When I bought this house and brought these people (and animals) together to be my family, I had high hopes. It has gone very, very not how I thought it was going to. I was expecting to advance in my career, and instead I had an expensive hospital stay, and a month later, lost my job. The job situation is complicated by the fact that I have a disability and am trapped between the rock and hard place of "It would take years to get Social Security benefits" and "going back to work is a dangerous idea." I don't like talking about it because mood disorders carry such stigma and are so misunderstood.

Meanwhile, the house has given us some expensive surprises. For a while it seemed like a major disaster on every weekday, and two on Saturday. I haven't been able to keep up. There's water damage, structure damage, plumbing problems, electrical problems, and cables taped to the floor that really belong in the walls.

The last year and a half have been hard on all of us. We're burned out. I've got a list of about 40 things that MUST be done, that we don't have the resources to do, at the same time that my savings are about to be exhausted.

I have no idea how much to ask for. I put $28k because that's roughly what I would have earned had I not lost my job. To be honest I don't like asking for money at all. I'd rather be the one giving. It's humbling. Really, really humbling.

Thank you all for your love and support.