Hi, my name is Lily. I’ve fallen on hard times lately and find myself in need.

I was recently deserted by my husband with no warning and no explanation or chance at reconciliation and I found out I am having serious health issues. I am living with my elderly mother and my 19-year-old child who has autism, and I am helping to take care of both of them and keep a roof over our heads. We all look out for each other. I had a rough month and a half which included the following: my husband leaving two days before Christmas with the car. We are now in the divorce process. Then I fell ill with COVID a week later, followed by a concussion from falling on ice, followed by a diagnosis of Mononucleosis and a UTI as well as a flare-up of acute symptoms from my chronic illness that my doctor is still working to diagnose. I have only been able to see my doctor once, just last week, since all this flared up due to the transportation problem. She is 30 minutes away from my house and there are no options for public transportation available to me to her clinic. My doctor is concerned about the possibility of lymphoma or other cancers but we are still doing a barrage of testing and it’s all still up in the air. I have had chronic symptoms for about a year that we hadn’t been able to find an answer to yet, and now the symptoms have become suddenly severe after all the strain on my immune and nervous systems. To top it off, I also have broken teeth that need addressed and we are running out of propane and firewood. 

My ill health has prevented me from working more than part-time for a while now, and we are behind on many of our expenses. My mother’s car broke down, which is our only reliable transportation to doctors' appointments for all three of us. We do not have the funds needed to fix it. If we can have our car fixed, it would make an enormous difference to our lives and give us back our ability to get to the doctor as needed.

I have been forced to go to the emergency clinic by bus nearby instead of my doctor because of this transportation problem, and it is a two to three-hour round trip by bus when it is even available, for what would normally be a 30-minute round trip. This leaves me exhausted to the bone and often waiting long stretches in cold weather alone. The ER is not designed to diagnose anything other than acutely life-threatening illness and injury. What I am facing is chronic and longer-term, and my doctor is needed.

I have struggled with PTSD all my life from years of abuse during childhood, (I know many can relate) and that has been hard enough. Now, with all of this added physical illness, things have become overwhelming. I know many of you can relate to going through hard times and understand that it can happen to any one of us. I’ve always worked hard to take care of myself but this is one of those times I have to admit I’m in over my head. 

I know there are people out there worse off than me and I want to get better so I can continue doing my part to help them too. I truly believe I have a lot to offer and feel like I could make a difference to a lot of people in my community if I weren’t struggling so hard myself just to stay afloat. I’ve always tried to support people less fortunate and will continue to do so regardless. 

Any help financially or moral support is so welcomed and appreciated. I have no real expectations as to what can be achieved here, but I am trying to keep my little family warm and safe and get my health back.

THANK YOU with all of my heart for taking the time to read my story and for your consideration of my request for support.

- Lily