An Overdue Situational Update (NOW WITH SUCCESS EDIT) · 7:00pm Feb 27th, 2019
I'd like to preface this blog by saying that things are continuing to improve, and that I'm eternally grateful to everyone that's helped make that possible, more than I could ever express in words.
However, something else came up.
But before I get to that, let's talk about what's happened so far, what YOU as a community have managed to do to help me and my family out through these frankly terrible times.
Mum had the first meeting of her assessment a few days ago. It was an expensive meeting, a bit moreso than we'd anticipated, but still manageable with what we raised, thankfully. She had multiple tests and a consultation, and was prescribed with four different types of medication, including the T3 she needed, and some other things with long names that I don't entirely understand that are supposed to help with adrenals. They're meant to help her, I know that much. As for the liothyronine, there's going to be some adjustment to her taking it, as it's figured out which dosage of that medication and the others specifically works for her, and how she reacts to it.
The good news is that this stuff seems to have a very high success rate, so we're banking on it working out, and hoping that mum will begin to become more healthy soon. As the last blog featuring her personal thanks can confirm, she's incredibly grateful for this. I'm going to post a picture of the first appointment's invoice here, just so people can see for themselves what their generosity is buying! A couple of things (names and address) had to be scrubbed out for privacy reasons, but you'll get the gist!
(I apologise for the terrible redacting job.)
The long and short of it is that these appointments and consultations are ongoing things. She's meant to have at least two and possible three more in the first year, and the medication is certainly an ongoing expense that could fluctuate. However, this is all amazing news, unlike anything we ever could've imagined. A friend's mum died last week, cancer. We were all shocked by it, didn't expect her to go so quickly, thought she still had years left in her, but the fact that that could've been my mum if her illnesses perpetuated and developed into something worse? Selfishly, perhaps, that thought infected me.
And then I remembered all of you and what you'd done for me, and I realised that that may be a thing I'll never have to worry about.
As for dad? We got him back on his feet, or at least part of the way there. He's looking to land a job now so he can stay in his career and avoid bankruptcy completely, and should he manage? Again, I can take no credit. Even for the work I do, donations aside, I can't take credit, because it's the people here that give me the work, that made writing something I could ever even imagine taking and turning into more than a hobby. I love having the ability to write for all of you. I'm grateful for your help, for your well-wishes, for the fact you all put up with me.
And I'm sorry that I have to say that things aren't over yet. While the worst is out of the way, in terms of it being the most financially strenuous thing? A new issue has come up, and while it's not as expensive as the last one, it's a fucking doozy.
You see, my mum was rejected for student finance this year. Those are the loans that she needs to both live and feed my two little brothers. The reason for this is that she had to extend her masters degree into a two year course unexpectedly due to illness. This is what caused me to take on so much extra work and miss so much university: I was attempting to keep us afloat by giving her whatever I had spare. It was the right thing to do, as far as I was concerned, and I explained the same to my tutors when I started missing more classes, even when they protested.
But, well, I had a period of burnout. There's no point denying it, the proof, or lack of it, is all around us as we speak. I've been so tired, busy, and stressed lately that I've not been releasing as frequently as usual, and while I'm trying my hardest to get back to a regular output, something else came up recently that's really kicked me and my family in the shins.
Being rejected for student finance, my mum turned to universal credit. This is the UK's new benefit system, a dysfunctionally 'inclusive' benefit system that seeks to combine all previous types of benefit into one. Applying for it, as mum found herself forced to, as we could only build so much credit debt together before our scores began to dip too low, means tax credits and child benefit for my little bros are cut off for five weeks. In other words, mum's only source of money.
And to make things worse? This came in the post recently.
TL;DR of this letter? We need to pay off a month's advance of the rent plus this month to avoid 'the tenancy being put at risk' in big, bold, BLACK letters. (Who ever said that letters from the council were foreboding?)
And that's money that we don't have. All of the money that came in form of donation or work payment, as substantial as it was, went towards the medication and assessment fund, towards dad, towards bills to keep us afloat, for the bit that was left over.
And I wish I could say otherwise. I wish I could say that not only has every goal been reached, we've stabilised and are now living much better, but harsh realities aren't in any way a misnomer, and things, whilst less shitty, aren't exactly golden for us right now.
Honestly, I didn't want to make this blog post. Well, this part. People have already been so kind and giving to me and my family already, what right do I have to ask for more? Surely there's a point where it has to be taking the piss?
I've deliberated over whether to write this for days, but mum honestly wanted me to. Not because she thinks that the people of the internet are some magical money tree, or anything, but because she's quite frankly feeling desperate. I don't blame her, and I'm the only medium she has to make sure that this gets across.
This'll be the last time I put these links down in regards to any of these problems. I'm not going to make a habit of this, I promise. Please, don't feel obligated to give more, any of you, especially those that gave so much already. Understand that while everything absolutely helps, I'm not begging this time. If you need your money more than you think I do, I totally understand that, keep it to yourself. I'll find a way to help us both manage either way, because unlike the last goal, this one might actually feasibly be in reach for me if I work hard enough.
But, I guess we're doing this one last time. I almost feel as if I should apologise, as if at least one person out there is disappointed in me.
I have a Ko-fi, where you can send me a tip. Any amount is appreciated, big or small, so long as you're absolutely sure you can spare it.
And hey, I just turned 21. That was fun. I got to eat a fried breakfast for dinner, like Turk did in Scrubs. He called it 'brinner'.
I promise I'll update more things and release more content soon. I absolutely promise. I realise I've not been releasing as frequently lately, but I can feel the motivation coming back. If anyone reading this wishes to suggest something for me to update soon, feel free. It's always nice to see what people are currently interested in seeing more of.
