Help Merikay, Covid Long Hauler, Pay Rent - Status Update!

GoFundMe Campaign – 4/26/2024 Update: 

Sorry for all bold. This was done in the phone app (editing work-around) - bold was all it would allow. And the whole update looks wonky to me - apologies for both. ‍♀️ ‍♀️

My GoFundMe goal is $4,200. 

The total donated is now $3,400. All donated funds (less fees) have been or are im the process of being transferred.

That means I only need another $800 in donations to meet my goal. 

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Just the Facts, Ma’am: 

Total donated to date = $3,400.00 

Total in GoFundMe fees to date = $109.72  

Net donations less fees = $3,290.28 

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 How donated funds have been used:

2nd Payment for April rent = $909.00 

 Flex rent monthly fees =$14.50 

 A few of my numerous essential Covid medications = $305.00 

 

Groceries = $30.00 + $48.00 = $78.00 

 

1st Payment for May rent set aside in savings to be auto-deducted by Flex on April 30, 2024 = $1,406.78 

 

Total Spent + Set Aside Rent Pymt = $2,713.28 

Total Remaining Donations Minus Fees & Total Spent/Set Aside = $577.00 (also set aside into savings) 

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Total Fund Goal = $4,200.00 

 

Without Factoring in GoFundMe fees, total in donations = $3,400.00 

Total Remaining to be Raised = $800.00 

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Why Is The Request More Than My May Rent Payments? 

I hope to use any extra ~$200-$250 (after GoFundMe fees) toward one of the medications that helps keep me alive but, like most of them, isn’t covered by Medicare. 

My medications eat up most of my small social security check, which is my only income. If donors want me to, I can do a breakdown of all of those meds & their monthly cost. It actually looks like a pharmacy threw up on my kitchen counter. I warn you – it’s depressing to see it in black & white. I wish I could stop or cut back on some of them. I’ve tried but each time it’s resulted in a close call with “the great beyond.” Not anxious to try that again anytime soon. 

 The $200-$250 I think will be left after GoFundMe fees doesn’t cover a fraction of the total medication cost, but anything is a help at this point. 

 Thank you to everyone who’s donated and to everyone who’s shared this GoFundMe. You have no idea how much it means to me.

Please donate if you can. Share if you can. Thank you!

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April 16, 2024 Donation/Costs Update – Still Need Emergency Rent Help for May!

As of this morning, April 16, 2024, GoFundMe shows total donations of $2,315.

Thank you to everyone who has donated! And thank you to everyone who’s shared this because it makes a big difference!

Breakdown of Donations & Fees:

GoFundMe’s fees as of this morning total $74.65, leaving $2,240.35.

Most of that net sum has been transferred to my bank account. One transfer is still in process but should be completed by tomorrow.

What’s Been Spent & How: Here’s a breakdown of how that $2,240.35 has been used so far – followed by what is still needed:

-$909.00 for April 2024’s remainder Flex rent payment. Flex will deduct that amount tonight.

-$305 for a few medications that keep me alive (most used to be Rx but are now OTC and ineligible for coverage).

-$30 for a few basic essential groceries.

*Total spent from the GoFundMe campaign = $1,244.00

What’s the Net Donation Balance Left & What’s Still Needed:

That leaves $996.35 toward my May rent of $2,359.

That means I need to raise an additional $1,362.65 minimally, plus GoFundMe fees, just for my May rent - no meds or food.

My fundraising goal for April & May is $4,200.

The $2,315 donated plus an additional needed $1,362.65 for May rent (plus GoFundMe fees) is less than my stated goal by a few hundred dollars.

Any additional funds should cover GoFundMe fees plus provide a few of the countless expensive medications I have to buy every month. It looks like I could start a pharmacy on my kitchen counter – and I need every one of them to stay alive.

Current Timing:

Given the time for GoFundMe to vet donations and make transfers, I estimate I need to raise about $650 before April 24th so it can be transferred in time for Flex to deduct the first (larger) rent payment on the night of April 30th.

I need to raise an additional bare minimum estimate of $920 before May 10th so GoFundMe can do its thing and Flex can deduct the second May rent payment on the night of May 16th.

FYI: The reason these are estimates is that part of the fee is a set amount per donation, and part is a percentage per donation. (Covid brain and math do not play well together so let me know if my math is off. Covid = a strong do not recommend!)

If I had another way to raise these funds, I would not ask for help. (For example: Covid rental assistance no longer exists – at least not in my state, and affordable housing assistance has a 2-year waiting list.)

Please help if you can. Please share if you can.

Thank you!

Merikay

April 9, 2024 Update & New Goal Amount Explained:

First of all, I want to update you – I’m so happy to let you know I can now meet my April 17th 2nd Flex rent payment deadline.

And it’s all thanks to incredibly generous donations over the weekend and even on Eclipse Monday.

GoFundMe is in the process of transferring enough into my account to reach it before the deadline. And that is a huge relief!

The campaign funded at a total of $1,740. After transfer fees, the net amount is $1,684.43. That will allow me to cover the 2nd part of my April rent payment, buy some medication, and even a few groceries. I’m very grateful to everyone who donated!

If It Funded, Why Did You Increase the Campaign Amount?

As I wrote in the initial campaign, I already knew I had bottomed out my funds and would need help with my May rent, medication, and protein (groceries).

