After car crash, family needs assistance
Dear W.C.,
My son and daughter-in-law were recently in a terrible car accident that almost took their lives. They were hit by a man driving under the influence of drugs. He was using prescription anguish medications that he should not have been taking in the very first place. Both my son and daughter-in-law were in intensive care for a long time. They both have had numerous surgeries and my son contracted an infection and then pneumonia. I have been caring for my two grandchildren and granddogs for the past few months since this happened.
Their insurance is covering most of their expenses but there are some things that are just not covered. My son is self-employed and my daughter-in-law was only working part-time.
They had some savings but that is gone already, as I used it to pay their rent, food for the family and utility bills. I have been using my Social Security to provide other necessities for the children and to pay for gas for the trips back and forward to the hospital in Milwaukee, but I live on a very motionless income so this has spread all my resources. Even tho’ I am staying at their home right now, I still have to pay my own rent and utility bills. I am so worried they will get out of the hospital and not have a home to come back to. I know you don’t help with medical bills, but if you could help with some of the other expenses I would be very grateful.
Dear Readers,
As the opioid/drug epidemic becomes more and more prevalent in every community across our country we have become more aware of how it affects everyone. We used to only hear about drunken drivers, but now we have to be even more worried over the amount of drugged drivers we are sharing the roads with.
I went to visit the woman who wrote this letter of request at the address of her son and daughter-in-laws home. I had called the woman to set up a time to visit as I did not know when she would be there due to the hospital visits and children’s schedules. I was met at the door by a woman who looked fatigued and drained. I know from my own practice how tiring and emotionally draining constant trips to and from the hospital to visit loved ones can be. Doing this for several months, along with the worry over their recovery and caring for her two grandchildren, had taken a toll on her. She had good reason to be weary.
She held the screen door open for me and invited me inwards. The home was comfy and had a nice homey feeling. It was not large, but the woman told me it had three bedrooms, just enough for their family. The woman explained she was staying at the home to care for her youthfull grandchildren. They were outside in the yard with friends while I was visiting to permit us some privacy to talk.
I looked out the window into the yard and eyed several children playing with two big dogs running around them, obviously liking the excitement the children were providing. I had to smile looking at the joy they were sharing with the children as they joined in their play.
I knew that joy could have been so lightly taken from these children due to one driver choosing to get behind the wheel while impaired. The grandmother said, “Those dogs are a handful, but my son and his wifey and the children love them. I think they have truly helped the children get through this difficult time. When the accident very first happened the kids were in shock. We all were. Just having to keep the routine of walking the dogs and getting them outside helped to comeback some normalcy to their lives while we wait for their parents to get home.”
I asked about the progress of the son and daughter-in-law and learned they were both in a rehabilitation facility now. The grandmother added, “My daughter-in-law will be home in very likely a week. My son will be a little longer due to the infections and pneumonia he had. They were a big setback in his recovery. I’m just so glad they will be home soon. There was a time I didn’t even think they would ever come home.” The grandmother could not even finish her sentence as she broke down in tears. All the weeks of worry and stress poured down her face.
Tears she said she always kept hidden from her family as she worried in private, not wanting to upset the grandchildren or her son and daughter-in-law.
Once she was composed we went on to talk about the accident and I learned some more details, including the driver of the other vehicle had been uninsured. The son and daughter-in-law’s insurance was paying for many of the expenses but not everything, just as the woman had stated in her letter.
As I looked over the financial documents the woman had provided, I could see they were waiting on several claims to be approved. I asked the woman what were her main concerns. She stated they had been coming up brief with food and was even worried about the pet food for the dogs. She added, “I have to feed the children before the pets, but I know they are an significant part of this family and their eventual recovery. They will bring my son and daughter-in-law fine convenience when they get home. I feel presumptuous asking but could I ask for food for all of us?” I got up again to look out the window at the children and glad dogs, now sitting inbetween the children taking turns smooching their smiling faces, and knew the grandmother was right. They were needed at this family right now. They would help this family heal and hopefully once again become active and glad. I turned back to the grandmother and said, “You are not being presumptuous at all. You are right in knowing what this family needs and right now they need food and the unconditional love of these two dogs.” The grandmother showcased me her very first smile since I had arrived.
After ending going over their financial needs I made many notes. After careful evaluation, we provided grocery bounty cards, including food for the dogs that was donated from Petco via the food pantry, gas bounty cards, a car repair for the grandmother’s car as it was their only means of transportation for now, bounty cards for clothing and school supplies for the children and rent and utility assistance for the grandmother.
