Homeless Again & Request

I’m back!  (For now….)

Here’s how we became homeless again.

In January (2013) we saw a major sign that our housing would probably get worse for me.  It did.

We searched (and are still searching) at least five online rental home sites (including one national MCS site) almost every day.

Nothing.

Not. A. Thing.  Not then, not now.

I got sicker.

We wrote emails to a dozen or so real estate agents looking for rent-to-own or maybe rent-while-the-house-sells.

Nothing.

We looked again for alternative financing.

Not even close.

I got sicker and sicker.

It was still too cold for me to camp in my camper, especially overnight.  And, we could not find a campground for me within 30 minutes anyway.  (Of course most are shut down in the winter.  Others spray chemicals regularly.  Etc.)

Finally we found a good rental possibility—OUT of town, no pesticides, etc.

Too expensive.  WAY too expensive.  Nothing turned up to help with that.

I got sicker.

Finally, I got so sick I was afraid for my life.  (Mom & Dad, I’m okay!  Really!)

We camped.  It helped.

Then more rain came, and more.  Rain = moldy forests.  I’m still okay in many places around here, but not in the dense National Forest, which happens to be where the free camping is (“dispersed camping”—please see National Forest rules if you decide to try this).

Even campgrounds that do not use herbicides or pesticides have campfires, propane, exhaust, usually mold (woodsy, trees), and whatever bug sprays (pesticides) other campers decide to use.  And other stuff.

But the dense, moldy National Forest causes me heart symptoms, EXTREME (like you can’t believe it) fatigue, weakness, digestive problems, breathing problems, and some other things.

This week, the temporary place I had been staying began causing me neurological symptoms, breathing problems, heart symptoms, digestive problems, and pain.  Praise God we were able to find private land farther from dense trees and owned by very caring people!!  (But we are camping there in the old Winnebago and my camper with no electricity or water and almost non-existent cell phone signal.)

We’ve been homeless for almost a month.

To be honest, I’m very tired of fighting for my health and my life.  No one has fought harder than my husband; I’m tired of seeing him bowed down under the weight.

Tired of fighting?  Yes.  Quitting?  No.

We have several other people who have been absolutely amazing advocates.  We are blessed.  Some people with MCS have NO advocates.

Next step?  Don’t know.

Swallowing my pride terribly:  please buy one of my books if you can and/or pass on my book information to as many of your friends as you can.  And/or tell me if you know of any good way to advertise that does not break quirky internet laws and preferably doesn’t cost much.  If you have the ability, any advertising you might be able to do would be fantastic.  

Thank you.

Christa Upton      Black Hills Picture Books      Edgemont, SD  57735