All about Blake
Where to start... Many many years ago on a night like tonight... (inside joke)
I was raised in Rich Creek, Virginia a small rural town of about 500 in Southwest Virginia.
Growing up I was in the Boy Scouts and achieved rank of Eagle Scout. Part of my Eagle Scout project was to organize the Giles Junior Rescue Squad and attend an EMT class.
So at a young age I became an EMT and a Junior Volunteer Rescue Squad Member.
While in the squad I attended other classes and advanced to Paramedic. In addition to running volunteer rescue squad calls, I also joined the Volunteer Fire Department and held several offices in too different departments I was in. I started in the Pearisburg Volunteer Fire Department and with changes in employment I moved and then joined the Glen Lyn Volunteer Fire Department.
I was working a full time job with our County's Paid Ambulance Service and then running calls on my off time as a volunteer. Needless to say it kept me busy most all the time.
I had an employment change and started working at the Giles County Sheriffs Office. I worked in dispatch and then the correctional department (jail). I didn't much like the jail, it was the same story with every inmate, I'm innocent, I didn't do it and a very profane place.
I left the Sheriff's Office for a job with the Glen Lyn Police Department. I was the Chief of Police of a 1 man department. Needless to say it was a busy job. Not only did I have to patrol but it also came with all the clerical work that was required. And on top of that I was on call 24/7. Finally I did get some help when I was able to apply for a Federal Grant to add another officer to our department and I enlisted a certified volunteer police officer.
Everything was going great and then disaster strikes. I was diagnosed with "Berger's Disease" a disease that effects the kidneys. I was told in my late 20's not to worry about it much because I would be in my 60's before any intervention would be needed for the kidney disease. Boy where they wrong. In my late 20's I went into kidney failure and had to start dialysis.
My brother, Brad, elected to donate a kidney and that transplant lasted 15 years.
After the first transplant, I moved to Florida to work as a paramedic with the Sunstar Ambulance Service. It was an awesome pay raise to work as a medic. As a matter of fact I had saved more in 1 year in my 401k than I had in 5 years as a police officer for the Town of Glen Lyn.
Then disaster strikes again and I was admitted to Florida Hospital Kissimmee for the entire month of February 2009. I had pneumonia and had to return to dialysis. Then I did apply for disability.
Now this is where thing really start to go wrong. Applying for disability was supposed to be a 6 month process. Needless to say this was not the case with me, it took over 9 months to get any disability payment.
During that 9 months with no income whatsoever, I ended up having to wipe out every penny I had ever saved just to live. After several months of no income the State of Florida stepped in and gave me SSI. SSI in Florida is $200 a month. That was no where near enough to try to live on. Rent alone was $750 a month and some months the power bill was up to $400 a month (and that was with me living in the dark and not using anything electrical that wasn't necessary). So needless to say I had to spend every penny to live. Now on top of no income, I was also in and out of the hospital and was receiving more bills and had to start paying for all the medications. I was financially drained.
When I first talked to transplant, the only suggestion they had was to start hosting fund raisers to raise the money I needed to get my transplant. So with that I started the Blake Needs Help site. I was told I would need to raise about $15,000 to cover all of my out of pocket expenses related to the transplant.
I was even removed from the active transplant list for a short time due to financial reasons and by the grace of God I was able to get enough donations to be placed back on the active transplant list.
Now with the transplant done and over, I still need to raise another $10,000 to cover the post transplant cost.
Some have emailed and said I needed to work on my budget. I laughed and said what budget, disability is barely enough to pay rent and buy food. I don't have enough money now to even think about a budget. But for those that think I need to cut spending, here's a list of things I have cut to save money.
Apartment. My rent was increasing from 750 to 950 a month and I moved out.
I now live in an extended stay motel. This way I don't have to worry about
utilities.
Vehicle. I still don't have a vehicle. Wachovia Dealer Services (Wells Fargo now) Said
they would work with me and days later they repossessed my truck and I
have been without a vehicle the last few years.
News Paper Canceled
Vacations Canceled
New Clothes Canceled
Entertainment Canceled
Internet Canceled
Any expenses that is not 100% necessary has been canceled.
And with everything canceled I still barely make through month to month. And sadly still have to ask for financial assistance.
This is why I started Blake Needs Help.
I have served in Public Service most all of my life and now instead of me being here to serve you, I must beg you for your help and assistance.
If you can help with a donation of any amount, please visit my donation page and make a donation today.
I had such an awesome response to Help Save Blake, I decided to start the Help Save My Life Foundation so we could help other transplant patients with the financial needs they have in order to get a transplant.
We need all the volunteers we can get at www.helpsavemylifefoundation.ning.com
So if you can volunteer to help with fundraisers, make a donation, would like to serve on the board of directors, please visit our site and sign up today.
Any amount of time can make a big difference in a transplant patients life.