But mainly, all of you, please remember that you're amazing. I have love for each and every one of you, and I hate putting this upon you one final time. I have so many wonderful friends in this community that give me the strength needed to do something like this again, that convinced me it wasn't a selfish or bad thing to do, even when it felt that way. To them, I'm eternally grateful.
Let me cap this off with something I want to share. Please bear in mind it's not particularly uplifting in any way, but I've been coming back to it a lot recently. It's a short story I wrote a little while ago, about a thousand words long. It isn't pony related, but I thought people might be interested in what Disguise writes when the mask comes off. I'll leave the comments on, in case anyone wants to leave any.
Thank you all for your time, your patience, your love, your words, your help. I'll never be able to pay it all back, but I promise I'll try my hardest.
Author's very happy and humbled addendum: You guys did a fucking lot. Like, an incredible amount. That rent bill isn't going to be a concern anymore. In fact, we received so much that I think we might even be able to start getting the bills down and living better, bit by bit.
Again, this doesn't magically cure everything, and I know it, but...
But.
This push was astounding to me. It was more localised this time. This blog got 10% of the views the first one did, which I completely expected. Honestly, I didn't want to spread this one around the site, for multiple reasons. But despite that, despite the smaller outreach...
Those of you who were committed to helping me chipped in a lot, and now, while we're still going to be on universal credit, and that's gonna be a bitch, there aren't any tenancy issues on the horizon. Mum can continue to take her medication and do her masters, I can do my degree and continue work here, entertaining and gaining experience, working on commissions and other paid projects, as well as passion ones.
I'm going to keep the Ko-fi, put it on my page. Life does get expensive, after all, but as for 'incredibly worrying situations'? We're out of the woods, and I'm so, so glad to be able to say that. I didn't envision these problems coming up last year, or getting to this degree in some of the cases. Similarly, I didn't imagine they could be solved. I'm shocked beyond words that they have been, for the very most part.
And I have all of you to thank, once again. Honestly, I'll never grow tired of thanking you all. You've all done so much for me and...
I hope I can make you all feel I deserved it. I'll carry on writing for all of you, give back in the best way I know how, and show my gratitude however humanly possible. I love each and every one of you, please know that, and appreciate yourselves, for you're all wonderful people.
I... still need to process the weight that's been lifted from my shoulders. I'll make a further, more detailed blog about this soon. I want everyone to realise the strength of this community, and what they've managed to do.
I'm glad some thing's are looking good for you my friend. I'll try to become a patreon and help you out next month. I can only do a little bit. But I hope it helps.
My patreon kicks in this month. Any more and my mental personifications charity, greed, and a few other monetary types are gonna start fighting, and that'll impact my writing. Glad to hear your mom is doing better, though!
Glad to see things are getting better, even if other parts are kinda tanking. Got my support behind you with a Ko-fi donation and patreon kicking in on March. Isn't much but each drop in the bucket gets it there.
Happy Birthday to you too.
I’ll be starting a five dollar donation to your Patreon on the first! I wish I could give more but, honestly, I don’t even know how long I’ll be able to keep that up, but I can’t sit back and give nothing, not with you in your current situation. I would’ve used the Ko-Fi to give a single, larger donation, but I don’t have PayPal. >.<
I’m glad things are looking up, for the most part, and hope that continues to be the case! I’ll do everything I can, as I know we all will.
Good to hear things are looking better. Sent another small amount with Ko-Fi and Patreon will kick in soon. Stay strong.
Pity you didn't turn 21 at christmas. You could have had yule brinner.
I really don't know what they're thinking with this universal credit crap. The idea is sound in principle, but in practice they just can't seem to stop screwing it up. Oh well. Good luck. Good to hear about your parents improvements.
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Universal Credit is far too complicated to work properly. They could just as easily correct the problem by taxing people less, or reducing VAT.
We have one of the highest tax rates of the developed world, so it is no wonder that tax evasion is the hobby of the British wealthy!
Intricate, I'll give this a boost. Sadly, I cannot donate, but I will pray for you and your family.
Congrats on raising the funds man! Hope you're able to pay the rent.
A belated Happy Birthday to you. I wish I had some bits to throw at you but you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
Good luck to you, your mom and dad, and spend some of my donation on a Guinness or something. Make sure it is poured right because they screw it up here in the US all the time.
Good luck and happy b-day. Hope you have a good year.
A late happy birthday from me, I dropped in 9$ to help you out on ko-fi as a small present. Hopefully everything will turn out well ^.^
I wish I could afford to donate even a little something and help you out, but my own finances are stretched precariously thin as it is. I'm sorry I can't do more, but I am glad to know that you've received such strong support so far. If my situation improves, I'll try to throw something your way, as well.
As far as suggestions for future updates are concerned, I would love to see more chapters of "Emotional Support Pony." I've never had a story connect with me and touch me in quite the same way that one has, and I would love to have even more of it to cherish.
im sorry i cannot help you in any financial situation but i pray and hope to help in other ways . i can spread the word right now i am working a utube channel but im small but my subscribers are also having there own channels , i can spread the word i cannot be able to financially help you out but i can definitely spread the word may god give you strength .
Man, you need to take a break...
Yeah, I know how that sounds with the situation and all but... The way you describe things, you are near the borderline already - if you cross it and hit real burnout, it will be hard to put yourself back together.
Try to get a few days off, as soon as you can, and take care
I'd throw some money your way, but I have an Irish Setter who needs an operation so we don't have to put her down at only 8 months old.
Just signed up for your Patreon at $5 a month. It's not much, but it's all I can commit to right now. Hope your situation continues to improve. Stay strong oh source of my smut!
Intricate, I can give you nothing but prayers that you and your family will get through this.