two other people who could use your help

[rm]

So, the Internet stepped up fabulously to help out britgeekgrrl. It's been a remarkable bright spot in a really sad situation.

Of course, sadly, the world and other people's sorrows stop for nothing, and there's two other people on my friendslist who could really use your help.

The first is dr_is_in. I've not met her in person, but people I know have, and she's who she says she is and what's going on with her husband, who's seriously ill is really happening (she's been very forthcoming about procedures, facilities, etc., and I put all these details in so you can make informed decisions and because there are people online who do lie about tragedy. I've bumped into a few on LJ over the years, and it's NOT COOL).

So here's the deal. dr_is_in's husband has been ill for a long time, and she's always been aware that his life expectancy might not be as long as either of them would like. But this year, he got really sick much sooner than expected. He got so sick, in fact, the doctors told her repeatedly that he had just days to live.

Miraculously, he's fighting back (seriously, this guy is so tough it's freaky), but the road is going to be long and hard. He's got weeks left in the hospital and will probably need home care for a long, long time. In the meantime, dr_is_in hasn't been able to work in weeks in order to stay by his bedside, both because there were concerns he might pass at any minute (there was the initial downward slide, then he coded as he was climbing back up, etc etc) and because she's been dealing with that usual thing where if someone isn't advocating for a patient in the hospital things can go very, very wrong.

Odds are, she won't be able to go back to work for a few weeks at least, and when her husband comes home, the expenses are going to be huge. Even with insurance and help from family, this is all creating a big financial problem.

At the request of some of her LJ friends, she itemized her expenses for December and January, and basically, she needs about $2000 to keep the rent paid and the lights turned on, and gas in the car to get to and from the hospital (where she sleeps some nights) and food, and all that really basic stuff, that I think when we're middle class we don't think people like us could wind up struggling for.

Well, she's struggling. Most of the posts about her husbands health are unlocked, so you can read up on the whole thing at her journal. She's also a member of Torchwood fandom (which is how I know her), and if you have some funds to spare this season (I know it's hard for us all, and I know the hat's just been passed), PayPaling her some help at tribereddragon@gmail.com.

*

The other person on my friendslist who could use your help right now is alumiere whois unemployed and has several chronic illnesses. She is also a real person I've never met, but folks I know face-to-face have. Right now, she's not only looking for a job (maybe you can help?) she's also trying to afford medication and testing to get a better sense of what's going on with her and to treat it. She is asking for donations. Please check out her journal and see if you can help her with work, funds or maybe even a lead on free mammograms in her area (that's one of the things she needs to get done).

Thanks!

Comments

[dr-is-in.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for your help, hun. He's doing a little better today. They switched him from a rebreather mask this morning to a regular oxygen mask. They bumped him back up to 12 liters of O2, but thats because you don't get as much of it with this other mask. They are trying to wean him down slowly, and so far so good (knock on wood).

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

i sadly have a list of people who are in danger of, or actually HAVE lost their homes. some temporarily, some forever.
one with a handicapped assist dog whose apartment suddenly "wasnt available anymore" when they found out about the dog.

one whose husband dumped her, and she hasn't qualified for citizenship yet

etc etc. all people i know too, i mean irl

i posted it on my Lj, i can try to add links to these folks

this year has just been very bad

[rm.livejournal.com]

This year has been horrific; I've been blessed, but those around me haven't. Link me to your list, and I'll post it in my sundries later today.

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

http://fabricdragon.livejournal.com/207647.html
i need to update it, its sort of in random order. the ones atthe bottom are sometimes the worst ones.. but i found out later and edited them in.

and there are so many more who just dont want people to know how bad it is........
(and one person i WOULD have listed? to help pay his cancer bills.. died suddenly the night he went into the hospital, two nights after he married......)

[britgeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

Done and done.

(If I don't pay some of my lovely support forward, I'll be hit by lightning and rightly so...)

[rm.livejournal.com]

You know, this year has been fucked up enough that I could actually see that happening non-metaphorically. Which you know, would be bad, and we don't want. So thank you!

[snufflesdbear.livejournal.com]

If you hear of anyone in SE ohio (1.5 hrs from Pittsburg, PA, Columbus, Ohio and canton/akron Ohio) I currently have an entire upstairs just going to waste as a storage unit. Since my husband can not easily go up and down stairs, this was a really bad purchase :-) It is just outside of Coshocton, Ohio. If that helps. And come spring, I can maybe help with a job as a dishwasher where I work. No kids, please. But, we can take pets with people (no fence right now).

Have you, maybe, thought of a journal where this sort of thing could be all compiled? I thought of that with Copperbadge's job Cafe' but never mentioned it.

[fabricdragon.livejournal.com]

i posted a link to some people i know in need.....
i really dont know where they are, ro if that fits.. but you can browse my list and se if it looks likely

[alumiere.livejournal.com]

Thanks for boosting the signal! It means a lot.

[iamzulma.livejournal.com]

hi there. you live near me. i mean, relatively. ;) i'm in hollywood. i know you're looking for a job in your area, but is glendale too far for you? i know there is a nurse writer position available at my job. you need a nursing/medical background, but not necessarily a masters. if you can write, that's perfect. they administer writing tests.

what sort of work experience do you have?

[alumiere.livejournal.com]

Hi - nice to meet you. At the moment, Glendale is probably out of my reach as I can't safely drive, and taking a single bus for a few miles down Santa Monica Blvd seems to be my maximum capability for public transportation right now, even with the GPS and written directions. If we can figure out what's causing the memory blanks and get them under control then it would be doable.

Unfortunately, I seriously doubt I'm qualified, unless a year of pre-med in 1984 (my freshman year of college) counts. The last decade plus I've spent working as a NOC Manager for ISPs (Cisco Wide Area Networking and Infrastructure/Fiber Optic Equipment). I did a lot of technical writing (both in house and customer facing), process development and documentation, which is probably my strong suit in a job hunt. I've also done H.R., accounting, costing for construction, general office management, and retail management at various times. I've been searching for tech or office work but the market sucks, and it seems like most of the internet companies have been doing round after round of layoffs, so there are a lot of us searching for work right now. Plus my skill set is very specialized, and because I'm not a html/web designer or a database admin I've found almost nothing I qualify for.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

[iamzulma.livejournal.com]

thank you for posting about this. wish i could help out everyone i want to! :/ this economy indeed sucks.