Hello, My name is Donna, I live in the US. It was a hard decision accepting turning to a platform like Give A Hand but in desperate times as they say it takes desperate measures. And so here I am turning to the goodness and kindness of strangers in what is most definitely desperate time.

My parents have sadly passed, I'm an only child and simply whether family or friends have no one to turn to in the hopes of getting this major crisis. So here I am.

The position I'm in is the culmination of events brought about in 2007 followed by years since then some other life events happening both devasting and in some cases traumatic.

I'm almost 76 and in no way would I have signed up for some of the negative experiences life had planned for me. This is definitely not how I expected to spend my retirement years, especially the possibility that within a week I could become homeless. That nightmare that so many face.

After 40+ years of productive employment, sometimes working three three jobs at a time, to find myself in the position of possibly loosing my home in a week has become an unbearable thought.

I am solo with my immediate family being my two little dogs. Not only could we loose our home with nowhere to go but it would include loosing any possessions I have due to being partially disabled and requiring paid assistance to move everything as well as payment for storage.

Quicky since I've become very wordy, the initial demise leading to my current situation is the result of my having held a legal position for 16+ years with a prominent medical institution and finding legal violations concerning contractual obligations being committed with regard to major Pharma.

I thought my Admin would want to be made aware we were in violation contractually but in taking the issue to the Admin I found the response quite the contrary. There is no glory in being a whistleblower. Especially when the person committing the violations is related to the Admin as well as others in the department .

Unfortunately during this time I fell down a long stretch of concrete steps outside of our building sustaining numerous injuries such as broken collar bone, broken rib, tears to ligaments both knees, scalp laceration and a miriad of other injuries.

Required medical attention was blocked, if I went to medical appointments or follow up I was written up and assigned punitive points in an attempt to fire me.

It got to the point where I was harassed on a daily basis, the defamation became widespread and it got to the point where I was threatened to keep my mouth shut or else, and the side of my car was smashed in rendering it undrivable.

I was forced into early disability retirement which meant I loss $550/mo retirement benefits.

My apology for taking you on such a long journey.

I was unable to return to work and have for some years now had to walk with a cane until I can have knee replacement. There are quite a number of residual physical problems which make for serious pain at times but so far I'm grateful I can show up. 

Last June I unfortunately had a heart attack requiring a triple bypass. I'm not out of the woods yet and a couple trips to the ER since have been necessary. New meds have been being added which of course increases expenses. I've also unfortunately contracted a serious case of cellulitis which has to be watched closely.

Being unable to drive and having to rely on paid transportation to get to appointments for followup is very expensive. At this time I've also been paying for grocery deliveries and of course the addition of costs of newly added meds since they want to see me out of possible heart failure.

Of course all of the medical would be bad enough without possibly having to face homelessness.

I seriously thank you for taking your time to hear me out. I know there are many of us out there. I would ask that if there is anything you can do to contribute even in the smallest amount I will forever be in your debt. Prayers are always welcome.

Thank you for even considering helping me.

Blessings to you.