Howard Kammerer VA Appeal Pending Unable to Work

Please Help Howard Kammerer With Living Expenses While Waiting For the Veterans Administration Disability Appeal to be Decided

1/4/2025

New Year, Updating My Story

My name is Howard Kammerer, or, if you know me online, Red Jacobson, and I'm reaching out for your help. I’m currently living with family in Middle Tennessee. I've been unable to work since mid-2020, after the COVID-19 shutdown. I was driving for Lyft and doing okay keeping the wolf from the door, but my car died, the timing chain broke and tore up my engine. The cost was prohibitive, especially since my driving was my primary source of income. At the time, Lyft had a program allowing drivers to rent cars so they could keep driving. It got me through until March 2020 when my part of Tennessee was hit with 15 tornadoes in 10 hours, the vast majority of my area was without power for nearly a week if memory serves, and roads were blocked in areas, if not completely closed.

Just as we were digging out of the hole the tornadoes had dropped us in, COVID hit, and I was lucky if I got one ride a day. Of course, just because I wasn't making money, I still had to pay the $250 or so per week car rental charge. I couldn't keep paying for the car, so I had to give it back, leaving me with no income coming in. Family was able to help as much as they could, but they had expenses, too.

At this point, I was contacted by an old friend from the Air Force who had just gotten through the Veterans Administration (VA) Disability process and got approved. I followed the same process and contacted the lawyer that Mike used. The Disability application (if that's the correct word) was started in mid-2021, and at some point in 2023 (the exact date has slipped away) I was approved for 50 percent disability for Depression and Anxiety, a little under $1,000 per month, which helps, but I’m still not able to cover expenses. I also have a Patreon that brings in a few bucks a month, but there is still too much month at the end of the money.

One other issue I have to deal with is, that I have horrendous Sleep Apnea, and have not been able to get the CPAP (a device to help alleviate the Apnea) to work for me. When I spoke to a medical specialist here in the VA Hospital, the reason I'm having problems is I don't have enough teeth to allow the CPAP mask to get a good enough seal around my mouth and nose to function. And of course, my VA Medical doesn't cover dental costs unless the problem is service-related. So, I checked out the cost of getting the rest of my teeth (they are in horrible shape) taken out and getting implants. The place I contacted agreed that my teeth need to come out, they are infected, just peachy! Then they gave me better news, with a Military discount, the complete procedure is upward of $40,000! And even if I had insurance, they don't take insurance. So I'm trying to put money aside to cover the work at a different dentist.

I'm staying with family, and paying them monthly rent which takes a big chunk out of my Disability, and I still have bills to pay and grocery expenses to cover, I was diagnosed with Type Two Diabetes in 2017, so I had to completely change my eating habits, no more microwave dinners etc, and grocery expenses take what l have left.

So what I'm hoping is to bring in an additional $175 a week or so to cover the rest of my expenses, as well as groceries and other incidentals.

Even if you aren't able to donate right now, if you could share this with your social media and your Patreon (if you have one) it would be a huge help in getting fresh eyes on the campaign.

Estimated Costs

Monthly Rent $750

Savings Goal for Dental Work: $200 a Month

Bills: $400 approximately

Groceries and other necessities: $400 approximately

So my monthly living expenses, outside of my monthly rent, are about $1,000 - $1,500.

So, anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated.

How You Can Help

Even beyond any donation you are able to make, if you are able to share this on your Facebook or other Social Media pages, and put a little endorsement on your post, those of you who know me, to let folks know that I’m a real person, and not a scam artist.