I am not sure how to start this request as my wife, Theresa and I have been on the giving end and not the receiving end throughout our lives, but here goes:

Theresa is in hospice at home in end stage cardiac failure, stage 3B/borderline stage 4 renal failure and uncontrolled diabetes. I have been her principal/sole caregiver for a couple of years and until a few months ago, also working 4 days a week to make ends meet. When Theresa entered hospice with a most unusual cardiac medical history her hospice physician stated “we are in completely uncharted territory” in regards  to her prognosis. Theresa was diagnosed with CHF (now simply called heart failure) 26 years ago next month. That is a medical textbook miracle, but now the miracle is coming to a slow end. My last recent employer who was located 1.1 miles from our home stated at the time of her hospice admission they would do ‘anything we needed’ to be of help. I asked if I could go home at lunch time to check on Theresa, make her lunch and make sure everything was OK; a 45-60 minute absence (clocking out and back in, of course). At the time that was acceptable and only a few times, when the hospice nurse called me home because she thought things were very serious was I not at work. Upon my dismissal from that employer a few months ago Theresa, even in her weakened and sometimes confused state said “ I guess I didn’t die soon enough for them”. I believe age discrimination was more the reason as my work and training of new hires was exemplary as evidenced by my several raises in pay over the years.

Which brings me to my request since Theresa can no longer be left alone at any time: in order to make those ends meet (including managing her 21 separate drugs, not all of which are covered by hospice), I need about $450 per week to partially replace my former work income. The goal I have listed is that amount times one year. When the angels come for my beloved, I will take down this request as I can then hopefully secure work with an employer that doesn’t consider age a liability without regard to days of the week, or times of the day, or distance from home or any family responsibilities (we have no children).

We are not users of social media so I am not sure how this will go, so even if you find another person’s needs greater than ours, perhaps you would share our situation as you see fit.