My rent (see screenshot below) is about $2,320 plus at least $300 for medication costs I already know I can’t cover (without protein or groceries). That $2,620 plus my initial goal of $1,500 = $4,120. I rounded that up to $4,200 as my new goal. I'm not sure I included any additional funds for meds in that total. Somebody might want to check my math because I hate to admit that covid brain can make math calculations weird.

How Does That Work?

GoFundMe will count what I’ve already received toward the new goal, in case you were wondering.

Why Didn't You Ask For That Much To Begin With?

The initial amount was an "OMG I'm in deep trouble" amount - it was needed immediately - like yesterday. One of those no-sleep-happening-here amounts. I explained more in my initial request below.

The other reason has to do with this: Several people commented in 2023 that I set too low a goal in that GFM campaign, given my situation. They were correct – and I'm doing that again (sorry, guys, but it's true) because I'm awful at asking - period - much less asking for more than the bare minimum help that might let me survive a bit longer. I also know everyone has something going on in their lives.

Yes, I know that sounds weird to most people. I can't help it. Yes, I know I’m worthy. This is not something I can change about myself at this point in my life. I have tried...

I’m still in covid relapse, and I still need your help. I appreciate any help you can provide. Help if you can. Share if you can. If you aren't in a position to help, I certainly understand.

Those GoFundMe thank-you notes can’t begin to cover the depth of my gratitude.

Love,

Merikay

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Hi, my name is Merikay Noah. I'm a covid long hauler and I need rent help immediately!

This GoFundMe is not what I wanted to have to do. It hurts and not just because what I’ve written doesn’t meet my writing standards and is short on details.

And I can’t help that. I’ve been trying to write this for far too long with no cooperation from my covid brain, but I can’t wait to post it any longer.

Bottom Line: I need your help ASAP. I need to get $909.00 into my bank account before April 17th – details below.

I've set the initial GoFundMe goal at $1,500 to pay that amount and let me also get the additional medications I need and a few groceries if possible. The $909 is the most critical part though.

Whatever I don't have to have for critical survival above that $909 will go toward my May rent needs.

Why I Need This Money ASAP: I joined Flex Pay, which deducts about 60% of my rent from my bank account on the last day of the month BEFORE it’s due and then deducts the rest due on the 17th of the month. It’s designed for people who get paid on a non-monthly basis.

I deposited enough for the $1406.78 March 31st payment for my April rent, using the $850 I earned from pet/house sitting 24/7 for 17 nights plus every cent I had made from selling personal items on Facebook Marketplace since early last Fall. My SS check goes toward enough medication to choke a horse and utilities – and, if there’s any left, for the protein shakes that help keep me alive.

***Flex will deduct an additional $909.00 from my bank account by April 17th for the rest of my April rent – well, they plan to. I thought I would have it but that plan fell through (got postponed – same difference). Bluntly, I don’t have any money left after paying for just some of my medication. I looked at every way to cover that Flex payment without asking for help, but I am flat out of ideas and money. Damn, that hurts to admit.

Those of you who know me already know I have a horrible time asking for help (childhood issues – knowing why is the booby prize). And I know it’s taken far too long to ask for your help.

Despite that, I need your help ASAP because I am completely tapped out. I will explain more as soon as possible, including the steps I’m taking to crawl out of this hole, but this need can’t wait, especially since GoFundMe needs to vet donations and needs time to make deposits.

As a realistic heads-up I wish I didn’t have to add, I will need help paying my May rent too. I will explain in a future update.

Writing this much has been so hard that writing more later is the best I can do. I apologize for that, and the horrible timing, but relapse and covid brain are not cooperating.

Brief Update: I’m a covid long hauler. What I’ve tried to keep quiet about on Facebook is that I’ve been in relapse off and on since November. It’s why I stopped looking for copywriting work. It’s also why I started doing more right-brain stuff and looking for other income sources.

It started getting worse in early February. I know after 4 years that it’s transitory, but repetitive, and that stress makes it much worse. That doesn’t help when I’m in the middle of it. I have days or weeks when I feel fine, but I never know what the next day or week holds.

I’ve been on Facebook a lot to keep myself sane and have tried not to show how bad it’s been (silly, maybe, but still). Long haulers know relapses come with the territory, but we refuse to give up.

Helping others with long-haul and other issues helps me keep fighting and gives me a worthy purpose, so I’ve concentrated on that when I can - paying forward as much as possible.

When I realized I would have to reach out for help, I started writing an update on my situation, and everything I’m doing to work to resolve it. But the stress of just doing that has made things worse, ironically. Thanks, covid!

I will write a more complete update for you, including how I’m working to dig out of this hole, but I can’t postpone this need for help until that’s finished. Rock meet hard place.

I've been writing this part alone for over three days, which is embarrassing for any writer to admit.

Please donate if you can. If you can share this, please do. If you can’t help, I get it. I appreciate anything anyone can do to help.

Thank you in advance to anyone who can help!

My love and thanks to you all,

Merikay

P.S. I want to especially thank the people in March who had me pet sit for their pups and the person who bought my raw garnet necklace on Facebook Marketplace - actually everyone who's bought from me there. You know who you are, and you’re the only reason I was able to pay what I did toward my April rent. I am so grateful for that!