This is the hardest thing I've ever done; I hate to ask for help, especially financial. I know it's difficult these days for most people, so if you don't read further, would you consider sending this along to others?

I'm teetering on the edge of homelessness due to medical bills (mine and my service dog, Kenta's) & worse-than-useless health insurance. I had to pay over $6000 out of pocket to for dental & medical care, but it was do it or literally die. I had to put it on a now 39.99% interest Care Card & the minimum payments are killing me. I'm also many copays behind on my 2 critical doctors and they're threatening to fire me as a patient & send me to collections. I have several serious health conditions & am unable to work --I have a rare genetic condition called Acute Intermittent Porphyria, which causes horrendous neurological & GI symptoms. I also have completely destroyed jaw joints, & I have two more abscessed teeth the first oral surgeon missed. I haven't eaten solid food in years & Ensure-type meal replacements are ridiculously expensive. I've eliminated most of my medicines to try & save money. I also just had a cancerous area removed & don't even have the bill yet.

My service dog, Kenta, also has significant and expensive health problems (epilepsy, blindness, bladder crystals, & more), but as long as I keep his medicines current he can do his seizure alert job just fine, and stay happy & feeling good. He must stay on a fantastically expensive prescription diet or need dangerous and expensive surgery, or die.

I owe a friend over $3000 in gas & car parts, because I'm unable to drive most of the time so he's driven me thousands of miles to medical appointments for years.

Who am I?

I'm 65, no kids or family, worked as a biology researcher & educator most of my life. I always pick up after my dog. I love animals, reading, science, & writing. I spent many thousands of hours volunteering, leading educational programs at nature centers, zoos, & science museums. My lifestyle is simple: I've never been much into "stuff." I don't have a tv. I have a 26 year old Hyundai, am making payments on a 46 year old doublewide, and my main indulgence is $12/month for kindle unlimited free books. But the inflation of the last several years plus the huge medical bills have far outstripped the fixed income of disability; last year's "COLA" didn't even cover the increased cost of toilet paper. I've published fiction and non-fiction in the past and am working on a book to e-publish.

I know many people are struggling & never thought I'd have to ask for help. I hate it but I'm not ready to die yet, not as long as Kenta is alive. I can't bear the thought of Kenta getting sick due to lack of his medicines, or being abandoned if I die before he does.

I truly appreciate any help anyone can give. If nothing else, would you pass this along to other people? Thank you.