transportation, lost her apartment and was unable to work. She was forced to move into her mother's home, a very toxic and verbally abusive situation. She has suffered from anxiety and panic disorder for most of her life, living in this situation worsened her problems even further and after attempting many avenues to get out of her situation, she was left with no option but to file for disability to get back on her feet. The process with the SSA has been riddled with mistakes and miscommunication from the very start. She started this process in December of 2015, 4 yrs later she is in an even worse scenario. The office where she had her hearing in April of 2018 sent her denial letter to an address where she has never lived or even knows anyone at the location. After receiving the letter back, the hearings office did not forward the letter to the correct person/address. Wasting an entire yr and a half of my client's time to appeal the decision. Now, not only have they been dragging their feet since October of 2019 and not even updating my client on her current status, but are also in the process of trying to decide if she can even appeal. Also, by not updating my client on her status (and many unreturned phone calls) she not even able to obtain an attorney to take her case. They have done nothing but cause chaos and grief and refuse to take accountability. They are causing my client even more stress, both emotionally and financially, making her conditions much worse. They also did not follow protocol, by not collecting all of (and incorrect) medical documents from her attending physicians. If they decide she cannot appeal, even though it was their mistake, she will have to start the process all over again, which can take up to 3 or 4 yrs. She's already 4 yrs into the process at this point, as I mentioned.
The only person that was providing financial assistance (her mother) passed away 4 months ago. She is still living in her mother's home, however the home has been in foreclosure for nearly 10 years and goes to trial for sale every 3 months and with her mother's passing, she no longer has any claim to the home. Meaning at any moment she could be left homeless, without the ability to work due to her increasingly overwhelming anxiety/panic attacks and caring for a younger sibling who cannot care for themselves, due to all of these increasingly stressful situations, she has become more unable to handle her own affairs and her social anxiety has become so bad, she can no longer do her own grocery shopping or run any errands that require being in public. My client/friend did everything she was supposed to do and even though none of this is her fault, no one at SSA is doing anything to correct, or speed the process up even though they're fully aware of her dire circumstances. She will not survive even another couple of months without money or the ability to work and as I mentioned, looking at not even having a roof over her head. She has no family that can help, is single and has exhausted all avenues at this point. This is her last resort to attempt getting her life back and some sense of normalcy. She's being worn down more and more with every passing day. Her conditions are worsening and she is at a dangerously low weight and continues dropping, I fear she will end up back in hospital and this cycle will continue. I'm asking for anything you can contribute and your compassion in helping this person get their life back on track, all she needs is financial support to get back on her feet, while she's awaiting a decision from SSA on her disability case. She desperately needs funds for housing, transportation and any and all other living expenses. And to continue her treatment from her mental health provider, which she has to pay out of pocket . The amount being requested is to cover medicines, rental payments for the time being, transportation fees (she is unable to drive due to her disorder) and other living expenses. Anything you could possibly contribute would be GREATLY appreciated. I'd like to see her out of this volatile and unstable environment as soon as possible, before her conditions continue to deteriorate to a point of no return. The government and her family have failed her, she's counting on the kindness of strangers at this point. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read this, please take an extra couple of minutes to circulate and pass this along to friends and family.
