Disabled Couple Need Help Overcoming Disability Induced Debt

by Lawrence J. Stark
(McLeansboro, Illinois, USA)

My name is Lawrence J. Stark. I have been disabled since 2003 because of bad back injuries and constant surgeries.

I have had 10 surgeries and my doctor says I need another one. I have a heart condition and have a pacemaker and I just had a total hip replacement.

I'm on Medicare and I'm thankful for it, but they pay just 80% and the rest is up to me.

My wife has suffered back injuries, which has caused her to file for disability. She has gotten a lawyer to help her but she is waiting on her hearing.

With my disability income alone it's impossible to pay my medical bills. My wife's medical bills get paid from the medical card she got because she's fighting breast cancer.

Since 2006 I have done my best to do some kind of work to pay bills or even try to get off of disability but it hasn't worked.

I make $978 a month and between paying rent and utilities and transportation payments so we can go back and forth to doctors, it's just impossible to pay for food.

I am thankful for our church getting us food and their prayers. We have gone to social services for help in food and anything else we can get and they say I make $40 too much to get food stamps.

I can't get help on my medical bills, so they pile up and other bills get put on being delinquent, and out credit gets poorer and poorer.

The home we are renting is bad. It has black mold and mildew, but we can't afford to move cause we don't have any money saved to find something else. We just pray that something may happen that will help us out.

My wife's and my health is getting worse being in this environment but we don't have a choice at this time.

And now I just received a call from my doctor's nurse recommending me to get a power chair. We can't afford that either.

This home isn't made for wheelchairs and my landlord told us if I complain then we have to get out. And you know it's a shame that I can't do better for my wife.

If there is any foundation that would help us, we would appreciate it very much. My medical bills are nearly $30,000 and our other bills about $20,000.

The only way I can see us getting out of debt is when I die due to my health. My wife would get my life insurance and pay our debt, but until then we will just keep praying for help.

Sorry for my bad typing; I'm on a lot of medications, so forgive me. Thank you!

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