Where to start... Many many years ago on a night like tonight... (inside joke)
I was raised in Rich Creek, Virginia a small rural town of about 500 in Southwest Virginia.
Growing up I was in the Boy Scouts and achieved rank of Eagle Scout. Part of my Eagle Scout project was to organize the Giles Junior Rescue Squad and attend an EMT class.
So at a young age I became an EMT and a Junior Volunteer Rescue Squad Member.
While in the squad I attended other classes and advanced to Paramedic. In addition to running volunteer rescue squad calls, I also joined the Volunteer Fire Department and held several offices in too different departments I was in. I started in the Pearisburg Volunteer Fire Department and with changes in employment I moved and then joined the Glen Lyn Volunteer Fire Department.
I was working a full time job with our County's Paid Ambulance Service and then running calls on my off time as a volunteer. Needless to say it kept me busy most all the time.
I had an employment change and started working at the Giles County Sheriffs Office. I worked in dispatch and then the correctional department (jail). I didn't much like the jail, it was the same story with every inmate, I'm innocent, I didn't do it and a very profane place.
I left the Sheriff's Office for a job with the Glen Lyn Police Department. I was the Chief of Police of a 1 man department. Needless to say it was a busy job. Not only did I have to patrol but it also came with all the clerical work that was required. And on top of that I was on call 24/7. Finally I did get some help when I was able to apply for a Federal Grant to add another officer to our department and I enlisted a certified volunteer police officer.
Everything was going great and then disaster strikes. I was diagnosed with "Berger's Disease" a disease that effects the kidneys. I was told in my late 20's not to worry about it much because I would be in my 60's before any intervention would be needed for the kidney disease. Boy where they wrong. In my late 20's I went into kidney failure and had to start dialysis.
My brother, Brad, elected to donate a kidney and that transplant lasted 15 years.
After the first transplant, I moved to Florida to work as a paramedic with the Sunstar Ambulance Service. It was an awesome pay raise to work as a medic. As a matter of fact I had saved more in 1 year in my 401k than I had in 5 years as a police officer for the Town of Glen Lyn.
Then disaster strikes again and I was admitted to Florida Hospital Kissimmee for the entire month of February 2009. I had pneumonia and had to return to dialysis. Then I did apply for disability.
Now this is where thing really start to go wrong. Applying for disability was supposed to be a 6 month process. Needless to say this was not the case with me, it took over 9 months to get any disability payment.
During that 9 months with no income whatsoever, I ended up having to wipe out every penny I had ever saved just to live. After several months of no income the State of Florida stepped in and gave me SSI. SSI in Florida is $200 a month. That was no where near enough to try to live on. Rent alone was $750 a month and some months the power bill was up to $400 a month (and that was with me living in the dark and not using anything electrical that wasn't necessary). So needless to say I had to spend every penny to live. Now on top of no income, I was also in and out of the hospital and was receiving more bills and had to start paying for all the medications. I was financially drained.
When I first talked to transplant, the only suggestion they had was to start hosting fund raisers to raise the money I needed to get my transplant. So with that I started the Blake Needs Help site. I was told I would need to raise about $15,000 to cover all of my out of pocket expenses related to the transplant.
I was even removed from the active transplant list for a short time due to financial reasons and by the grace of God I was able to get enough donations to be placed back on the active transplant list.
Now with the transplant done and over, I still need to raise another $10,000 to cover the post transplant cost.
Some have emailed and said I needed to work on my budget. I laughed and said what budget, disability is barely enough to pay rent and buy food. I don't have enough money now to even think about a budget. But for those that think I need to cut spending, here's a list of things I have cut to save money.
Apartment. My rent was increasing from 750 to 950 a month and I moved out.
I now live in an extended stay motel. This way I don't have to worry about
utilities.
Vehicle. I still don't have a vehicle. Wachovia Dealer Services (Wells Fargo now) Said
they would work with me and days later they repossessed my truck and I
have been without a vehicle the last few years.
News Paper Canceled
Vacations Canceled
New Clothes Canceled
Entertainment Canceled
Internet Canceled
Any expenses that is not 100% necessary has been canceled.
And with everything canceled I still barely make through month to month. And sadly still have to ask for financial assistance.
This is why I started Blake Needs Help.
I have served in Public Service most all of my life and now instead of me being here to serve you, I must beg you for your help and assistance.
If you can help with a donation of any amount, please visit my donation page and make a donation today.
I had such an awesome response to Help Save Blake, I decided to start the Help Save My Life Foundation so we could help other transplant patients with the financial needs they have in order to get a transplant.
We need all the volunteers we can get at www.helpsavemylifefoundation.ning.com
So if you can volunteer to help with fundraisers, make a donation, would like to serve on the board of directors, please visit our site and sign up today.
Any amount of time can make a big difference in a transplant patients life.
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