To whom it may concern , I have been out of work for seven months so far this year due to sever degenerative arthritis and I have recently had a total shoulder replacement (left) and I am currently on unpaid medical leave from Armstrong Wood Products which I have worked at for almost ten years. Because it is arthritis it is not considered a work injury so I am currently not making any income at all. My wife has severe fibromyalgia as well as multiple other back problems and is awaiting an appeal for disability. I went through bankruptcy, lost my pick up, and am worried about losing my house and really worried I will lose my medical coverage as my payments are not being made right now because I am currently in a 13 week gap between my short term and long term disabilities at Armstrong , which means I have to go until almost the end of October before I get any pay at all and my medical coverage might be cut off because I was paying my medical with my short term disability payments. On top of that I was just notified that the trustee that handled my bankruptcy says I have to pay $1900 from my 2008 taxes to the bankruptcy trustee for chapter 7 bankruptcy and my bankruptcy was all over with way back in April , so I thought that was all over with. The only help we are getting is because my wife has childeren in our house and we get food stamps and $234 a month money for her kids. I was told there is no help for a man that works hard their whole life doing Heavy duty physical labor type jobs and then suddenly cannot work so , I have no way to pay any of our bills and I am worried about losing our house. Is there any foundations that grant money to families such as ours in need ? I currently cannot work due to my shoulder replacement surgery and I cannot afford to pay the $25 copays to go to my physical therapy for my shoulder. I'm told I may never be able to do any type of work I am used to when my shoulder heals with very limited movement and lack of lifting capacity. so what am I to do ? I am currently waiting on appeal for my disability as well and do not know where to turn , can anyone help ? thanks , Anthony P.
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FAMILY IN CRISIS
by tonypray42 (Subscribe)
Posted on: Sep 2, 2009 at 10:07 AM CST
Channel: Local News
Location: West Plains MO
I am so sorry for your difficulties. But I am wondering if this has been exaggerated to help Obama get his health bill passed.
missourimom , what do you mean you wonder if this has been exagerated to help Obama get his health bill passed ? Let me assure you This is my family and all the dificulties I listed are real , there is no exageration there , trust me we are broke .
Stephanie Moran , Thanks for your kind words . Yes we have had Ozark action help pay our utility but they have an $800 yearly cap for each family they help and can no longer help us, again thanks for your kind words.
I FEEL FOR YOUR SITUATION,IT AGGRAVATES ME TO NO END THAT GOOD HARD WORKING PEOPLE HAVE TO BEG FOR HELP WHILE OUR GOVERNMENT SQUANDERS SO MUCH MONEY ON COUNTRIES OTHER THAN OURS. OUR PEOPLE, OUR COUNTRY NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF FIRST.
Have you ever considered retraining in order to get a non-physical job? I don't know how much this can work for you now, but I would suggest you get in touch with VocRehab. My husband was the same way, and they put him through school at MSU.
And considering your financial postion, you should qualify for loans and grants, too. We often used those to live on, and they don't affect food stamps and AFDC. I'm sorry you didn't write this sooner. The semester already started. Hope it helps!
I know just what you are going through! My husband had a major heart attack and got really sick and almost died. We ended up having to sell our home in due to foreclosure. That maybe the only option yall have too., Good luck, and may God with youPRAY
I wish I could help but my family too is feeling the pain of tough times. Have you tried contacting local churches? Sometimes they have charity funds available for needy families. I will do some researching and see if I can find some ideas for you.
Just ignore people like missourimom. People like that just don't get how the system keeps hard working families down. You make a buck over their quoto and you don't get their help but that buck isn't going to buy you a loaf of bread.
My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. Also, have you tried the James River Community Health Center? They won't be able to help with your bills but they should be able to help you with getting free medical care.
thanks for your kind comments everyone . KY3 news gave me the numbers of community partnership and the united way and I have wrote to them and waiting to hear from them since it is the weekend I e-mailed them instead of calling. again , thanks
do you go to church? I am sure that any church will take up donations to help you and your family. it is horrible that this kind of thing can happen to american families!!
We see famlies every day in need but they are not asking for handouts they are trying to find jobs becasuse they are the hard working people. We should check public records on people before we feel so sorry for them as they say the past comes back ;)
concerned parents , I have worked my but off doing construction type jobs my whole life and If I could work right now I would be . I just had a total shoulder replacement eight weeks ago ! I am really insulted by your complete ignorance !
concerned parent cont. I was not asking for any handouts either , I was inquiring about where my family could get some help because we are physically unable to work re read the story obviosly you missed the point of the story and I feel bad for you !
Concerned parent cont. You know I served 8 years in the military and I have never been out of work until now . I have made as much as $45,000 a year and as little as $12, 000 a year and that was when I was serving my country. I really feel for you !
Tony, you should understand that you are in a sense, speaking to the choir. You are addressing a public full of persons that are struggling left and right, some with no income for more than a year, or worse yet. Those that have had hours cut
They are than not elligible for medical or state help because they make too much (but not enough to survive). It is a cold and cynical world we live in, but that is the way it is. BTW, judging from what you wrote in your story it is my guess
You served when you were young, without a degree, which would mean enlisted. You demeaned the income of $12, 000, but you neglected to point at that you made that in addition to boarding, medical, dental, schooling for your children was all payed.
As well as a stipend for food. So in a sense you made $1000 dollars a month for everything else, which isn't much. Sounds pretty good to me, maybe you should have stuck with the military. You would have VA medical now and military retirement pay.....
I think you missed our point due to your ignorance, the key words were public records and concerned parents maybe you should give that some thought before you comment also.
to mutigernurse , thanks for your comments and yes I was an enlisted man , I was a sgt when I got out of the military and loved being in the military , thanks.
to concerned parent , I dont really have a comment for you because you do not make any sense to get on this blog and make irrelevant comments and plain rude statements for no reason at other than to cause trouble, and a persons past is the past.
