I am a 34 year old, single mother with a 20 month old son. Things have been very difficult of late. For 13 years I have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis among multiple other medical problems, including a Protein C Deficiency which causes a clotting disorder. I have had 15 life threatening blood clots in my lungs in the last 8 years, the most recent being in my Pulmonary Artery. Now I find out that instead of MS I may actually have a primary muscle disorder like Muscular Dystrophy. Due to the clotting disorder, a liver disorder and a blood infection I have to spend 20 hours a week at my local hospital getting multiple types of IV therapy. I had an old laptop that I found at a Salvation Army 5 years ago and up until two nights ago that I used during that time to help the hours pass. However, it no longer works as my son accidentally put it in the toilet. He has this crazy infatuation with the toilet, yet is petrified of the bath tub, imagine that :) Anyways I hate to ask anyone for anything however with both my fiance'(he is a physics professor who is trying to get his bipolar disorder better controlled) and I (I used to work in the medical field and on an ambulance) being on disability it is almost impossible to go out to dinner once a month, let alone save for a wedding and now a laptop. I am not sure what this site can do for me, I hope at the very least I will make a few friends who understand what I am going through. I will leave it in the hands of the angels as to what type of help/support you feel you can best offer. I am hoping I can use this venue as a two way street, maybe I can provide support to someone else in need, even if its just kind words, encouragement, referrals, or information.

I am married to a disabled Marine.  He is 44 years old and has limb-girdle muscular dystophy.  Thankfully his disease has been progressing slowly and he was able to work as a self-employed carpet installer up until Sept 07.  We immediately applied to have his disability rating increased, but learned today that it will be another 3-6months.  We have 2 children at home, a daughter 17 (diabetic), and a son 18.  I lost my job making pretty good money in May 06 due to the company being sold.  I was unable to find another job so I am currently a full time student at the local community college which is paid for through Job Training.

 We have been unable to pay a power bill all winter and are quickly sinking having lost the income of 2 jobs in 2 years.  We were going through a bankruptcy when my husband became disabled and our attorney filed for a moretorium on our behalf which has so far saved our home.  We qualify for $230/month food stamps, but that lasts about 2 and a half weeks.

Our families have helped as much as they can, but they can't afford to help for another 3-6 months.

I have been searching for organizations, but most of them are focused on the Iraq veterans, or active duty personnel.   If anyone knows of any groups that can offer assistance, we would appreciate it!

I'm a 67 year old Mom of a 44 year old disabled son. He has had muscular dystrophy for several years, and though we were warned that it was progressive, it seems that he's beginning to fade faster and faster. Living with the disease is a challenge, but he's also severly depressed, and in the middle of all this, his wife of 12 years dumped him! He was left in the house that they had bought and lived in, but is unable to make the payments. He is of course on a fixed income, but had picked up a little computer job that helped pay the bils, and now that job is going away. This is a person who is talented, artistic, and smart, but his skills are fast fading. The mere act of getting up off the sofa is an iffy thing. However, he does have enough pride to want to stay in the house that he's familiar with and where he spent some happy times. All I want for him is to be safe and content, and for him to be able to have the dog that he and his wife raised together to be able to come see him often. His back yard is completely fenced, which works well since he cannot walk any pet on a leash. He and his wife opted to have no children in order to try to bypass the 50% probability that the MD could be passed on, so Angel, the dog, is their child. I want to know who I can go to to try to save this house from foreclosure and allow him to stay in it for the rest of his life, or until he makes the decision that he needs to be in a more controlled atmosphere. My heart breaks at the though of him going to a nursing home. I would take him in but I have a very small house with only one bedroom upstairs and only a half bath downstairs, so it would be very difficult for him to get comfortable there. I have considered trying to purchase his house but don't know if my age, salary and credit report would allow me to do that. Does anyone know of an agency I can go to for help? If we could pay the mortgage down on his house enough and then refinance the new amount he may be able to eke out the payment. I just want to see him smile again. This situation has nearly destroyed the two of us, not to mention all my family members that have listened and offered advice and help.

I have a son who has duchennes muscular dystrophy and will be in a wheelchair soon. I need help to build an addition so there will be room for his wheelchair.

HELLO ALL AND PLEASE UNDERSTAND I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY NEEDS WITH SO FEW RESOURCES HOWEVER, I HAVE TWO NEPHEWS WITH DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY, THE YOUNGER HAS AUTISM AS WELL. MY BROTHER IS RAISING THEM ON HIS OWN SINCE THEIR MOTHER WALKED OUT ON THEM A FEW YEARS BACK. MY MOTHER IS HELPING HIM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WHAT WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF IS A HANDICAP EQUIPPED VAN FOR NOT ONLY NORMAL EVERY TRANSPORTATION NEEDS BUT WE ALSO LIVE ON THE GULF COAST IN CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS AND WE EVERY YEAR FEAR A HURRICANE. AS OF NOW I HAVE A PICK UP TRUCK WITH LITTLE TRAILER THAT WE USE FOR DOCTORS APPT'S ETC. OUR DAD RAISED US TO FEAR GOD AND TO PUT OUR FAITH IN HIM SO, WITH THAT SAID IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO COULD HELP US, I WOULD SO HUMBLY ASK YOU TO DO SO. I DONT KNOW IF THIS WILL WORK BUT, FAITH WITHOUT WORK IS NO FAITH AT ALL. 

SINCERELY

UNCLE FRANK

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