Support a mother and her children in Crisis

Hi. I’d like to start off by saying this is not easy for me to do.. I am notorious for avoiding asking for help from anyone and trying my damndest to do things on my own. In the past I have had a very few amount of very amazing people in my life on my sidelines who have helped support me and allowed me to pay their generosity back at a later date. Unfortunately due to some unforeseen circumstances some issues and falling outs have occurred that I'm alone in this adventure once more. I don’t like asking for charity or hand outs, but I know in my current situation I am quite literally left with no choice and need any type of help I could possibly get right now.

Let me introduce myself. My name is Elizabeth. I am a single mother of 5.

This is where I may very well lose some people; if you can’t take care of them stop having them type of comments. I believe in taking responsibility for your actions and though I had used protection in every instance I was still blessed with each of my children. An I plan to do my absolute best to ensure they have a better life than I ever did. My two oldest and youngest newest addiction live with me while my third a fourth born live with their dad. Moving on.

In March of 2024 I started a new job thanks to a wonderful man who put his neck on the line with a recommendation for me. It was a step up in salary I had never had before, $15/hr to $21/hr. It was absolutely a blessing.

In June of 2024 I found out I was pregnant with my 5th child, not planned just contraceptives failed.

Shortly after in Sept of 2024 I had a work related injury. Over the course of the next four weeks my OBGYN did give me some small work related restrictions to help. After a night of those restrictions being ignored and my injury getting worse I did follow up with a worker’s compensation doctor. They placed harsher restrictions on me medically in October. Work then placed me on no work available as of Oct 21st, which meant I didn’t come into work as long as my restrictions stayed the same. Which they haven’t changed and have no intentions of changing as of then to present. Works WC dept approved me for a strain, which allows for around six weeks of wc I do believe according to their personal doctors on staff etc.

In December I had finally went thru a month of physical therapy with no improvement and was approved for a MRI. Before I could go to the MRI I was sent to works personal doctors for an evaluation which led to a cut off of funds- a fraction of what I was making. But none the less it was disheartening right before Christmas.

When I did get my MRI and it’s results it showed I have Severe Cervial Spinal Stenosis- essentially the spinal cord is meant to be under zero pressure and then entire length of my neck is under pressure so severe it’s nearly pinched flat. This has caused a lot of complications in my pregnancy as well as general well being progressively getting worse over time.

My works doctors have told me it will only get worse and the only thing that will help/improve but may never correct/fix it is a surgery on my neck to relieve the pressure and hardware installed within my neck. Which will bring life long complications and restrictions of its own.

My work has denied all requests from my WC and wc attorney (who doesn’t get paid mind you unless I get a lump sum of owed wc payments granted by a wc hearing) request for a neurological surgeon consult for said surgery.

The stress of not being paid anything even a fraction of my income since December has led to late and missed payments to bills. Being solo with no partner has made it impossible to build any kind of savings or nest egg to help in situations like these. I just started the new job in March after all, there hasn’t been much time to build a savings.

That being said I am now behind on Rent, Electric and my Car payment.

Rent is behind Feb and now March ($525 x2 = $1050)

Electric is behind Jan Feb & March ($140 x3 = $420)

Car payment for our only means of transportation is behind Feb and March ($500 x2 = $1000)

Thats not counting any extra living expenses; diapers, wipes, food, gas, toilet paper etc.

Tax Returns just got sent out for some, and nearly all of mine went towards paying back those who helped me in 2024. Were left with less than $1500 in the account and I have no idea how much longer my landlord is going to allow us to be late or non payment, or the electric will stay on.

Feb 26th I welcomed my daughter to the world knowing it meant when we went home I wasn’t sure if we’d have power. Knowing I’d be in it for two more months unable to work due to having a baby via C-section on top of my medical restrictions from the work injury.

I’ve been approved for assistance via HEAP that already lowers our electric payments, and food stamps that help us with $300 a month for food. Those are the only assistance programs in my area and were using them. I wish we weren’t but I have been left with no choice physically unable to work and no income.

The goal currently set is an attempt to get back on solid ground before everything falls out from under us and were left homeless or worse someone believes I’m not able to care for my children properly and they’re taken from me. This is my worst nightmare. So I am exhausting all options now trying to keep my family together and headed in the right direction.

If you’ve made it this far Thank you.. just for reading honestly it means a lot.