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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHey Folks I Need Some Help Fast....
My name is Steve Senti, and I own www.oreilly-sucks.com, I have run it for 13 years now. About 3 years ago my 89 year old Father got Alzheimers and Dementia so I had to care for him 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It was really tough because of all the stress, etc. but I did it because I loved my Father with all my heart.
In fact, we got so close over the last 3 years it was ridiculous, we were as close as a son and Father could get. I had to feed him, wash him, put his clothes on, help him to the bathroom, take him to his doctors, and on and on.
But I did it because he was my Father, then he got sick in January of this year. It got worse and worse and he was in and out of the hospital about 9 times from February until April, when the doctors basically forced me to put him into a nursing home. Which was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. Because my Father had told me he would rather be dead than go to a nursing home.
So on April 12th I agreed to put him into a nursing home, and at that point the doctor said he only had a month or so to live. And I was devastated, I just sat in his house all alone (because my Mother passed away in 1998) crying all day and all night waiting for the call to tell me he had passed away.
It was literally like being tortured, I was crying about 10 times a day and I did not know what to do. Because his social security and pension paid all the bills, so not only would I lose my Father and my only family, I would also lose my financial support.
So on May 14th the phone rang at 4:20am and I knew what it was, they told me my Father had passed away. Now I have $1.000.00 a month in bills and no income, except for the roughly $150.00 a month I make from my website selling text link ads for $20.00 a month.
I am 53 years old with a bad back and other medical problems, I get food stamps and free medical through the local OSF Sisters Community Clinic. I am unemployed and I have filed for SSI and Public Aid. In June I got a decision on my SSI and they denied it. So I found a law firm to take my case and file an appeal.
I filed for Public Aid in May, and to this day they have still not made a ruling on my claim, and it was for emergency cash assistance. My family has been helping me pay the bills since May, and my Father has a small life insurance policy of $1.000.00, but that money is almost gone.
I need to make it until November, because they say I should have a ruling on my SSI appeal by then, and I should have a ruling on my Public Aid by then too. To make long story less long, I need the help of all the DUers, I need you guys to help me raise the money to pay my bills for another 2 months, which is about $2.000.00.
If you guys could help me and make a donation to my paypal account it would keep me from being homeless, and broke. I am still having trouble getting over my Fathers death, I am depressed and I still think about him every day and cry 3 or 4 times a day.
He was not only my Father, he was my best friend too, and he was like a son to me also, because taking care of him was like having a 5 year old kid. So when he died it was like losing my Father, my best friend, and my son. I have sold everything I can, to pay the bills, including the vacumn cleaner, the lawn mower, the weed trimmer, my watch, everything, but my tv.
You guys are my last hope, if I can not raise at least $1.000.00 by September 10th, I do not know what I am going to do, because I will not be able to pay any of my bills. I only need to make it to November, and then I hope to win my SSI appeal by then, or at least get my Public Aid claim approved.
So please make a donation, here is my paypal email:
oreillyspins@yahoo.com
And I also have a paypal donation page on my website:
http://www.oreilly-sucks.com/donate.htm
Steve
P.S. Note to Skinner, and the mods, I know you do not like people posting threads like this, but I have no choice, and I hope you let this stay on the board. I have been a member here for a long time, and I know I did some stupid things in the past, but I was drunk when I did it and dealing with my Father which led me to drink, it was very stressful and pretty much a living nightmare. The stress of taking care of my Father led me to drink way too much, and I hope you can forgive me for that and help me.
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Response to stewert (Original post)
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LaydeeBug
(10,291 posts)as though you meant to be sarcastic?
Certainly you don't think getting a job at a McDonald's would solve the OP's plight, do you?
Suich
(10,642 posts)Seemed very odd.
Vanje
(9,766 posts)
NavyDem
(525 posts)I was the alerter. I wish I could help the OP out myself, but I'm a little tapped out right now myself. Best I can do is give it a kick.
Vanje
(9,766 posts)My Dad died 8 years ago, today.
I miss him SO much!
