Save Peter and Erika's Accessible House

Once in awhile, I find something that's worth copying over from someone else's blog... especially if it's helpful to someone. I found the info on these folks who are about to lose their accessible home. It looks like it's getting better, so I decided that, knowing "near okay" isn't as good as "out of the woods".

They're on the way out of the woods, but it ain't over yet for Peter and Erika

You can still bid on an item to help someone out. Emma Bull's new book, signed items from Neil Gaiman, pretties. This round of auctions end on the 25th.

The following is pasted from the moderator's profile page on LiveJournal:

Here's the story in Peter's own words:

I was let go from my job in July of 2008. I've had no work outside the home since then. I say "outside the home" because I am getting some money coming in from acting as a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) for Ericka, my partner of 20+ years. This has been enough to pay the utilities and phone, put food in the refrigerator, keep gas in the van and like that. It hasn't been enough, sadly, to pay the mortgage on top of that.

I received a letter from my mortgage company saying that they're referring my mortgage to their lawyers to begin foreclosure proceedings. Like so many others out there, I'm without a job and in danger of losing my home. I'm lucky that I'm able to keep the lights on, but it is looking grim all the same.

Ericka has multiple, chronic, life-altering diseases and I am her primary caregiver. Her Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) makes it impossible to breathe without taking steroids every day. Her MS keeps her muscles weak and plagues her with nerve pain frequently. The steroids have caused diabetes that requires her to have an insulin pump. She is basically bed-ridden.

Despite her challenges, Ericka leads a full life and anyone who takes the time to get to know her can't help but love her. We have modified our home over the years we have lived here to make it as comfortable as possible for her to continue to live here.

You can see why losing this home would be a devastating blow for both of us. That's why I need your help.

And from Ericka:

jbru and i are in danger of losing our home.

there. it's out. shame, pride, anger, fear, worry, terror- it's all there. so, i am asking for help- ideas, prayer, cheerful notes, and yes, cash.

as many of you know, i have been disabled for over 15 yrs, and bedridden for the last 2 yrs. we have modified our home to handle my medical equipment and power wheelchair, etc. things like the added and increased voltage electrical system, the ramp, the bathroom, the enlarged doors and added bedroom door (so the wheelchair and ambulance gurneys can get thru) are just some of the things that have been adapted so that i can continue to live in my home with my dearest jbru and our family. now due to my lengthy inability to work and jbru's continued unemployment, we are getting desperate.

These are good people. They are loving, kind, and generous friends.

You all know the starfish story. There's a lot going wrong out there in the world, and there's no way, you, I, any of us can save the world. But we can make a difference in this one case.

From the moderator of the Accessible House community on lj.