Sisters Seek Government Grant Money For Disabled And Dying Brother

by Maryellen Donath
(Peoria, Illinois, USA)

In 1994 we lost our mom to terminal cancer. Out of four children there were two of us who never lost contact.

My sister and I were recently put in touch with our younger brother after 13 years of not knowing if he was alive, where he was, or how he was.

The news that came to us is not good. Our brother is dying. He is only 44 and they have given him two years at the most to live.

Rick lives in Tennessee, I live in Illinois, and our sister now lives in Arizona. Rick has Parkinson's, COPD, spine problems, and lung problems.

Three doctors have declared him permanently disabled with no chance of recovery. He is on eight different medicines, oxygen, lung machine, and he is in a wheelchair for the most part.

Rick is due for another surgery on his spine and brain and the doctors are not sure he will even make it through them.

Paula (his wife) can't work, as Rick needs around-the-clock care. The state has denied them help and taken away what little help they were receiving.

They are having a hard time paying normal bills without the cost of his meds, doctor care and the required machines he needs.

Rick cannot be put on a donor list for lungs because of other medical problems. We have come to terms with this. But why must the things he needs till he dies be taken away or denied to him?

This is putting stress on the whole family and tearing his family there apart. Neither my sister nor myself can afford more than the needs for everyday living.

I myself am fighting just for a way to get down to them to try to help fight for their rights as Rick doesn't have the strength to do it himself.

They only receive $140 a month for food, and everything else has been cut due to Rick's disability being $95 too much a month.

I'm not sure how they have arrived at these figures. I can only think he's dying so are they trying to push him in to his grave early?

There is not much of our family left and I will do everything in my power to help him at least live out the rest of his time stress and worry free.

Thank you for your help, even if it's just a matter of pointing us to places we can go to for information for them. Maryellen.