Rick Berg New Beginnings

      As some of you may know, I came down with a case of viral encephalitis in 2009 that provided me with an extended hospital stay.  Thanks to the good folks at Meriter Hospital and my loving family, I beat the odds and walked out under my own power.
       However, since that time I have struggled off and on with everyday life. There's an old saying that “money doesn't change you, it magnifies who you really are.” I think in my case the same holds true for encephalitis. I wasn't perfect before I had it and the way it affected my brain seems to have magnified my frailties -- in particular the ability to manage my finances. I don't mean to use encephalitis as an excuse, just an explanation for how a person of reasonable intelligence and means could find himself unable to live a stable life.
       For years, family members tried to help, but I was unwilling to acknowledge the full truth of the kind of help I needed.  Instead of digging out of a bad situation, I dug a deeper hole.  This downward spiral has cost me most of my material possessions and several dear relationships. Most recently, I have been sleeping in my car or in a homeless shelter. (At 68, you're taking your life into your own hands by trying to figure out how to safely get down from an upper bunk at a homeless shelter at 3 am in a dark room to get to the bathroom.)
       I know I've burned bridges, worn out welcomes and leaned too hard on the grace and generosity of friends and family. At the heartfelt insistence of my kids, I have come to accept that my life was spinning so far out of control that I couldn't manage it myself. I've now entrusted my finances to my daughter Katie and am also trusting family members to point out areas where my reasoning abilities were affected by encephalitis.
       Katie, my new guardian (angel,) has found me a comfortable living environment, but at a high cost to her because, to get me out of the cold/shelter she had to spend money she'd set aside for her wedding this spring. So, while I am exceptionally grateful to her, I am feeling pretty guilty for how my situation has impacted her life and plans for a really important day in her life. I have a fixed income that is enough to cover my newfound living situation going forward, but not enough to pay back this loan.
       If there is any way you could help provide some financial support to get me through this fresh start without negatively impacting my daughter, I certainly would appreciate whatever you may be able to do.

Bless you for whatever assistance you may be able to provide.