Hello, everyone. This is really hard for me to do. I’ve always been one of those people that never ask for help, but I’m at a point where I have no other choice.
My family has been struggling for about 10 years now, on and off. We were doing pretty well. I was a cosmetologist and a massage therapist. My husband, at the time, and I bought our first house. Two months after moving in, I got injured at work. My doctor advised me to let go of both of my professional licenses. I lost my job and was off work for a year. In 2018, my husband I and got divorced due to multiple affairs. I went back to school to get my CDL. For four years I was working on the road. My ex-husband was not in the picture, and I wasn’t around, trying to support the family. Not just my kids, but my mom and grandma as well.
In 2021, I found out I had a tumor on my first rib. This tumor was taking up 90% of my rib. Luckily, it was benign. I had to have a major surgery to remove that rib. The risks were very high; I could have become paralyzed or even lost my arm. I came out of surgery fine, but it was the worst recovery I have ever been through. Three months after the surgery, I had to have a revision done because I broke the metal plates used to reconnect my collar bone. This put me even farther behind.
In 2022, I found a good job close to home. Things were going good again. Then in August 2023, I fell at work, fracturing my shoulder; the same shoulder I had surgery on. The company I worked for didn’t want to follow my doctor’s note, and fired me in November. I was still injured. I was in physical therapy for about 3 month, on and off. Worker’s comp did everything they could to make it difficult for me to get the therapy. They told me they thought I was lying about my condition and said I was taking advantage of my company, even though they had all the reports from the doctors.
During all this, my anxiety and depression hit an all-time high. My medications were doubled, my therapy was doubled, and my kids got put on medication for anxiety and depression as well. We almost lost our house and car, utilities were being shut off. For a while, I couldn’t work because of the shoulder injury. Before I was even released to go back to work, I started looking for a new job. I’ve put in countless applications. I haven’t got a hit on one yet.
To top everything off, Monday (3/25/24), I lost control of my car and hit a telephone pole (everyone is ok). The bank and garage are both saying that because it’s a 2014, they may just total the car. The front tie rod is broken and maybe the entire steering system. I have no job, nothing left in savings and now I have no car. The bills are behind again, shut off notices coming in. I’m behind on my car and house payments by 2 months.
I really don’t know where to go. I’m trying everything in my power to get out of this situation. I feel like I’m in quicksand, slowly climbing my way out, and every time I see the surface, someone throws a brick at me, and I sink right back under. We need help. I can’t lose all I’ve worked for, I can’t let my kids lose their house.
Thank you for reading.
$MandyKetron