LaydeeBug
(10,291 posts)I am against censorship, but glad he's gone
NavyDem
(525 posts)I just found the post to be offensive on it's face. The poster had been here for almost 2 years and just started posting within the last 90 days based on their profile. I broke it down to it's simplest point, in which the poster was telling the OP to "get a job" instead of coming to the Community for help.
I don't use the alert function very often, but in this case it was almost an immediate reaction for me. I guess I've become cynical in my views lately.
LaydeeBug
(10,291 posts)I am now glad I was in the minority. I just chalked it up to him being new...but I now realize he was being ambiguous on purpose.
stewert
(3,509 posts)For the person who emailed me saying I am just a lazy bum who should get a job, I am not on welfare, and never have been. In fact, after my Father passed away was the first time in my life I even filed for welfare, but I do not have it yet. By law they are supposed to make a ruling on my claim within 30 days, and yet it's been 3 months and they still have not made a decision yet.
I have tried to find a job, I even applied at Wal-Mart and many other places, but none of them will hire me, I can not even get to an interview, nothing. I also forgot to mention one thing, my Father was a WWII veteran, he helped to make this country free, he won the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. He was a 3rd division infantryman who also won the marksman badge.
I miss him so much I can not even get thorough this posting without crying, my Father was my whole life, he was everything to me, it was my job to take care of him, and now he is gone. I am all alone and I still think about my Father about every 15 minutes. The only time I do not think about him is when I am sleeping, and I am also having trouble sleeping because I worry about everything, like money and what I am going to do if my SSI appeal is denied and my Public Aid claim is denied.
What do I do then, what do I do if nobody will hire me, does anyone know, can anyone answer that question. What does a person like me do if SSI and Public Aid both deny me and I can not find a job anywhere?
demwing
(16,916 posts)or red tape, but if you want a job where you can sit down all day, be outdoors (sort of), and meet lots of people --who may or may not care to talk to you at all--then see about driving cab. I know a cabbie here in St. Petersburg that drove his way into home ownership. He's not rich, but he isn't hurting. At all.
The thing is, all you need is a license. As long as you don't drive like a drunken monkey you'll get hired. Cash daily.
JimDandy
(7,318 posts)because he won't be able to do the constant luggage lifting with a bad back.
Suich
(10,642 posts)I made a donation...hope it helps a little bit.
onestepforward
(3,691 posts)I know it hurts. I wish you the very best with your fund-raising.
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)Regarding poor health and a current inability to support myself with physical labor. I am Also struggling with SSD and after two years it has yet to be resolved.
Even though my lack of finances coupled with very poor health (and thus inability to perform labor) is causing me to slowly but surely end up homeless there is little to no help from any established Government safety net.
I have been convinced that the SS Magistrates are simply stalling until I die in order to keep my 40 years of FICA payments without any loss in revenue due to honoring their agreement with me. I imagine you are facing a similar cynical attack by our "needed for tax cut financing only" SS system.
They will likely win their battle with us but I read here far more than I post and know the work and habits of many fellow board members. Luckily there are some "social safety nets" comprised of very good people that do what can be done in various groups to help us against such odds. DU has among it's ranks one of the angels of one such "social safety net".
There is a site http://www.wishadoo.org/ that is promoted and worked on by one of our most compassionate and actively helpful DUers.
OneGrassRoot.
It is a site set up for people to help each other in any way needed or can be offered, a very good idea that has already been a help to many, my strong suggestion is to post your need at that site as well as hopefully they can offer some assistance to you. It is the entire reason for it's existence (well that and the directed creative will of a very special person that had an idea and the compassion to act on it.)
stewert
(3,509 posts)I signed up with wishadoo and uploaded a photo of my Father, so with that and a few donations I got here hopefully I can raise the money I need. Right now I am still about $800.00 short.
And btw, I also worked a full time job at International Paper Company for 17 years from 1978 until 1995, working 6 days a week, sometimes 12 hours a day, until I hurt my back and had to have surgery. Then they closed the union plant and sent all our work to non-union scabs in Bowling Green Kentucky.
So I paid a lot of money in for 17 years, and now when I need that money they denied me. I have a small pension that I can start collecting on in 2 years, but it's only $385.00 a month, and I can only get 20% of that in March of 2015, if I make it that long.
