Katie's Konundrum
***We cannot help everybody, but everybody can help someone- Ronald Reagan.
My name is Katherine (Katie/Kate) Fifield. I'm a 32 yr old married mother of a 7yr old boy, my grandparent's caregiver, a junior in college, a practicum student teacher, the parent outreach coordinator of the PTO at ULSE and I have very bad luck. My mother and I used to joke about how we must have a family curse. I wish I could document all the misadventures and unfortunate circumstances I have found myself in throughout the course of my life. From medical issues to everyday life, I have found myself in the line of fire of bad luck, but managed to somehow laugh it off and work around it. However, at this point in time, I am no longer amused by my ill-tempered fate. The situation I find myself in now comes after years of fighting and pulling through, and I fear I have reached the end of my rope.
The beginning of the end...
Over the Christmas holidays, my husband and I scrimped and saved up to buy a dependable vehicle for my family. We spent every red cent we owned, paired with what my father could manage to spare, and January 19th, we bought a 2001 Ford Focus in great condition. The miles were low, the price was right, and the previous owners are honest and kind people. We paid $2,000 for our last hope, and everything looked great.
I mentioned I was junior in college, an Early Childhood/Special Education major to be exact. The reason we needed this vehicle so badly, is because I have to travel out of town to teach twice a week, and then travel to my college campus every evening Monday through Friday. I also am in a cohort, which means we all take the classes at the same time, as a group. At this point, I must mention that I have to attend summer semester with this cohort, and I have to pay $1,800 out of pocket for my classes. I received student loans in February, so things looked like I could finally see the light. I had a working vehicle, and after paying my bills, I had just enough to cover my summer semester as well.
*Knock Knock* Who is it? My luck. About three days ago, I drive my wonderful car to the grocery store. When I come out, I go to start my car, and it sounds like there are rocks rolling around inside the engine. I thought that one of those poor little parking lot birds had somehow gotten inside. I have it towed, in the rain. I get home and after extensive research, I discover that that the 2001 ford focus motor, through no fault of the consumer, sometimes has a habit of dropping the valve seat and destroying the motor. Ford has been contacted numerous times, but no recalls or help has ever been offered. After anxiously waiting all night, I was left with the news that that my vehicle was gone. Everything was perfect and well maintained, but the motor must be replaced or rebuilt. That is the bottom line on that.
My grandfather offers to give me his 1994 S10 Blazer so I have some form of vehicle, but its brakes needed replacing, and it has no driver's window or heat and air. No problem, I am happy to have it. When I go to replace the brakes, we discover that the vehicle is so old; the last time it was serviced was 15 years ago. My brake job costs me $600 that has to come from somewhere, so I have to pull from my school fund. I also need to transfer the title into my name, and add tags and insurance, which will also have to come out of my school fund.
This is where I ask for your help...
So this leaves my husband and I in a very tight predicament of coming up with school money and needing to have a second vehicle to transport me to all the various schools I must attend every day. If I were to drop out of my college bachelor's program to get a job, I would have to start completely over and repay for the 2 semesters I've already completed. My husband, Tyler is a very hard worker, but he works in a factory that doesn't always give us enough hours to live on. My son has to ride to school in the mornings with cold air whipping around him. I was so proud to be able to provide a warm car for my son, only to have it ripped away in a month's time. I'm terrified that the blazer will be going in only a matter of time, and the gas alone for it costs us nearly $100 a week. I have found a $1,500 motor with a three year warranty to get the car back up and running, but I will also have to pay the labor to put it in.
I am a kind person, and my family and I have always helped anyone in any way that would. I am humbled, but I now ask my friends, family, and community to help in any way they can. I have run out of resources. There are people in worse circumstances than myself, and for this I do feel shame. I simply do not see how I can graduate with the program and continue to move forward in life unless I get some form of help to pull this situation back together. My family and I would greatly appreciate any assistance you can provide. Thank you for listening to my story.
