My Spinal Cord Injury

In May 2024, I fell and hit my head and back on a stone wall. I sustained a concussion and a burst fracture of the first lumbar vertebra (L1). The concussion symptoms have gradually resolved, but my back condition has progressed to a spinal cord injury with persistent weakness and pain in the legs, and now bowel and bladder problems.

After the injury, the neurosurgeon did not think that spinal surgery was needed. At this point, he believes that surgery is needed to prevent further progression of the neurologic problems. He feels it will probably improve the pain and weakness, but may not help the bowel and bladder problems. I am currently scheduling the surgery.

I have not worked in 7 months since I fell, and I am the main breadwinner in our family. My wonderful husband was turned into a full-time caretaker as well as trying to make up for my lost income

Unfortunately, we have gotten behind in our mortgage payments and our loan servicer is threatening foreclosure.  We are applying for a Reverse Mortgage so that we can stay in our home, but it can take up to 2 months to finalize. We need to stop the foreclosure to give us time to complete the Reverse Mortgage. When the Reverse Mortgage is complete, the funds from the Reverse Mortgage will pay off whatever is still owed on the home. In the meantime, I need to raise about $25,000 before mid-January.

Some of you may know me from church. I really don’t like to ask for contributions, but there doesn’t seem to be any other way to stop the foreclosure except to pay the past due amount. The mortgage servicer refuses to give us an extension and will not accept partial payments. There must be a fund where a friend could donate even a small amount. That is why I am using this crowd-sourcing platform.  

I would appreciate any help you could give us.

Janet Kaye Oneal