Bipolar Disabled Father Seeks Grant Help For Handicap Home And Vehicle
by Mark
Our Beautiful Baby Boy
My name is Mark, today is my birthday and I am so very happy that I have made it this far. Almost two years ago I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. And as a former volunteer firefighter of 14 years, I never imagined I would be the one to ask for help. Last year I had 14 mini-strokes within five months, resulting in me being further disabled myself. My family story is one of love and understanding overcoming the weight of disabilities. We all have a disability. My fiancée has spastic cerebral palsy. Our two and half year old son has expressive communication disorder autism. But what a beautifully bright and sunny little boy he is! Along with his mother, he continues to make me the proudest father in the entire world. Even with all the "Disabilities" our family has, we have love to help us face the hardships. Our vehicle is broken down, our house is making us sick and we can't pay our bills every month. We must pick and choose which one to pay and when. For example, I haven't gotten my prescription filled for my medication, because my son needs his diapers and milk first. We were talked into purchasing this "reliable" vehicle that costs us $225.61 a month. Unfortunately, it doesn't run, and anyway it's not able to transport my fiancée who is confined to wheelchair. The home that we rent for $525 a month is not suitable. For one thing, it has black mold. Also, my fiancée Melissa cannot use the bathroom for any reason, because it is not accessible for her in her chair. The family must depend on me to carry out the daily tasks of running a home, including everything from laundry to cooking to cleaning is done. With my bipolar disorder that is a challenge. There are days where I just don't have the drive to do anything except nothing. My fiancée and I do receive benefits, but they aren't enough to cover all our expenses. They're probably going to repossess our vehicle, turn off our power, and our Christmas tree this year will be bare. Having disabilities as parents is one thing but the uplifting part is seeing our son work his way through therapy both in and out of the home four times a week. Our autistic little boy is such an inspiration to us. Yet, we need to move into a home that is wheelchair accessible, and have food in our cupboards and a vehicle that is reliable. We need an environment that will allow us to work together as a family to ensure that our son thrives in this life and can become all that he can. We want to show him that disabilities don't make us who are. We want to show him that the word disabled is just a word not a sentence.
      Go to the Accessible.org Home page. 
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