Disabled Former World Class Athlete Seeks Grant Money To Restore Autonomy
by Bernabe A. DeGuzman Jr.
It doesn't matter to me that my daughter, Jennifer, isn't my biological child. What matters to me is that she considers me her "pops," as she often refers to me, or as "dad." I met her when she was about a year old. It wasn't until later that her mother and I had my son, Brandon. Jennifer is twenty years old and Brandon is seventeen. They are my pride and joy. I am also happy to say that I am a recent grandfather. My daughter had a beautiful baby girl named, Jada Marie Rose. I was raised in a military family. My father served ten years in the United States Navy and sixteen years in the United States Army. I lived in Missouri for about three and a half years and the rest of the time I lived in West Germany. We returned to the U.S. in the summer of 1984. My kids and I now live in Norfolk, Virginia. I have always been an energetic person, competitive as well. I have been involved in and competed in several sports. I am a former European Wrestling Champion (1984), former Virginia State Powerlifting Champion (1985), and since 2005 (Silver Medal in my class) have been competing in USA Shootings 50m Free Pistol competitions, including the 2005, 2006 (second place in class) and most recently, the 2010 National Rifle and Pistol Championships held annually at Fort Benning Georgia. I have won several other shooting medals and the highest was getting an invitation to compete in the 2006 Fall Selection Match for the World Cup. My ultimate goal and dream is to make an Olympic team. Unfortunately, I was unable to compete due to lack of funds. I continued training and competing until I sustained a leg injury on the job in the summer of 2007. It all seemed to go downhill from there. I was unable to train and put on light duty at work. Months had passed with still no improvement to my leg and in turn my other leg suffered as well. I then found out that it required surgery. By then, it was January of 2008 and I was hospitalized for more than just my legs. I had a near death experience. My diabetes had taken a turn for the worse and I was also diagnosed with "congestive heart failure." I was soon let go by my job and my insurance didn't cover my hospital bills. Not only was I unemployed, but homeless as well. In December of 2008 until October of 2009, I lived in my truck. I lived in the Ocean View Fishing Pier parking lot, in Norfolk, Virginia. It was quite humbling to say the least. It would get so cold at times, that I could only sleep twenty or thirty minutes at a time. You know it's cold when you see icicles underneath the pier and it's salt water. I actually have pictures of those days! After a night of freezing, I would then have to move things from the front of the truck to the back and vice versa. I had to start my truck just to warm up not only myself, but my blood glucose meter as well. I would mostly eat canned food or MREs given to me. My eating habits weren't the best, but I had to make do with what I had available. At times I would be invited over to someone's house for a meal. I was grateful for those times. I was able to warm up for a while and eat a warm meal. As time went on, I got progressively worse. My health was deteriorating rapidly. I not only developed pneumonia, but I had reached an astronomical weight of 371 pounds, the heaviest I have ever weighed. I remember waking up one morning and my lower legs, ankles and feet were soaking wet. I couldn't figure out what was going on until I shined the flashlight on myself. My body had retained so much fluid that it didn't have anywhere else to go, so I noticed that the skin around my ankles had split open and whatever fluid(s) were in me, were now all over my makeshift bed. I didn't have insurance and "Cobra Health Plan" was too expensive to maintain. It was $450 a month. I had to pick and choose which medications to buy whenever my Mom, Dad and little sister and the rest of my family were able to send me what money they could. The cost was ridiculous. Without any assistance, it totaled to $1100 or more every three months. I have all but given up until I remembered hearing about these lawyers that would take on cases "pro bono" if they thought I qualified for disability. After an interview, they told me they would represent me. Before I had a lawyer, I had been turned down three times for disability. During this time, February 2008 until present, I am still unable to work, much less stand comfortably for any period of time without either having to sit or lie down. In August of 2009, I was finally awarded full disability. I felt that all the struggle was worth it now that my son will be receiving benefits as well. I am still in need of two wrist surgeries, a surgery for my lower back, a shoulder surgery, left knee surgery and finally I have decided along with my primary care physician that a gastric bypass surgery would be a life changing event for me. I believe that with this surgery, it will not only help with me not having to take insulin and other medicines for diabetes, but it will also help me with my high blood pressure and heart problem, (I am a category 4 out of 5, with 5 being the worst) congestive heart failure, and rid me of all or most of my health issues. In closing, it seems like I have taken "one step forward and two steps back" in life. I not only lost everything in Hurricane Isabel, but it seems that I just can't get ahead. I am however more humbled as an individual and thankful for what little I do still have. I have kept afloat if you will by always saying the serenity prayer and telling myself that someone always has it worse. I believe if I am fortunate enough to receive a grant and my health improves, it can and will assist me in becoming, once again a productive member of society. If I receive a grant, it will allow me to have a better quality of life in which I will be able to share with my children and grandchild. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Bernabe A. DeGuzman Jr.
      Go to the Accessible.org Home page. 
|