There are days when the sheer weight of life’s hardships feels like a physical thing—a crushing presence that makes it impossible to breathe, let alone talk. If you’ve ever felt that way, you’re not alone. Lately, my world has been a relentless downpour, a perfect storm of challenges that I’ve been trying to weather in isolation.
It’s everything all at once: the lack of support from family, both the kind words I desperately need and the financial help that would ease the burden. Then there’s the constant, growing shadow of my progressive eye condition and the terrifying, daily reality of impending blindness. Add to that the pervasive fear about life’s uncertainties and the grinding stress of financial constraints. And as a constant reminder of physical pain, there’s the lingering memory and scar from my hand burn accident. It’s all too much, leading to daily breakdowns fueled by anxiety and depression.
The Silence of Isolation
The worst part? People are trying to reach out. Friends, maybe even distant family, sense the struggle and want to help. They ask, “How are you?” or “Is everything okay?” But when I see those messages or hear their concerned voices, I freeze. I don’t know how to respond.
How do you distill a lifetime of trauma, a literal countdown to losing your sight, and the daily battle against your own mind into a simple, digestible answer? The truth is, I can’t.
Instead of trying, I choose silence. I let the calls go to voicemail. I leave texts on read. I isolate and shut them off. It feels safer here, in the quiet, overwhelming darkness I know, rather than risk the vulnerability of explaining the absolute chaos happening inside me.
The Unspoken Questions
In this lonely space, my mind constantly turns over the same questions, often directed upwards. “Why, God? Why all of this misery?” It feels so cliché, yet so profoundly real. Why is it that when it rains, it really pours? Why does one struggle have to compound the next, leaving me gasping for air? I search for a reason, a lesson, a light at the end of the tunnel, but often find only more darkness.
I’m learning, slowly, that I don’t need to have all the answers before I speak. I don’t need a perfect script or a bulleted list of my tragedies. What I need, and what you might need too, is just to start with a tiny bit of truth.
Maybe the first step isn’t a deep dive into the eye condition, but just saying, “I’m really struggling right now, and I don’t know what to say.” Maybe it’s not pouring out the financial details, but simply admitting, “I’m feeling overwhelmed and alone.”
This is the hard part of the journey: moving from isolating silence to finding even the smallest words. My reality is messy, overwhelming, and scary. But maybe, just maybe, allowing one person a tiny glimpse into that truth will lighten the load just enough for the next rain shower.

Having said these, I’m reaching out with a very personal and difficult request. Things have become incredibly challenging lately, and I’ve been really struggling to get by. If you have the capacity to extend a bit of help, no matter how small, I would be deeply and eternally grateful. Your kindness would make a profound difference.
Thank you in advance for even considering lending a hand.

💊 My Lifeline Medication
My vision is severely impacted; my right eye is already blind, and my remaining 20% left eye vision is my lifeline. The following medications are crucial for maintaining it:
Nepafenac eye drops
Latanoprost eye drops
Neurobion tablet
**If you’d like to help directly, you could also send some of my actual medicine.

💰 Ways to Extend Financial Help
Any financial help you can offer will go directly toward essential needs and my ongoing medical expenses.
GCash or Maya or PayPal
0927-948-6375 (Mark L* S*)
BPI Account
Account Number: 0566290843
Account Name: Mark Lester Sotelo

You may also extend support by purchasing g candles that I craft send a direct message to Story Candle PH on Facebook or Instagram for orders and inquiries.
Thank you for your generosity and for taking the time to read my plea. Every bit of support is a true blessing.