Unfortunately, I have run into a problem I cannot fix, because I am dealing with the government. I'm speaking on behalf of a close friend that I've known for almost 19 yrs, so this particular case is a little closer to my heart and very concerning to me. Her name is Eneida and she is 52 yrs. old. At one point, I even employed this person. She has always had outstanding work ethic, but has hit a very rough patch she can't get out of for the past five yrs, no matter how many different avenues she attempts. Her problems begin on 12/16/14 when she was rushed to hospital after collapsing in her bathroom in the middle of the night. She was admitted and spent an entire week being seen by every specialist under the sun, trying to figure out how she ended up in the condition she was in. She spent most of her stay in ICU and was told she wouldn't have lived more than a day or two had she not been hospitalized. Her hemoglobin count was 1.3 (normal count should be at least 11) was diagnosed with acute anemia and given 6 blood transfusions to keep her alive. As a result of her fall, she also fractured her wrist and has some nerve damage on her entire left side and very frequent swelling of her left hand due to arthritis. All of these symptoms are also exasperated by her anxiety disorder or anytime she is stressed, which is a daily occurrence for her. She had no insurance at the time of her hospitalization, so she was never able to have therapy or even follow up appointments. At the same exact time as she was in the hospital, her 17 yr old car finally gave out. Upon leaving the hospital, she was left without transportation, lost her apartment and was unable to work. She was forced to move into her mother's home, a very toxic and verbally abusive situation. She has suffered from anxiety and panic disorder for most of her life, living in this situation worsened her problems even further and after attempting many avenues to get out of her situation, she was left with no option but to file for disability to get back on her feet. The process with the SSA has been riddled with mistakes and miscommunication from the very start. She started this process in December of 2015, 4 yrs later she is in an even worse scenario. The office where she had her hearing in April of 2018 sent her denial letter to an address where she has never lived or even knows anyone at the location. After receiving the letter back, the hearings office did not forward the letter to the correct person/address. Wasting an entire yr and a half of my client's time to appeal the decision. Now, not only have they been dragging their feet since October of 2019 and not even updating my client on her current status, but are also in the process of trying to decide if she can even appeal. Also, by not updating my client on her status (and many unreturned phone calls) she not even able to obtain an attorney to take her case. They have done nothing but cause chaos and grief and refuse to take accountability. They are causing my client even more stress, both emotionally and financially, making her conditions much worse. They also did not follow protocol, by not collecting all of (and incorrect) medical documents from her attending physicians. If they decide she cannot appeal, even though it was their mistake, she will have to start the process all over again, which can take up to 3 or 4 yrs. She's already 4 yrs into the process at this point, as I mentioned.
The only person that was providing financial assistance (her mother) passed away 4 months ago. She is still living in her mother's home, however the home has been in foreclosure for nearly 10 years and goes to trial for sale every 3 months and with her mother's passing, she no longer has any claim to the home. Meaning at any moment she could be left homeless, without the ability to work due to her increasingly overwhelming anxiety/panic attacks and caring for a younger sibling who cannot care for themselves, due to all of these increasingly stressful situations, she has become more unable to handle her own affairs and her social anxiety has become so bad, she can no longer do her own grocery shopping or run any errands that require being in public. My client/friend did everything she was supposed to do and even though none of this is her fault, no one at SSA is doing anything to correct, or speed the process up even though they're fully aware of her dire circumstances. She will not survive even another couple of months without money or the ability to work and as I mentioned, looking at not even having a roof over her head. She has no family that can help, is single and has exhausted all avenues at this point. This is her last resort to attempt getting her life back and some sense of normalcy. She's being worn down more and more with every passing day. Her conditions are worsening and she is at a dangerously low weight and continues dropping, I fear she will end up back in hospital and this cycle will continue. I'm asking for anything you can contribute and your compassion in helping this person get their life back on track, all she needs is financial support to get back on her feet, while she's awaiting a decision from SSA on her disability case. She desperately needs funds for housing, transportation and any and all other living expenses. And to continue her treatment from her mental health provider, which she has to pay out of pocket . The amount being requested is to cover medicines, rental payments for the time being, transportation fees (she is unable to drive due to her disorder) and other living expenses. Anything you could possibly contribute would be GREATLY appreciated. I'd like to see her out of this volatile and unstable environment as soon as possible, before her conditions continue to deteriorate to a point of no return. The government and her family have failed her, she's counting on the kindness of strangers at this point. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read this, please take an extra couple of minutes to circulate and pass this along to friends and family.
Organizer
Ricardo Lopez
Organizer
Tampa, FL
