Injury And MS Disabled 55 Year Old Gal Seeks Housing Government Grant Money
by Stacey Crosby
August 2009
My 22-year-old son is in College in California and is looking to transfer from his present school to either MIT or Georgia Tech in a year and a half. My mother is 81, and bless her heart, she runs circles around my kid sister and me. I was divorced in 1991. I moved to Idaho in 1999 after living in areas in the country without snow and ice. In 2001 on my way into work, I slipped on ice directly in front of the entrance. My tailbone hit my heel, my head hit a light pole and my back broke like an accordion. The result was Multiple Wedged Compression Fractures of my Spine. I have lived with pain hovering between 7 and 10 on the pain scale since. Christmas 2005 I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which brought its own set of problems. I have difficulties walking and get horrific cramping in my legs, feet and my hands freeze and cramp. In 2008 after a routine MRI with contrast (to see the progression of my MS), I went into kidney insufficiency and was diagnosed with Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease affecting both kidneys that are damaged. In 2009 my Calcium levels were testing way too high -- especially for a postmenopausal woman -- and it took a year for the cause to be diagnosed. It was determined that I have a tumor of my Parathyroid. At this point we believe it is just one of the Parathyroids. We will know for sure November 11th when I am scheduled for surgery to have the grape-sized tumor removed. At that time they will be able to check the other Parathyroid glands (we have 4) and determine if they too need to be excised. The problem is the need I have for the gland and the hormones they produce, especially as a gal with Kidney Disease. With all this it's a damn good thing I have a twisted sense of humor! I was officially declared "disabled" in 2003 by the Social Security Administration and I receive Social Security Disability. I have been unable to work since that slip on ice in 2001. I sleep in 2-3 hour patches and live with chronic fatigue from the MS, the Tumor of the Parathyroid and the pain that is only reduced with medication. I walk with a walker since my mobility and balance have become so compromised. In my home I am able to get around with a cane. I still drive but my vehicle could be considered an antique. I have a 1987 (I purchased it October 1986) Nissan Sentra. She has a "newer" engine -- replaced in 1999 prior to moving to Idaho, and my transmission was rebuilt last year. She desperately needs new tires. In the summer it is difficult for me. My car has never had air conditioning and with my MS I have definite problems regulating my body heat. I would love to have a new car that both I and my Sr. Citizen Service Animal Thunder can easily get into. (Thunder is now 10 and his first three years of life were spent racing. He is a taller than normal Greyhound.) Financially, I'm a disaster. My SSD benefit only deposits $1346 a month in my account. (Social Security decided there was not a cost of living increase in 2010 so our benefit remained unchanged from 2009. I guess they didn't check Idaho specifically. If they had, they would have seen that our State cost of living went up and far exceeded the 2 or 3% increases we have been receiving.) My mortgage payment is around $800 a month and that includes insurance. My bills far exceed my deposit and each month something suffers. My Medical bills alone are too high. Even with Medicare. One surgical bill was pre-approved by my carrier and then they refused to pay after the surgery was completed. I have been receiving $55 a month in food stamps and just went through my yearly update. I may be losing my $55, which is how I am able to eat. Groceries should be $150 a month for one person. I have bills that have seriously cut into my ability to purchase food. I am looking for grants to help pay off $130,000 in mortgages, to bring my home into the 21st century and make my home energy efficient. I need a grant to convert baseboard heaters and window air conditioning units into central heat and air with thermostats I can regulate. (My old baseboard heaters have two speeds -- on and off.) I need a grant to change the old floors in my home to bamboo (One day I might need a scooter or wheelchair.) My bathrooms need to be remodeled for accessibility and new fixtures. There might be mold that will need to be cleaned up so the tub in one bath and the shower in the other bath both need to be pulled and checked. This smaller bath has carpet that appears to be mold encrusted. The carpet appears to have been glued down which is not good news. I doubt they utilized any water resistant or mold resistant measures when this house was built in 1985. Additionally, I will need my home to be rewired and brought up to current electrical standards. Government disability grant money or really any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
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