Covid took everything, except my will to fight

Hi, my name is Dawn.

My ideal goal is to get a place where I can live and grow happily ever after, take care of Romeo and continue to earn a living.

I am a 21-year veteran volunteer at the Chester First Aid Squad as an EMT/driver. I enjoy photography and horseback riding. In the past, I’ve volunteered with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade as a pilot and the balloon festival. I love to help people and my community. Now, unfortunately, I need help. I want to try and make a life for myself and my dog.

I have worked for 40 years in dentistry. It became my passion during my experience at high school vocational school. However, since the beginning of COVID in February, life took a turn. I became unemployed due to health issues. Being diagnosed and surviving a pulmonary embolism and hypertension, anxiety, and a blood clotting disorder caused me to self-isolate and quarantine for the duration of COVID. I am only left with my left lung, smaller than my right because my heart is on that side. Those issues, coupled with the pandemic, meant that I couldn’t work.

Unemployment benefits were severely delayed by four-plus months, and even when I finally did get them, it wasn’t enough. I went through my life savings to pay for my rent, utilities, food and essential items. Unemployment was so little that it covered only the basics, and the benefits ended by the end of that June. I was left with nothing financially and emotionally.

During that time, starting in February 2021, I went for my vaccines for COVID. My arms were severely affected by the vaccines and I became more physically disabled and in pain. It wasn’t until I got the first booster in September of 2021 that my symptoms decreased. I started temping soon after that.

During that time, I got COVID twice. It severely impacted my ability to function. I couldn’t work consistently and suffer from long COVID systems to this day.

When the moratorium was still in effect, I wasn’t able to pay my rent starting from June 2021. The moratorium ended in December of 2021 and the eviction process started; due to Covid and holidays, moving out became a huge struggle. I asked for help, but being unemployed and having little funds meant that I couldn’t pay people to help me. I could barely afford to rent a truck and I did what I could, but unfortunately as summer progressed without any air-conditioning in the house it got hotter and harder to move. I stressed out my body more than I should’ve ever done and damaged it.

In August of 2022, my landlord forcibly removed me, although I did express to her that I just needed a few more days, she had enough and she wanted her property back. So with a police escort, I was brought out and she had a company come in and dispose of all my personal belongings.

I lost my personal belongings, family heirlooms, shoes, furniture, clothing and important paperwork.

During that time, I tried to defend myself in court telling the judge that I didn’t have any money and I couldn’t afford to pay rent. The courts were unsympathetic. Because my family are all dealing with health concerns, I was essentially alone. I did it alone and disabled.

Now, I am continuing to temp when physically possible and when jobs are available, which are few and far between. I have been able to keep my emotional support dog, Romeo throughout this process which has been so comforting and provides stability during these unstable times. He is able to read my emotions and to provide calmness when I am anxious and a relationship that is unconditional in love.

To me, it’s difficult to come to terms with all this because before Covid I was financially doing well and had money saved up for a house. Emotionally, I’ll admit depression is sinking in as Covid took its toll on me. I did seek help, and if it wasn’t for Covid, I could see my life being a lot different.

I hope to one day reach my goal of the house with the backyard and that I feel can feel happy and I am no longer Covid broke. Your help will cover the expenses of moving into a new rental home and out of the hotel I'm staying in now so that I can start over. Thank you for reading.