I need help and don't know where else to turn.....

Hi,

      My name is Chuck and I live in Suffolk County, NY. I have a beautiful, wonderful wife and six terrific children, ages 7 1/2, 6, 4 1/2, 3, 2 & 9 months. Our troubles started when my wife was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in August of 2001. We had just bought our home and had our second child in April of that year. She was unable to work for awhile, mostly because of complications from the second pregnancy, but she now works days 8a-2p because we need the money to help support our household. I work from 4p-12a due to our child care needs. I watch our children during the day while my wife works-this consists of getting all 6 changed, dressed, making lunches, packing up backpacks, etc.. The oldest 2 get on the bus at 9am (during the school year) and then I pack up the other 4 and drive the 4 1/2 yr old to preschool every Mon, Wed & Fri. After dropping him off at 9:30 am, I try and do any errands so my wife won't have to (grocery shopping, doctor's appointments, etc.) then I pick my preschooler up at 12:00, bring them all home, give them lunch and then put the youngest 2 down for a nap around 1:30-2:00. I then get myself ready for work, my wife comes home at 2:45, we have about 5 minutes with each other, and then I have to leave. She takes care of getting the older ones off the bus at 3:45, helping them with their homework, making dinner, showers/baths, storytime and then bedtime around 7:30p-8:00p. She also volunteers at our Church on weekends whenever she has time. My reason for writing this is that I am a 36 year old married father of 6 and I am in a desperate financial situation. I used to make ends meet by working as much overtime as I could get, mostly on Sat. Sun and Holidays. My company recently cancelled all overtime because of the expense and less of a need for it. My wife hated that I was not home more often, but understood that we needed the money to be able to afford our house and the monstrous expenses we have in raising 6 children. I have always felt like a failure because I don't make enough money to allow her to stay home and not have to work, not to mention being unable to afford any vacations, or an occasional nice gift for my wife.Well, since they cut all my overtime, I have used up the equity in our home, as well as borrowing from my mother, just to keep ourselves current on our bills. I am now about a month away from running out of money completely, and am now in heavy, heavy debt. My mother borrowed against her house in order to help us, with the understanding that I would refinance in the future and repay her-she is now having trouble making the larger payment and I have no money to give her towards it. We don't live extravagantly, nor do we shower our children with needless gifts-our families have been very generous with my children and any extras they have come from them. I have tried refinancing (yet again) but am told my debt to income ratio is way to high to qualify me for a loan. I have been looking for some sort of part time job, but the only hours I would be able to work are Saturday & Sunday and I cannot find anything that will accomodate that-I've even looked into starting a business-a vending route, etc-but they all require a substantial cash investment that I do not have. I have no way of moving somewhere cheaper either-my job does not offer out of state transfers. I don't even know why I am laying all of this out here-I doubt anyone can help me given the size of my debt (over $50,000.00) I just wish I could find a way to consolidate my debts into an affordable payment and maybe not have to worry so much-I pray every night for a miracle but I am losing hope. My wife is a wonderful, loving, caring woman who deserves better than this......better than me. If anyone has any suggestions, insights or ways to help, please email me at chuckhd@optonline.net