The Salas Family

I hope this campaign finds you well. I am requesting financial assistance with my rent, utilities, and car payment.

I am a single mother to a 6-year-old boy and a nurse by profession. As a nurse, I thoroughly enjoy helping and taking care of others. For several years, I have been working towards furthering my nursing degree and I am one 8-week course away from finishing my degree. However, I have had to postpone my final course until this summer, due to my financial difficulties and medical issues.

In November 2023, my son’s father decided to file for an Ex Parte Order for Temporary Custody and Restraining Order, under false pretenses. This frivolously-filed custody order was time-sensitive and required me to spend $6,500 to retain an attorney, and will likely require additional attorney costs by the time it’s over. I was very blindsided with this custody case and it has been a huge financial burden for me.

Additionally, I suffer from a rare chronic neurological disorder, known as narcolepsy with cataplexy, which affects my sleep-wake cycle and involves muscle weakness. This condition causes me to frequently feel tired, even after feeling well-rested on waking, as well as having interrupted sleep. Without treatment, this condition disrupts cognitive, social, and psychological development and function; as well as causes my social, school, and work life to suffer. Fortunately, through trial and error, my sleep specialist and I have found a treatment regimen that works well for me. However, due to insurance changes at the 2024 new year, I have been battling with my insurance company to cover my medications that are necessary for my ability to function with day-to-day activities. Without the insurance willing to cover the costs of my medications, the out-of-pocket cost of my medications is nearly $30,000 per month. Therefore, I have had to go without my medications since the beginning of this year. Due to not having the proper treatment for my condition, I have had to miss a lot of work over the last month or so, which has caused even further financial burden. Currently, I am working with a secondary insurance provider to obtain coverage for these necessary medications. I am hopeful that I will be able to restart my treatment regimen within the next few weeks.

Currently, I am on a medical leave from work due to multiple recent surgical procedures on one of my kidneys. I have been on medical leave since 2/6/2024 and anticipate to return to work in the next two weeks, after I have fully recovered. I was hospitalized 2/6/2024 through 2/8/2024 for invasive surgical procedures, including a nephrostomy tube placement and percutaneous nephrolithotomy to my right kidney. Due to the other above-mentioned unexpected situations and financial strains, I was not able to adequately prepare financially for being off work for these surgeries, as I had hoped. Since 1/15/2024, I have only been able to work two days, due to my medical conditions. Therefore, recently I have had very little to no income.

I have always been a hard worker and have always strived to be self-sufficient, but due to these recent multiple unforeseen circumstances and financial difficulties, I find myself in a difficult situation where I am in need of assistance. As a single mother and being the only source of income in my home, all of the financial burden lies on my shoulders. My housing, utilities, and car are all necessities needed to provide a stable environment for my son, to provide transportation for my son to and from school, and to allow myself the transportation needed to and from work and doctor appointments.

Currently, I am needing financial assistance for rent and utilities for the month of February 2024. Additionally, I am four months behind on my car payment (November 2023, December 2023, January 2024, and February 2024) and it is likely that the repossession process of my car has begun, thus my car will likely be repossessed soon if my payments are not brought to current. I have an itemized list of my bills that I am needing assistance with below:

Car Payment - Past Due $2,265.16

Rent - Past Due $2,152.50

Electric -  $142.42 due 2/16/2024

Water - Past Due $64.76 (May be disconnected if not paid by 2/21/2024)

I would be incredibly grateful for any assistance that you can provide to help me through this difficult time. I greatly appreciate your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Melissa Salas