Single Mother Seeks Accessibility Grant Money For 13 Year Old Daughter

by Patricia Nealon
(Dayton, Pennsylvania)

I am a single mother of a 13-year-old young lady that has arthrogryposis. My daughter and I have spent the last 13 years dealing with therapy and surgeries.

Even though these things stress me to my limits and make me wonder WHY, we have managed to get through life with very little assistance from anyone. We both feel that no matter how bad things are, there is always someone worse off than us.

My daughter manages to go through her daily routine of life without a single complaint, but as she grows older and bigger I find myself watching her (quietly) try not to put any more stress or strain on me. This brings me to the reason for writing this, hoping that someone will hear me and lead me in the right direction.

I have prayed to God everyday, that he will guide me and provide for me the things in life that my daughter will need in order to live a happy and productive life. He has blessed us in many ways and we are both very thankful. I now find myself hitting a brick wall with a few obstacles that I can find no answer for.

The first of these is the fact that at 13 years old, my daughter cannot take a shower on her own. I have managed to make my home accessible for her in every way possible, except for in the restroom. I just cannot find the means to be able to renovate to put in a shower that she can access.

The second issue is transportation. We go nowhere because of the lack of an accessible vehicle. I used to be able to lift her into the seat, but now that she is getting bigger, it has become impossible. Especially since I myself have recently found out that I have a degenerative bone disorder (brought on from excessive lifting).

I feel horrible when she asks to go somewhere, to a friend's place or even just for a ride and I have to say no. We live in very rural area of Pennsylvania, which makes it even more difficult. When the weather is nice she can go to friends (and play outside) or to the local country store, but that is the limit.

I would like for her to experience things in life that other children do, but without proper transportation the only thing she experiences is what she sees on television or learns about on the Internet.

I would be very appreciative any assistance that we could get in order to make these changes so that my daughter could become more independent and also be able to see the world outside of a 1/2 mile radius.

Thank you for taking the time to just read about us and even considering any grants that may make this possible. Sincerely and gratefully, Patricia Nealon.