In October 2023, my 33 year old sister was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic lung cancer. Originally she had a mass in her right lung, left 3rd rib and lymph node. After radiation Monday -friday and chemo for 4 months, she continued to developed more masses during treatment. She is now undergoing immunotherapy in hopes to prolong the inevitable however complications have caused set backs in her immunotherapy infusions. She is currently on oxygen and the machine she needs to run in order to avoid using all of her portable tanks trips the main breaker to her home.
She is a single mother of 4. My nieces are 11, 13, & 15. My nephew is 6 and mostly non verbal on the spectrum. I am a mother of 4 (my oldest two daughters do not live with me as they are 18 & 20 and moved out to start lives of their own). My youngest 2 children are 8 & 14. My significant other has 3 daughters that he shares custody of. My sister and I each currently live in mobile homes (conveniently next to each other) that are not in great shape but it’s all we can afford. We have no other family support so I have no back ups/no cosigner to lean on for help.
As she declines I am finding it very difficult to juggle two separate houses. I will also be taking guardianship of my sisters children when the time comes as their fathers are not in their lives at all. In total I will have 6 children full time and the extra 3 part time (yes… 9 kids… because why not right?!). I want to be there to care for her and her children as well as care for mine while I’m working as many hours as I can pick up caring for those with mental and physical disabilities.
Needless to say, it has been an extremely difficult year. My pay isn’t nearly enough to rent and after maxing credit cards to cover transportation and her finances while she was waiting for disability, as well as finance a disaster of a vehicle from a buy here pay here rip off business, my credit isn’t great.
I’ve exhausted all options of how I am going to be qualified to buy a home big enough let alone continue to afford what all it entails/monthly expenses/mortgage. I am not sure what anyone may be able to help with or how, but at this point I am desperate to make this happen. I can’t raise 6 (sometimes 9) kids in a fixer upper 2 1/2 bedroom 1 bath mobile home let alone have space for my terminally I’ll sister and I refuse to let my nieces and nephew end up in foster care. I’m just a mom/sister/aunt who is trying to do the right thing with no means to do so.
I would volunteer every free second I have to help others in any way I possibly can! My dream is to run a non profit advocacy center someday. If anyone can help, I would do anything to give back!