I can not get my social security until I am 67, so that is 14 years from now, and at this point I doubt I will make it that long, so I will most likely never see a dime of that money.
stewert
(3,509 posts)Try contacting the Sunshine Lady Foundation.
http://www.sunshinelady.org/
It's run by Doris Buffett, who is Warren Buffett's sister.
I applied for a cash grant from them on Tuesday, and they sent me an application, but it does not guarantee they will approve me for the grant. And they are so swamped they said it could take 2 or 3 months to find out if they approve me.
They give out about $10 million a year in grants for different things and people like me.
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)You brought me to tears. Thank you for your kind words, Dragonfli...you touched my heart.
rl6214
(8,142 posts)I went two years fighting for disability. I am totally blind in one eye, have had type 1 diabetes for 30 yrs, have severe neuropathy, herniated discs in my back and neck and have had 15+ surgeries so I am in pain all the time. I had an attorney file for a change of venue to hurry the process up. After two years I finally got a hearing before a SSD judge and was given an immediate bench approval. Now I got two years back benefits, am now on Medicare and my minor son gets half the benefits I get.
If you haven't done it, hire an attorney.
daschess1987
(192 posts)I can't help financially but did give you a rec. Be sure to check if you're eligible for any sort of county aid and maybe look into some help from churches. There are some good ones who are willing to help people. That may not be the best advice, but I do wish you the best. People do care, and you're not in this alone. You will get through this. Love, Dave
summer-hazz
(112 posts)I have no funds available right now, but I will
send strong energy, a spiritual lifting up to you
and keep a lookout for you in the future to see how your doing..
My heart <3 goes out to you. Love and peace be with you.
Namesta 
niyad
(113,278 posts)but can at least keep this kicked for visibility.
Samantha
(9,314 posts)I have my downstairs rented out, but I made it into an apartment while I was still working. I am close to a university, and there are always students and visiting professors, etc., looking for a place to stay. I screen everyone very carefully. You might want to look at Craig's List, but you need to be aware that some of the posters are scammers.
I was also wondering if you could have a yard sale and perhaps sell some of the items belonging to your father that you do not want. I don't mean to sound insensitive; but I am sure your Dad would like for you to hold on to that place and perhaps you could raise some money that way.
Good luck and so sorry to hear of the loss of your father.
Sam
JimDandy
(7,318 posts)even the vacuum cleaner and lawnmower. TV is all he has left, so a yard sale is out. The roommate idea is good, though!
Flying Squirrel
(3,041 posts)Just thought I'd pass that info along to DU'ers...
UtahLib
(3,179 posts)
zazen
(2,978 posts)Flying Squirrel
(3,041 posts)But ya, pretty generous.
zazen
(2,978 posts)To them, we're half dead anyway, and if we don't have family to take care of us, well, then, crawl off and die.
stewert
(3,509 posts)Yeah I know about the 1 cent donations, Republicans who love O'Reilly make 1 cent donations because they think it's funny. I put a note on the donation page saying there is a minimum of $5.00 on the donations, and since then it has stopped.
gopiscrap
(23,757 posts)stewert
(3,509 posts)I am still $600.00 short on paying my bills for September, if I do not raise another $600.00 in the next 9 days I will not have enough to pay my bills. So if anyone else can donate, I need it bad.
Steve
gopiscrap
(23,757 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)so I gave what little we can.
stewert
(3,509 posts)With your donation, and a couple others I am up to $600.00, so I only need $400.00 more, if anyone else can donate I still need $400.00 more by the 10th of the month. I paid the cable/phone/internet bill, the gas and light bill, and the truck payment, so that last $400.00 is my house payment. And it is due on the 15th, so I need to mail it out by the 10th.
Steve
irisblue
(32,969 posts)stewert
(3,509 posts)Hey everyone, I really appreciate all the donations, and I am up to $650.00 now, so all I need is $350.00 more.
Response to stewert (Original post)
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irisblue
(32,969 posts)stewert
(3,509 posts)Good news, I reached my goal of $1.000. thanks to you guys at DU.com. Someone donated the other $350.00 I needed today, so now I have enough money to pay my bills for September.
Thank you all so much.
Steve