Single Mother Struggling To Survive And Needing A Government Grant

by Mary
(Horse Cave, KY, USA)

I'm a disabled 49-year-old single mother struggling to survive and needing a government grant. I had a good life, a good job and I adopted the child of a friend because she could not take care of him.

At the age of 36 I had to quit my job, because I could no longer work at a desk job, due to pain and burning in my arms. I found out I have Neuropathy in my hands, lower arms, lower legs and feet. I filed for disability at the age of 39 and fought for three years, while my son and I lived on the help of government housing and help from my parents and sister. I finally got my disability after I ended up in the hospital and discovered I have cardiopulmonary hypertension.

Things were a little better at that time. We moved to Florida as it was easier for me to breathe there, but due to the high cost of living we could not stay in Florida. So two years ago we moved back to Kentucky.

I receive SSI and social security and my son receives social security from his father, but those payments do not cover the cost of living and taking care of a 15-year-old. My son's father is retired with a minimal monthly income and tries to help but has little money to help with. Although I have Medicaid I still have to pay co-pay on doctor visits and on all my medicines.

Now I am at the point I cannot even walk to the end of the yard to get the mail. I am on oxygen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I have to keep the electricity on for the oxygen. My rent is a month and a half behind and housing here is hard to find, as it is a small town.

I have a power chair, but the house we live in has some doors that are not wide enough to fit the chair through. I have to limit some of my doctors appointments due to the fact that I do not have the money to buy the gas. As it is, some of these appointments are 35 miles away, where there are doctors that take my Medicaid card. The vehicle I have is not in great shape, and sometimes I feel I make it to the doctor and back on a wing and a prayer.

I used to love to crochet, but now I cannot use the crochet needle without extreme pain. I love to read but cannot hold the book for long without pain. I used to love to swim but cannot afford a pool and the closest YMCA is 20 miles away. I used to love to horseback ride but can no longer hold the reins to control the horse.

I can longer do anything I used to love to do. My life now seem to consist of my computer, and trying to shift money around to try to pay the bills and see that my son has some pleasures in life.

I am not one to ask for help from anyone, but there comes a time when you have to think of your child. For too many years now my son has lived on promises that I have not been able to live up to. All I want is a little help to give my son a few of the things he wants for Christmas and maybe his birthday in April.

In past years he received Christmas gifts from the angel tree program, but many of those programs cannot help all children with the economy as it is now. I want to see my son's eyes shine and his smile bright this year at Christmas. I need help from a government grant.