I've spent the last few months staying at the Santa Fe Inn. I am considered to be disabled and live on SSI, but not SSDI. That means I get $730 a month, and it's lead to a lot of interesting problems in staying alive.
Normally people in my circumstances have various programs that help them, but there are so many funding problems in Pueblo, Colorado that I essentially never get access to those programs.
Have you ever heard about how people live in Greece? They say government programs are stretched so far that people just give up on them entirely sometimes. Its actually a little like that in some parts of the US too, and I live in one of them.
I should say I almost never get access to those programs, because it appears there is room for me in an assisted living facility now. My doctor signed off on my needing it, but until now there wasn't room.
Basically, my rent will be almost all of my SSI check, but they supply the food and fix it. It's actually a much better deal then I have now. I get only one room, but that's all I really need. Its financially sustainable, while staying in this hotel is not. It's also much quieter.
The thing I like about this the most is that I'll be around people I can talk to. I've moved from one place to another and most of the people I once knew have left Pueblo, or died. Without a car and on a very limited income there aren't that many opportunities for socialization out there. I'm hoping I can get used to being around people again. I think it's something I need.
Unfortunately, I don't have access to internet out there. The assisted care facility is in Pueblo West, a kind of addition to Pueblo which does not connect by bus at all. That's how things are here. The Social Security Administration building is located so far out of town many people with disabilities have a great deal of trouble reaching it. That's good planning on their part I suppose. It means they receive fewer claims on their time. It's not particularly great for the disabled but its become clear over the years that this doesn't factor into their planning.
What I can do is take a cab ride into town once a week to get to the library. When I'm there I will read my messages, upload my work and so on. I will drop in now and then and try to stay in contact with those of you I've met. I've been working on a project that is very important to me for six years and I'm going to launch it soon, so I will be back in touch at least every week.
I have several ideas of how to get internet access more often in the near future, so I may be able to log in more often then once a week in time. It depends on a number of factors. I may be able to hook into wi fi a little closer, but I'll need to get some kind of a device first. I'll figure out a way to get on the internet more often as soon as I can.
Staying at the hotel was very depressing. I've frankly been getting less and less work done every day, but I'm hoping that I will go back to my full efficiency once I'm in a more stable environment. I keep track of my numbers every day, and they are about 25% of what they were back when I had a livable apartment.
So I’m sorry I’ll be in less contact with you all for awhile, but for the most part this is very good news. I was struggling for a few dollars each month to avoid becoming homeless, and my diet had become terrible while I stayed at the hotel. I would have been homeless at the least very soon.