Thank you for considering helping my wife and I. We need help with our rent! Why? Throughout 2022 I experienced increasing foot pain that gradually got worse. I saw two different podiatrist with no relief and saw a Multicare doctor who reduced my work to 20 hours a week for the last 3 months of 2022. Towards the end of December 2022, I developed Cellulitis in both feet which shot the pain through the roof resulting in spending an evening at the ER. I was on heavy antibiotics and the only thing that helped manage the pain and swelling was cool foot baths. The problem was that I had developed neuropathy and did not realize how cold the water was from my foot baths. So, I ended up with a mild form of frost bite or “cold wounds” to both feet resulting in damaged muscle tissue, capillary vein injuries and further nerve damage leaving me unable to walk more than 10 feet or so at once.
After 3 months of very painful wound care for the open wounds on my toes and the back of my ankle/heel area, my open wounds have healed but the doctors tell me it may be another year before my muscle tissue and veins heal from the cold wounds and may take even longer for my nerves to regenerate. Unfortunately I haven’t worked since last December as I recover. I have been a licensed and certified occupational therapist assistant for almost 25 years and have worked with seniors with a variety of diseases and illness/injuries. I have worked in the school systems helping special needs students and in home health. The job I had when my symptoms started was a therapy clinic that focused on helping injured workers to rehabilitate and get back to work/ How ironic! I have enjoyed helping people and was skilled in my work. My job is a physical one and requires a lot of walking and standing activities as well. I had to face the reality and realize that I’m facing a new career path at age 55. I lost my job at the end of March of this year. I understood and have no hard feelings. My clinic manager needed to hire someone and I knew I was in for a longer healing/recovery time.
I have tried and continue to look for work I can do from home. Currently I can tolerate 30 to 45 minutes on my feet and can only tolerate sitting for an hour before my feet start to increase in swelling and pain resulting in needing to elevate my feet. I have been working full time for 35 years and it’s not easy to ask for help. My wife makes a little over 41K a year and she has been a great partner and has helped me with my wounds between doctor visits and has had to take on a lot more responsibilities while I recover. She is stressed! She makes just enough that I don’t qualify for a lot of WA state aide and I have exhausted the other benefits I did received back in March.
Our rent is $1340.00 a month. We have exhausted our 6K of savings and had to barrow 4k against my wife’s 401K and we have almost depleted those funds throughout this year on basic needs: rent, groceries, utilities, etc. If you are in a position to help us, we would greatly appreciate any contributions you can make. Thank you from the bottom our our hearts. James and Amy H.
paypal.me/jamesD583