Hey, Tonypray 42, hang in there. Don't listen to people like Concerned parents. I know you are not asking for a handout, so peace. My husband and I have been and are where you are now. He served 8 years in the Navy, too, as enlisted. Hang in there.
And, like I said, try VocRehab, see if they can help. Maybe they can get you in school somehow, say in second block classes. Also, maybe you could check with VA? You could maybe get medical insurance for yourself. Not for your wife; I dont get help.
I am like your wife somewhat, in that I have multiple back problems and rhuematic arthritis. But every little bit helps, of course. Also, there is a place in Springfield (Don't know about west Plains) that helps veterans with emergencies.
Check it out, and hold your head up. You have served your country, and now you need some help yourself. I am confident that you will one day be able to get back to it on the helping side again. So be proud of what you were and what you will be again!
To FRIEND , thanks for you nice comments. I have checked with Vocational rehab and they said they could help me out after the surgeon releases me because I am still actually employed but on un paid medical leave between my short term and long term
Friend cont.. so for now I am kind of in a holding pattern here just doing what I am told from my doctor and the Physical therapist . It is nice to talk to other ex military families , you know I would have retired in 2004 if I had thayed in .
Friend cont... My girlfriend at the time was expecting our 2nd child and I had decided to get out of the military so my kids would not have to travel all over. Thanks again for your suggestions I will check with the VA and see what they say.
In re: to your medical care - can you go to the VA for medical assistance? I know that doesn't help with the finances, but perhaps it could help. Praying for you and your family!!
to from a friend, thanks for your suggestion and for your prayers.
I have been reading all of the comments on here and sounds like some people have a problem of what people in the military get all I can say they earned everything. Also you sound angry at people's comments. remember everyone is on hard times.just pra
Prayer gets us a long ways. We don't always understant why we have to go thru these things but have faith in God hw is always there no matter what. I will continue to pray for you.
To retired Military, thanks for your kind comments , sorry if I sounded angry or bitter towards some of the comments and I know alot of folks are having hard times right now. We are just really struggling to get by right now and thanks again .
SURE IS NICE TO KNOW THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT MY TAX DOLLARS SUPPORT. http://www.mshp.dps.mo.gov/CJ38/Offense?page=0&column=name&id=923404&lastName=Pray&suffix=&firstName=Anthony&middleName=William
BET THAT POOR CHILD DOESN'T THINK THE PAST IS IN THE PAST.
Werent you convicted of statutory rape?! You deserve what happens to you. You should have went to college and got a degree or better yet, stayed in the Army. I bet the child that you raped has NOT forgot what you did to her.
Tonyprays42....I work for the VA...You are probably eligible for VA benefits http://www.va.gov/HEALTHELIGIBILITY/eligibility/DetermineEligibility.asp
to anonymous , I notice you didnt put your name with that info nor do you know the facts of the case or that it was 15 years ago. If you knew anything about this you would not have brought it up ! this has nothing to do with this article.
to Umm... no I took a plea bargain during an election year to i count of statutory rape and served 5 years in prison a long time ago for that. This was 15 years ago and if you do not know the facts of the case and you would know i didnt rape anyone.
to nice to know, umm, and anonymous , how long does it take to be forgiven for a past mistake that was 15 years ago and has nothing to do with our present situation since you want to cause trouble for no reason about things you dont know about???
to nice to know, umm, and anonymous , I just want you to know that I served my time , went through two treatment programs and was making $40,000 for the last ten years before I became disabled, so when is enough enough ? never ??
I posted this article because I had a total shoulder replacement and cannot work and was asking for suggestions on where I might get help for my family but it appears there are people on here that just want to cause trouble instead of help but thanks
and there are a-holes who want to feel sorry for themselves for everything, a real man would be out finding a way, and not surfing the net whining about being chastized for being an animal. you can't say i don't know what happened, you don't even
know who i am. it's ridiculous to even respond to you, as you clearly wont see yourself as anything but some kind of hero. don't worry, satan's already left his number for ya.
to anonymous, this article has nothing whatsoever to do with something that happened in my past 15 years ago , I already served my time. you on the other hand only want to cause trouble on an issue that has nothing to do with our present situation.
anonymous, you obviosly did not read the article , nobody is feeling sorry for themselves here, I had a total shoulder replacement and cannot work right now , period. No whining here , past mistakes have nothing to do with this article (15 years).
Anonymous cont.. , rude responses that have nothing to do with this article is the problem , I paid for my offense long ago but people like you are more of a problem . you should not respond if it has nothing to do with this article , no rude comment
Why are you guys wasting your time arguing back and forth, you don't need to justify anything to that person, frankly it's none of their business.....I do kinda agree though, this might not have been the best outlet to find places to help your family
anonymous yesterday 3:51, thanks , i know but we have tried just about everywhere we can think of to get help. Thats why I wrote the article. Thanks for youe comments.
I can't help you with ideas or money I am sorry to say. I will put you on my prayer list. God forgives and will help you if you will just believe in Him and tell every one you know. I am curious of how things are now for you as it is late October.
missmouse , thanks for your prayers and comments. Things are still about the same except my long term disability should start soon from my work . I have been without any pay for almost 16 weeks because what was supposed to be automatic is late , than
stephanie moran says ...
On Friday, Sep 4 at 8:05 AM
Im so so sorry about your condition have you tried oacac for help ? sometimes they can help with some bills like rent and cu. I wish with all my heart I could help I only know to much what it is like to be in your shoes I will pray for your family