Hello, my name is Chelsie. I’m an artist/ hairdresser in Oregon. I’m also mentally ill, and am at rock bottom. I live in an rv wherever I’m told I can park for a night, but currently am out of gas and broken down in a parking lot. I’m trying to manage, but have spent all of my Roth IRA I saved for retirement in order to keep the apartment I had ( i was actually evicted over an incident I knew nothing about. Honest!) and my 4 cats. Daisie is 18 with Kidney failure, Bella, 17, quirky girl, Fizzie, cute as can be fluffy, and Fantzie, still needs spay, tuxedo treasure she is. All afloat… I was diagnosed a yr ago with fibromyalgia and degenerative disk disease as well as stenosis of my upper vertebrae. I need carpel tunnel surgery in both arms it’s so bad, a hand injury last November cost me a job that I loved. Had dr note, X-rays, the whole 9 yards, and was never called back in. No workman’s comp, as I was independent . I am not proud to be doing this, but I cannot make ends even begin to match up anymore. I spend most of my day crying as I’m severely depressed, and in pain. I have a pending application in to get disability which could take up to a yr. Have had to beg family for money to feed my cats, they are the only enjoyment I have and I’m always going to put them 1st, but my resources have run dry, and I’m not well, mentally, nor physically. My hand only functions at around 50 % these days and I have lost everything. How’d I get here? Well I left a financially comfortable, yet physically abusive relationship. I was told I shouldn’t work because I was sick, yet he would drink, and eventually I’d be a punching bag. He liked to stuff all these emotions in for long periods and explode with rage after he’d had too many bourbon drinks. He nearly killed me in the car a couple times, so finally I cut my ties, and here came Covid and downtown Portland riots in front of my shop, and clients wanting to stay close to home, and quarantine, and away went my business, and here to stay, my hardships and ailments. I can no longer tread water, and am asking just to get a leg up so I may know what some sort of comfort feels like again. Heat and a home would be so nice. It’s super weird, as I’ve never imagined being down on my luck like this. And when I reach out to family, I’m shamed, and made to feel less than or that I’ve done something to deserve this. I am a very gracious kind soul, and would do anything for those I love,and have been told to ask if I ever need anything by numerous friends and family, and so I tried, sadly to be turned down, and judged. I’d be ever so thankful to receive help this winter season, maybe a place funded to park my rv, and hook up to power to have heat/ hot water. I’m at ground zero. Thank you to anyone taking time to read this. I write with the intent to show gratitude to anyone with the compassion in their hearts to help me through this rough time.