I have been disabled for about 6 years now.
It's amazing the number of people who look at you and assume you are faking it.
I'm not a light weight person, in fact I'm carrying far too much weight on my body, but that doesn't mean that my weight is the cause of or perpetuating my issues. Even if I were thin, these issues would still be disabling.
What issues you might ask? I'll let you know of a couple, though not everything.
I have degenerative disc disease and peripheral neuropathy to start with. This makes standing and doing dishes painful. I often have to do dishes and other tasks in stages as standing or walking for any period of time causes pain in my lower back, and legs, as well as causes my legs to go number than they already are.
A couple of years ago, if I sat for a few minutes after walking or doing tasks, the feeling would come back all the way in my legs, but now the feeling of numbness is persistent, though I am starting to get used to it. Even now, while I am sitting in my recliner typing this, my lower back hurts.
In years past spring cleaning would take me a couple days to do, but now I'm on week 2 and a long ways from being finished. Of course it doesn't help that I tripped a few days back and twisted my already arthritic knees. This has made walking a challenge, especially in the mornings when I am the most stiff. My landlord is pissed at me for taking so long on my spring cleaning project. I get it, my porch is a mess as is my back yard where I'm doing most of my sorting because I don't have much room in my house to do sorting. I'm considering getting outdoor curtains put up on my porch so the mess can't be seen from the street.
I will eventually need both of my knees replaced, but they won't do so until I either turn 60, in another decade, or until I can no longer walk with my bone on bone knees.
I have been hit with a bunch of expenses, I wasn't expecting this spring along with some that I was expecting.
Many people get mad when you are disabled and try to do things on your own. For most people on disability, they just don't make enough money to hire everything done that needs to get done, so you are forced to do what you can on your own.
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Most of the things I need to have done will need to be done by professionals that know what they are doing, as I just don't have the knowledge or physical ability to do most of these things.
To start with I had a pipe break last winter, which also made my hot water heater go on the fritz. I disconnected it a month ago, so now I have to heat water on my stove in order to get a bath. I'm hoping I can get a new hot water heater and have a plumber install it on my next SS check.
The reason I disconnected it (one of the few things I could do on my own), was because it kept blowing my circuit breaker every time it would heat water. My breaker box main would become hot every time it came on. Since I live in an old trailer, I didn't want to risk an electrical fire, so I completely disconnected the wiring for it.
I had electricians out a couple months ago due to my electrical problems. They found out the the park owned main that goes to my trailer was half burned out and they replaced it and the park I'm living in paid for it(yeah!). Unfortunately my home space heater suffered a meltdown from that, so I will need a new heater before next winter sets in. The furnace in here hasn't worked since the day I bought my trailer. I may have to find out what a new furnace might cost me instead of having the space heaters. Though that will also mean needing new duct work as the previous owner took that out.
My truck went down a month ago as well, It will cost me about 2 k, to get a new rear axle on it as well as some other maintenance work like new spark plugs and wires, and a new emergency brake. My truck will have to wait until I get more pressing things done, assuming it doesn't get impounded out of the parking lot I have it in before I can afford to get it fixed. My car at the time was already down, but it was cheaper to get the tires and new battery for my car than to fix the axle on my truck so that is what I did. Unfortunately I also had to fix the exhaust system and a broken tie rod end shortly after I got it on the road, which is part of the reason I don't have my new hot water heater yet.
I would also like to get an electrician in here to rewire my kitchen, since the breaker for that part of my house isn't working either. I have set up a mini kitchen in my living room until I can afford to get that fixed.
The other projects that I would like to/need to have done before next winter:
I need to insulate the area where my hot water heater goes, I've been overrun by mice the last 2 winters and now I know where they are coming in at.
I would also like to hire someone to insulate the bottom of my trailer in an effort to keep it warmer in here in winter. During bitter cold times it can get into the 30's here in the house with heaters running.
I need to have my roof resealed sometime this summer so I don't get any leaks like my neighbor 2 doors down. Once again I will have to hire someone to do that for me.
I would like to get insulated skirting around my trailer, and new carpeting installed, but that will have to wait as I won't have the funds for it this year.
These are just some of the expenses and challenges I've been experiencing lately. Many seniors and disabled people face similar challenges.
My only request is that you check on your elderly and disabled neighbors once in a while and make sure they are doing okay. Most do not have the resources that I do to get things done. If you can help them with things like shoveling snow, mowing grass, and some light maintenance, I'm sure they would appreciate the help.
I'm hoping to do volunteer service through Hospice, with my dog, to help brighten the day of some people who are going through end of life issues. It will only be a few hours a month, but I feel like I need to do something positive.
We already have Sunny Buds up and running in an effort to brighten some peoples days that might need a pick me up. If anyone would like to know more, or donate to our efforts, please look us up on Facebook.
I will be going through a 1 day training, given by Hospice in June, so I and my dog can help make Hospice patients days a bit brighter too, despite their end of life challenges. I was a candy striper when I was a teenager, When I was working I was too overwhelmed by work and taking care of ill family members, to do volunteer service, it is nice to be able to do a little again.