Hi, my name is Gail. I’m a pretty proud person and have been independent all of my life. In fact, I’m proud of that as well! I’ve been a hard worker all my life and for 10 years, I was able to hold down 2 jobs! If I wasn’t working, I was busy at my home, painting, decorating, building fences for the horses, gardening, yard work, canning, making jams, ..anything and everything!
Now I’m low on my luck. I’m not one to give up, but it’s mighty hard circumstances I’m dealing with and I have come to the end..can’t seem to get up on my feet again.
Days past, not so long ago, I had my own home with huge gardens, a swimming pool and quite the array of pets. I had 3 dogs, 4 cats, 3 horses, a dove and a pot-bellied pig. If there was a sick animal somewhere, I’d get it and nurse it back to health. If it was an animal I couldn’t keep, I’d find a home for it. I’ve nursed day old kittens with an eyedropper; I’ve mended the wounds of an ornery stallion! I worked for 12 years to own my home in Maryland, sometimes working 3 jobs. It’ has all come naturally, I thought nothing of it.
Now because of a deteriorating back, I can no longer stand up straight. I had a rod placed in my back a few years ago. It worked well for awhile and I thought all was well, then the screws worked their way to the surface. The doctors cannot operate until I put weight on, I walk hunched over because my back cannot support my weight such as it is. I’ve had to give up my home, my gardens, and many of my pets. I’m getting some money through disability however it doesn’t cover my bills and if I am able to find work, that money just gets taken out of my disability amount.
My daughter and her husband live in Arizona. They wanted me to come and live with them. I had to sell my home; I packed all my belongings I could hold in my truck and horse trailer and moved to Arizona by myself.
My daughter and son-in-law do their best and work hard. They have a family of their own. They let me stay in a little efficiency that they created out of extra rooms. I appreciated all their effort. I tried Arizona but found it too hard to make a go of it! I couldn’t find work. I didn’t know anyone other than my daughter and her family. My portion of the house doesn’t have air conditioning and in Sun Valley it’s 115 in the day, 91 in the night. The heat tends to make me sick and my meds are not making me better. I got a hot tub for therapy and had no money to hook it up!
Now I’m stuck! My disability doesn’t cover my bills. I have 5 old bills that I try to clean up. I’ve closed the accounts and just pay on the balance. However sometimes my disability check arrives late which means my payments are late and then I get charged all the fees that are more than the amount I needed to pay! I’ve cancelled my life insurance and my supplemental health coverage because I cannot afford them.
I’ve traveled to Maine to stay for the summer months. I am living out of my horse trailer on a friend’s property. I volunteer at the local food bank for food and supplies. I was hoping to find work however I arrived too late in the season to be considered for a lot of jobs, and employers? Well, they just look at my hunched over and decide I’m a liability for them!
Well, my friend showed me something on the computer about a woman who couldn’t manage her spending and asked for money because she couldn’t pay her bills. It worked so well that she is now able to help others in the same boat. I hate the idea of asking for money but I’m desperate. I’ve tried everything I can think of to manage this on my own and it just isn’t working! Never thought it would come to this! If you could see your way to send me any amount of money, even $1.00, it would go towards my bills, installation of air conditioning and hot tub set up. If there is anything left over, I’d put it in the bank for emergencies. I seem to be having a run of them lately! I would so greatly appreciate what ever you might send my way. What’s next for me? Well if I’ve gained enough weight, they will operate for a fourth time in late September/early October. Hopefully I’ll be able to walk upright again. I know I’m in for a heavy dose of therapy!
Well, that’s it! I hope you are able to respond. I don’t want you to think this is a hoax so I’ve included a picture of me and my back. There’s also a picture of my buddy through all of this, my 17-year-old Chihuahua, Bagel. These pictures were taken by my friend, who with the help of her son, put this together for me.
Gail Strout Rau,
C/o Sharyn Steele
RFD#1, Steele Rd.
Auburn, ME 04210
