My name is Nikki Burke. I am a wife and a mother to four children. Let me start by saying I’m not usually one to ask for help and God has told me to humble myself and try one last time.

Typically, I worked full time as an attended care assistant and my husband works full time in maintenance. This year, as Im sure many others have, has proven to be more difficult than the last few years already.

We were able to pay our bills, not always on time but we made adjustments and hustled to make ends meet.

Late last year, I started having even more issues with my health than normal and started having spells of blacking out/passing out more persistent than not. I had been going to the doctor, missing work but providing doctors notes as proof I wasn’t just laying out. I had to drive my client around almost daily and so I had informed my work of what was going on. They told me to keep them updated, and so I did.

My vehicle broke down at the beginning of this year and I was told I couldn’t work due to not having transportation and the following week, I was told since I could not fix my vehicle on time I was being let go.

The week after, I was told that I may be having focal seizures but they couldn’t confirm until I have a 3-day video recorded EEG. I had to reschedule the first time as RTEC was giving me issues about scheduling the trip because they needed a referral from the referring doctor in which I learned she is no longer practicing where she was. Im having to jump through hoops to get this fixed.

Last week, my husband started having GI issues and is in a severe amount of pain and has been to two different ERs trying to get relief. He has to see a GI specialist and is currently unable to work as he can barely move without discomfort. His job is very strenuous but when in good health, he’s able to work.

That’s just the back story. I have exhausted ALL of my resources to try and keep us afloat but now we are facing foreclosure and bills being shut off again. I was planning to use my income taxes to level us off a little until we can (hopefully) begin work again. I’m having to wait for them to be amended due to some issues on my husbands finances which are no fault of his own, it was something he has no control over as he was a child. I’ve used LIHEAP, food banks, churches, PERM and attempted to get assistance from a seizure foundation but where they have not been fully diagnosed, they are unable to assist.

At this time we cannot afford to take out a loan, so here I am asking humbly, if anyone has anything they can donate. I really dislike feeling like a charity case, but this is moreso that I can try and keep a roof over my children’s head, the utilities turned on and so we have transportation to and from doctors appointments.

Thank you and God bless.