TerrapinFlyer
12th September 2007, 10:02 PM
Hi everyone!
My name is Jody, I'm 24 (will be 25 in October), and am currently between housing at my father's place in Effort, PA (more on that later...) or with my girlfriend and her family in Bridgewater, NJ. I was diagnosed with Scheuermann's when I was 17, although at that point it was rather pronounced, it's currently progressed to 93 degrees.
Living with this, as I'm sure some of you know, has been multi-faceted. As far as school went, it just compounded problems I was already having with other students (I was the school dork, of sorts.) It got to the point where rather than educate the students as they are supposed to do, instead I got shipped off to an alternative school. This did wonders on my self esteem.
After I had finished with High School, and due to lack of health insurance, I continued working at the local McD's, even worked my way up into management, however, due to problems related to my spine, I could no longer do it after a couple years. During that time I had ended up getting married (to a woman I didn't love, but my self esteem at the time made me believe no one else would want me... so, bad idea) We had a kid, and spent 2 years bouncing around from motel to motel while I worked 2 jobs 7 days a week. After I almost collapsed one day at work, I decided to move back to PA, applied for disability, and fought them for 2 years. During that time, I had a son, and then a really bad car accident...
I was on my way somewhere, and hit a patch of ice on a blind curve. The car hit a tree on the driver's side door at about 50 MPH. Aside from a few scrapes and bruises, I walked away fine. It was this, however, that made me re-evaluate my life at that point.
I subsequently left my now ex-wife, and tried to make things work on social security. I went through some rough patches, but overall, things have been going a little better, albeit not stable.
I met my current girlfriend online, and we really hit it off. I'm still self-concious about my back, but I am dealing with it better, and have more confidence as of late. The pain is considerable, as I'm sure some of you know, so even working part time right now is out of the question.
I recently spoke to my doctor in NYC, they've decided to go ahead with a fusion from my L2 to my T2 both anterior and posterior. I still have to call and schedule it.
To be honest, I'm petrified. For a few reasons: One, the surgery itself. Two, I have no idea where I'm going to recover. My father isn't doing too well these days, and neither is anyone else in the family... we don't live very close. So as far as once I get out, I have no one to really help me recover. Not to mention the medical bills, either.
In short, this is what happens when the poor become ill... twas no fault of my own, and it's thus far hindered every aspect of trying to get somewhere in life, as much as I've tried to overcome and ignore and fight through the pain, tremors, etc. However, I've noticed that no charities exist to help single people without a live-in family who are ill, but not terminally so. Aside from my dream of becoming a radio broadcaster, I've been kicking around the idea of starting a charity to help those like me. Maybe even some of you guys know people like that... Just stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Enough whining on my part. So... where's the party at? And who wants to see pictures of my Oldsmobile?
My name is Jody, I'm 24 (will be 25 in October), and am currently between housing at my father's place in Effort, PA (more on that later...) or with my girlfriend and her family in Bridgewater, NJ. I was diagnosed with Scheuermann's when I was 17, although at that point it was rather pronounced, it's currently progressed to 93 degrees.
Living with this, as I'm sure some of you know, has been multi-faceted. As far as school went, it just compounded problems I was already having with other students (I was the school dork, of sorts.) It got to the point where rather than educate the students as they are supposed to do, instead I got shipped off to an alternative school. This did wonders on my self esteem.
After I had finished with High School, and due to lack of health insurance, I continued working at the local McD's, even worked my way up into management, however, due to problems related to my spine, I could no longer do it after a couple years. During that time I had ended up getting married (to a woman I didn't love, but my self esteem at the time made me believe no one else would want me... so, bad idea) We had a kid, and spent 2 years bouncing around from motel to motel while I worked 2 jobs 7 days a week. After I almost collapsed one day at work, I decided to move back to PA, applied for disability, and fought them for 2 years. During that time, I had a son, and then a really bad car accident...
I was on my way somewhere, and hit a patch of ice on a blind curve. The car hit a tree on the driver's side door at about 50 MPH. Aside from a few scrapes and bruises, I walked away fine. It was this, however, that made me re-evaluate my life at that point.
I subsequently left my now ex-wife, and tried to make things work on social security. I went through some rough patches, but overall, things have been going a little better, albeit not stable.
I met my current girlfriend online, and we really hit it off. I'm still self-concious about my back, but I am dealing with it better, and have more confidence as of late. The pain is considerable, as I'm sure some of you know, so even working part time right now is out of the question.
I recently spoke to my doctor in NYC, they've decided to go ahead with a fusion from my L2 to my T2 both anterior and posterior. I still have to call and schedule it.
To be honest, I'm petrified. For a few reasons: One, the surgery itself. Two, I have no idea where I'm going to recover. My father isn't doing too well these days, and neither is anyone else in the family... we don't live very close. So as far as once I get out, I have no one to really help me recover. Not to mention the medical bills, either.
In short, this is what happens when the poor become ill... twas no fault of my own, and it's thus far hindered every aspect of trying to get somewhere in life, as much as I've tried to overcome and ignore and fight through the pain, tremors, etc. However, I've noticed that no charities exist to help single people without a live-in family who are ill, but not terminally so. Aside from my dream of becoming a radio broadcaster, I've been kicking around the idea of starting a charity to help those like me. Maybe even some of you guys know people like that... Just stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Enough whining on my part. So... where's the party at? And who wants to see pictures of my Oldsmobile?