My friends, I’m asking for your help for scamperdo, a long-time Kossack who I’ve known personally for several years. She is a lovely hard-working woman who until recently (see her story below) held three jobs to help pay for her 91-year-old mother’s medications as well as her own living expenses. Now she’s run into a temporary emergency.
I had to convince her that we could and would do a fundraiser for her. She just didn’t want to ask for help from anyone. But she has nowhere else to turn, and we are her community. Please read her story below and recommend, comment, and help with a donation if you are at all able.
If you’d prefer to use snail mail, please send me Kosmail and I’ll send you her address.
Thank you for being here for scamperdo, dear friends. Here is her story:
My mom just turned 91.
She lives in a community apartment with 24 hour support on call. I have caregivers 4 days a week for her, subsidized by the state. 1 day a week she gets taken to senior center for balance exercise.
I check in on her a lot as I rent a room 2 miles away. She has a walker for balance but takes her own showers and can still cook sometimes on her own.
She suffers from Parkinsons dementia, moderate stage so needs her pills and patch to help her cognitively. One of her Tier 4 medications is for severe gastropersis; without it her stomach muscles struggle to break down food.
My financial struggles began with my father's long battle with congestive heart failure. I spent a lot of time traveling back and forth from Mass to Florida to help my mom care for him. I spent all my savings on plane tickets, gas to and from hospital, food, and helping my mother cover their added medical expenses. In February 2012, Papi entered hospice and we said our last goodbyes.
It was then I faced the true state of my own and elderly mother's depleted finances. After moving her to Mass, the nightmare only got worse as she was diagnosed with dementia from her Parkinsons. Like too many seniors, her deterioration was accelerated by the stress of caring for a spouse. I found her an excellent neurologist, thankfully, and stabilized her.
Thanks to some amazingly generous Kossacks here, we managed to eke it out for a couple of years. I work two jobs, then added a third job as I began driving Uber and Lyft part-time. The added income made a big difference as I finally could pay our bills.
I also began advocating for seniors and researched every last state and federal program to help my mother and her seniors friends. My mom lives in a community apartment with 24 hour support on call. A Mass state grant now subsidizes her care givers and her Lifeline bracelet. A senior center grant covers her weekly hour of balance exercise. I found her a very good United Health care supplemental plan that covers everything her Medicare doesn't, such as co-pays, etc.
That left her prescription drug costs which include two very expensive Tier-4 drugs. She suffers from Parkinsons dementia, moderate stage, so needs her pills and patch to help her cognitively. One of her Tier 4s is for severe gastroparesis; without it her stomach muscles struggle to break down food.
Unfortunately, the state social workers informed us she fails to qualify for Prescription Advantage, the Mass prescription drug coverage assistance program. Believe me, I have tried every avenue to get assistance for her meds.
I was managing to help pay her prescription drugs and suppplemental plan each month for the last 4 years due to my added Uber/Lyft income.
Then another financial mess...
In December, I received notice to renew mydriver’s license. When I tried online, I received a message I had to go into RMV. The routine renewal I expected turned into a nightmare when I was informed my green card couldn't be accepted. My card doesn't expire until Dec 2020 but it was an outdated version without biometrics. Apparently I missed the notice of this new requirement.
Several hours of phone calls to USCIS and I was told I had to fill out form I-90 for the new type of green card. Since my card will be expiring within 12 months, I had to pay the $540 cost. Ouch! Like too many, I don't have savings, so I had to drive lots of extra hours to scrape it together and filed online on 12/30/19.
After January 11th my driving license expired and my Uber and Lyft accounts got suspended, which leaves me without that important income I need to help my mom's bills. USCIS has responded that I can get a stamped biometrics sticker to give RMV after they take them at my scheduled appointment. An appointment, they haven't even scheduled yet. Could be this month or 60-90 days out... argh, very frustrating.
I contacted a helpful state social worker who put me in touch with a pro bono immigration lawyer who couldn't help find a way to get past RMV. He's thinks it's only a short window to wait... I’m a permanent resident and not in danger of being deported and my day job isn't in jeopardy. I am legally allowed to work, I just can’t drive now.
I fear I fall into legal limbo for a while and financially find myself in need of short-term help. I feel very embarrassed to ask again after all these years of juggling it all myself. But I can’t let my mother go without her meds.
I've driven as many extra hours the last week as I could so I paid the United bill already. I'm going to be short $550 towards her meds for this month. February will be a nightmare without my Uber/Lyft income. I will need $900 for February, and hopefully by March at the latest I will have my license renewed.
So my total need, if you can help in any way, is $1450. I am so sorry to have to ask, and I am grateful to anyone who can help me. If it were just about me, I would somehow try to tough it out, but I have to swallow my pride so I don’t risk seeing my mom without her meds. Thank you for reading and for being there for me in the past. I don’t know what else to do.
The total amount to see scamperdo through this crisis is $1450.
Scamperdo and I will be here to comment and share totals. I thank you for reading and for helping support this urgent need any way you can. Thank you so much for reading!
Tuesday, Jan 14, 2020 · 3:13:51 PM +00:00 · Ekaterin
I am so amazed and grateful! When scamperdo went to bed, her total had just hit $500. When she woke up early today, it was $1157, just $293 short of the funds needed for her mother’s meds for 2 months! THANK YOU to everyone who gave, recced, shared and commented!!! What a special community this is!