Mayoral candidate explains bankruptcy

To the editor:

Please print the following so the residents of Marion may possibly understand how we came to the difficult decision to recently declare bankruptcy.

I understand this has been a concern to some who have been discussing my interest in becoming the next mayor.

As many of you know, my wife, Stacie, has been working as a scrub tech in surgery at Newton Medical Center and as a tech on the Marion County ambulance service.

In March 2008, following gall bladder surgery, she became ill again. After several more weeks, it was determined that an existing autoimmune disorder of the bowel had been retriggered. Medications were added and increased. During the summer of 2008, she suffered extreme fatigue. A thyroid disorder was discovered and treatment prescribed. She remained ill and in the fall of 2008, a rheumatologist diagnosed another autoimmune disorder involving the spine and hips. Physical changes to the lower part of her spine were evident.

This disease can cause spine fusion over time. Also diagnosed was chronic bursitis of both hips and shoulders that cause her weakness and pain. Additional and increased medications were again prescribed, including joint injections and self-injections at home several times per month.

By February 2009, she had used all of her paid time off benefits at Newton Medical Center and was trying to work as much as possible.

In November 2008, she began having dizzy spells, which resulted in her having to quit her job and begin unpaid medical leave. Long-term disability insurance started after several months.

In April 2009, a mass on her adrenal gland was surgically removed. The surgery revealed the mass was growing into her kidney, but was benign. Thankfully, nothing else has surfaced medically since then. All of this has left her able to only work a few hours per week because of extreme fatigue, pain, and restrictions on how much she can lift, walk, sit, and stand.

As a result, we have had sporadic, sometimes lengthy periods of declining income, eventually leading to the permanent decrease of income, totaling approximately $40,000 per year.

Unfortunately, it had resulted in the need for us to declare bankruptcy so that we can keep our home and vehicles.

We are both willing to talk openly with anyone about this unfortunate turn of events in hopes of putting the community more at ease.

We hope this answers many questions.

Steve and Stacie Smith
Marion