The grandmother also collective with me that she desired to stir in with her son’s family to help care for them and to make their financial situation a little lighter.
She demonstrated me the enclosed porch she planned on making into her bedroom. It was a petite room and she would be in need of a twin bed as she only had a very old dual bed at her apartment. We provided her with a fresh twin bed to help with her stir.
Before I left, I knew I had to meet the children and two dogs. The grandmother opened the back door and instantaneously we were surrounded by the children and dogs, all nosey to meet the fresh person in their home.
Once I met all of them, and provided some belly caresses and back scrapes to the friendly dogs that would not let me leave until I gave them some attention too, I said my goodbyes. The grandmother reached out and gave me a hug, purring in my ear, “We can’t thank you enough. You have made my job as grandma and caregiver so much lighter. God bless you.” I returned the hug cooing, “I will let everyone who supports us know how grateful you are. They would want to say God bless you, too.”
Several weeks later I called the grandmother to see how they were doing. She told me how they were doing so much better due to our help. She had been able to bring her daughter-in-law home securely thanks to our car repairs and the gas bounty cards had helped her to proceed to visit her son as he struggled with his painful inpatient physical therapy.
The grandmother was very blessed to report they now thought both the son and daughter-in-law would make a utter recovery and be able to eventually comeback to their jobs. She told me how she had been able to get out of her lease a little early and she and the children had moved her few belongings to her son’s house. She said she was sleeping so much better on the twin bed we had provided that she felt like a fresh person.
Gone was the physical exhaustion she had been fighting with every day. Gone was the anxiety over how she would feed and pay the bills for her son’s family and her own expenses. The insurance company was beginning to pay some of the expenses permitting her to use her puny income to help them until they again returned to their incomes.
Thank you for your continued support of the charity work we all do together. It is a group effort, a labor of love and a bliss to many suffering in poverty in our communities.
Please recall the fresh Fox Charities Summer two thousand seventeen $25,000 Matching Grant. Every dollar you donate will be matched by Fox Charities, doubling your donation. Thank you and God bless you.
Health and happiness, love and God bless everyone, W.C./Sal
Please help: There are many coming to us in desperation. Our good fellow creations need our compassion. Together we make a big difference. Make checks payable to: The Time Is Now to Help, P.O. Box 1, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. The Time Is Now to Help is a federally recognized 501©3 charitable organization licensed in the states of Wisconsin and Illinois. You will receive a tax deductible, itemized thank you receipt displaying how your donation provided assistance for the poverty stricken.
A very special thank you: Fox Charities, Kune’s Family Foundation, Mark and Natalie Reno, Martin Business, John Stensland and Family, Lake Geneva Area Realty, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schuberth, Jeffrey Martin, Benevity Causes, Thrivent Choice Program, Frank Buschauer, William Davit, William and Beth Norton, Teresa Hurley, Joy Ignasiak, Duane DeYoung, Karin Collamore, Gregory Swanson, Richard and Christine Costa, E. and Barbara Andres, Gerald and Marilyn Wilkin, Jacob and Janice Friesema, Jeffrey Bronk, Violet De Wind, our anonymous donors and all of you who support The Time Is Now to Help donation boxes, and the businesses that permit our donation boxes. Anyone who would like a Time Is Now donation box in your business, please call (262) 249-7000.
Memorials: The following donations were given in loving memory of Wayne Perkins: Shawn and Carrie Vorpagel, Tom and Barbara Kwiatkowski, Muriel Thompson, Dodd and Kathryn Davey, Virginia Paulsen, Kathryn Frederick, Merlyn and Dixie McConnell, Thomas and Tamara Larwa, Robert Vail, Walworth Landing, Dunn Lumber and True Value, Dennis and Evelyn Schulz, Mark and Lora Lehmann, Ellen and Ed Zitzler, Dale and Gail Folkers, Kenneth and Joyce Pagel, Dennis and Carol Frederick, Rev. Mark and Mary Ann Moller-Gunderson, Anders and Lu Anne Pearce, Dale and Monica Albrecht, Bruce Reek, Larry Kulik, James and Milissa Senft, Robert and Patricia Davis, Cyndee Sentieri and Chris Dierks. The estate of William and Mary Osborn, David Osborn and Valerie Lincoln in memory of Mary Osborn.
Prayer chain: The power of prayer and positive thoughts comes from the true healer, our Lord answering our prayers. Please plead for healing for the following people: Mike, Caroline, Susan, Jennifer, Clarence, Jayden, Santina, Alex, Lily, Kaitlyn, Kynesha, Brandi’s Grandma, and Marilyn.