Help Needed

[Lugnutz]

This is not one of Jeff's “Woe is me” posts. Read on and welcome to my world.

 

February 2014, my body couldn't handle the job anymore. Would not support my weight for long and any balance I had was at minimum or less. It was a struggle even getting dressed. I figured I might try how I take or use things to see what was the problem was and fix it. It ended up not being that easy in the end. We'll get to that in a bit.

 

I tried filing for unemployment and played by their rules for two months with no help from them. In the end, they couldn't help and said I was not employable. No kidding. But I didn't know where to turn for help.

 

I finally filed for help in June for financial aid, food and medicare. They sent a Bridge card within a week and Medicaid a month later. But to this date, there is no financial help, but I now have a lawyer on my case.

 

My legs were getting worse and not better by this time. Walking was more of a struggle. If you were at Bigb's party over the summer, you had a glimpse of my struggle. Still no aid from any corner. I had to sell many things to pay rent and bills. Those don't rest. Enter into fall and winter.

 

By this time, I had food (Bridge Card) and Medicaid covered but still no financial help. To this point, fall/winter didn't do me any good physically or mentally. I just wanted to be done with everything by this point. Nobody wanted or cared for me. In my mind. Worse case, the mind wins.

 

Mid January, I had enough bitching from my brothers and went to the emergency room. I told them of my lack of coordination and balance issues then proceeded with the tests. It ended up they could not handle this locally (Zeeland) and was transported to Butterworth in G.R. for diagnosis. After being there a week and many tests by the third day, they had my problem pinpointed. It was Multiple Sclerosis, no doubts now. I felt like someone handed me a death sentence by that time. It took a couple days for that to sink in and after talking with one of the M.S. nurses, it wasn't as big of a deal as I thought. It still took time to come to terms with it. I had daily steroid injections for 5 days to jumpstart the treatment. By this time, my arms looked like pincushions from all the times they drew blood.

 

Then I transferred to Blogett for starting my rehab. They had me attempt walking with a walker a few steps then went on to other parts of the treatment. I was there for two weeks. My walking improved drastically but was still far in the woods when I was transferred yet again to Providence in Zeeland which is a retirement community. It felt odd being the youngest one there. More rehab of the three types. Some was work, others were a pain in the ass, but looking back on it now, it was all necessary. I was there for another two weeks. My walking got better inside.

 

I went home after five weeks of being in various hospitals. Walking and everything else still was not a strong point. This was mid February. Going to the store was a challenge in the Amigo but it worked. I now had Doctors appointments and various counselors to go to now. Which is good. Up until now, my walking improved dramatically. I'm now walking around the apartment complex usually with the cane in hand and not using it to walk. I just have to know my limits and not push them. That includes asking for help. Hard for me to do. It ends up my off road club took up a collection for me mid December.

 

I'm now on Rebif. Three times a week I give myself a shot. I was trained in this. But the pills are minimal. Once a week pill of vitamin D since I was dangerously low, depression medication and for some odd reason, a stomach pill. Kind of like a Tums. I never had a reflux problem, but now with the meds, it's better safe than sorry.

 

My physical therapy gal left the pages of instructions for me to do and marked off what to do. The therapists only lasted for a couple weeks but I still use their instructions daily. I added to the exercises I do to do them all that are there. A couple weeks ago, my Rebif nurse asked what I was doing for my arms to which I replied “Nothing”. She had me do 10 pushups every time I exercised which is three times a day to get my legs back. I do the exercises three times a day and have increased my pushups to fifteen this week.

 

It's the reason I can walk, sometimes not so good. I was at Trail Junkies a couple weeks ago and that told me that I still have a long way to go because I fell twice. Screwing up a couple ribs. In my defense, it's uneven there but I still did not ask for help. TJ did help after that along with Greasy. I still need to ask for help. I have a cane that I use, or sometimes carry depending how my legs are doing.

 

Now you know what's going on in my world. No highlights.

 

If you would like the donation site link, PM me as it is not allowed here to post it with the thread.

 

Thank you for any help you can give. And to settle your mind, it will not get pissed away. Rent and bills. I need to caught up my credit cards too which I've been living off of for the last year.

[Lugnutz]

I'm asking for your help. PM for further information since it isn't allowed here otherwise.

[Lugnutz]

Worrying about everything I may lose if things are not covered gets very tiring. I'm actually surprised that I made it this far. I haven't worked in a year and a half and no income and little help. No aid yet from the state or disability. Finally getting some mobility in my body. Maybe I can write more since I can concentrate on that for a change.

 

Can you help me?