MS Disabled Woman Seeks Government Housing Grant For Suitable Home Buy

by Christine Rampolla
(Wallingford, VT, USA)

Back in 1997 I was diagnosed with MS. I always held 2 jobs, but now I can't even hold one. I need help. This disease is ruining me.

I want to become a whole person again and this State is not making things easy for me. I just want to live happy and not take advantage of anyone.

I put myself through school and became a graphic designer, till the man I was engaged to took that away from me. Then I waited tables.

I worked at a publishing company for 10 years where I became the Operations Director/VP.

I loved my job and I never thought from what I was told that I would ever be in this mess.

The owner of the company and I became engaged and he ended it for another woman, telling me he could not deal with my illness. That started my depression.

He let me go and life as I knew it completely changed.

I left South Florida and sold my beautiful home and moved to North Florida, bought a home and lived there for about 3 years.

He took my independence, self-confidence and self-esteem. I tried to rebuild my life with no success.

I was dating this man and passed the real estate exam. I believed things were starting to look up.

The man I was dating and I bought an investment property which he took charge of. But since my credit was so good the bank preferred my credit to his. Talk about being taking advantage of when you were just being helpful.

At this time I decided to come home to receive the support of my family before I couldn't pack and get everything home, which was a big mistake on my part.

I sold my house and headed home. I was told that I would not lose my independence, which was untrue.

He said he would take care of the property. Well he did. He walked away. This ruined my good credit rating. They foreclosed on the house. Now I am stuck paying a lawyer to help repair my credit.

In the meantime I am living with my parents. I went from a three-bedroom home and happy independence to one room and being depressed more and more.

All my things are packed up and I have no access to them. I believe coming home has made my MS symptoms worse, because I am so unhappy and depressed.

I now walk with a limp. My ankles and knees are so stiff. My balance is so off. My lower back is in constant pain and I cannot afford to see a Chiropractor.

Now I need to see a dentist. It wasn't ever like this before.

I spent $1,500 on a bed to help with my back, but that is also in the basement. For the past 4½ years I have been sleeping on this uncomfortable bed that aggravates my back issue.

You think I can get that bed out of the basement? Not without the dirty looks and sarcasm that will come with this request.

I found a home to purchase, which would be everything I need for my illness. I used to exercise everyday, but now everything is in the basement and there is no room for my thing.

I would have the room for all my exercise equipment, a craft room so I may do my crafts, and an office for all my computer stuff. But I can't here.

I believe that stopping this has caused a lot of my issues.

But because of my ruined credit and the foreclosure, no bank will deal with me. So I am stuck here and the chance of losing the home is great.

I can't ask my parents to change; I will just be told I am the one that needs realize the issues and change.

I can't get any understanding here about my condition. I look okay so therefore there is nothing wrong. It is easier to just ignore the issue than deal with it.

They think everything is about money whereas I needed to revamp my thinking to my illness. There's little sympathy for my having lived on my own for so many years and now how hard this is on me.

I really need to get out of here. All I get is dirty looks and yelled at. This does take a toll on someone after 4½ years. I am a 43-year-old child here.

My thoughts and opinions don't amount too much here. I cannot ask them for help because my mother has already told me that since I have no job I am a risk.

There are so many limitations to deal with and no help in sight.

When the snow starts to fall I am really stuck. My father has 2 rebuilt old cars, which have never seen the rain or snow. They are parked in the garage, which blocks access to all my stuff.

So I am looking for a grant to purchase this home and regain some happiness, pay my mother back the money she spent to purchase my car, which I couldn't do because of my credit.

Although I appreciate the help, it stripped me of my dignity.

I am paying her month after month. But I just found out she borrowed against their house to do that.

I am not used to asking for help. I was so self-sufficient. Now I am in such a bad situation that I don't see any other choice.

I collect SSDI monthly, which is not enough to pay a mortgage, utilities, fix my laptop for classes (ram upgrade and fix the fan so it doesn't overheat anymore), home owners insurance and pay her back.

The only thing this home needs is an air conditioning unit. Everything is set for central air except for the unit.

I am sending the paperwork to get food stamps. I would also like to have a dumbwaiter installed so I don't have to carry heavy things up and down stairs.

I want to be me again, but I can't do it here. I want to take some online classes so I can start working again, but they are so loud here that being able to study is not an option.

I don't want to disappoint anyone or worry myself about being able to work. I was told that when I was diagnosed that I should fall back on my family for support. I guess the Doctor has never met my family.

I need money to buy this house, which has a garage so I will not have to be in the snow or rain and my car will finally be secure in a garage instead of in the elements.

It has a stall shower and a huge tub, which will be great for my condition, and I can shower daily instead of when no one is here to avoid being scaled or frozen.

It's also big enough to store all my stuff instead of stressing out from my mother wanting to sell it so she has room in her house.

A big selling point is that there are no neighbors and it's quiet so it doesn't affect my sensitive hearing. But it's close enough to my family if I need help.

I am looking at a total of approximately $270,000, which I know is a lot, but at least I will not be looking for another grant. Everything will be taken care of and I see happiness. FINALLY!

The best that I can tell you is that I need $15,000 to pay my mother back. I haven't put in an offer. I don't have the money.

According to the insurance they would have to go do measurements of the property before they could tell me about homeowners insurance.

There is also the issue of closing cost. The movers will only cost me about $300. The utilities set up should probably cost about $700 total set up.

Whatever is left over if anything I can use to help pay for classes and put away for the taxes, which is a lot lower than expected, and pay for the transfer of car info.