Spine Damage Disabled Landscaping Dad Needs Grant Or Any Help With Bills

by Vanessa
(Phoenix, AZ, USA)

My name is Vanessa and I'm writing this on behalf of my father Jose.

My dad is going to be 39 on May 26. He's young, but if you saw MRIs of his spine, you'd think otherwise.

He has extreme damage to his spine. He had a couple of doctor visits and they told him that he needs to discontinue work as soon as possible!

If only it were that easy. He has four kids, a wife, two grandchildren and two in-laws living under one roof -- a roof that stays over our heads because of our undeniably laborious working dad.

For years he has been working with excruciating pain, taking days off only at times when it got unbearable.

He went to apply for disability and of course he got turned down. To get disability you have to be unable to work for 12 months (this is where things get complicated).

They offered a surgery that needs to be done very soon or the consequences could lead to a wheelchair. The problem there is that he will have to take two months off of work and we just can't afford it.

We all tried talking my dad into it. I even offered to buy his truck, but he has too much pride. Even then there wouldn't be enough money to cover all the costs in our home.

My dad is so stubborn, but he's a hardworking man just trying to support his family, and he has. So now it's our turn to try and give back.

He has been working under these circumstances for years. Just think how long he has been in pain and still has the courage to get up and do his job, landscaping.

If you don't know what landscaping is, just know that it is heavy labor that includes push mowing, raking, blowing, etc. in the hot Arizona sun all day.

It really blows my mind that someone could just suffer all day. If anyone deserves the chance to get better or retire, it's my dad.

His doctors are extremely mad at him for continuing to work, but he feels like he has no choice. I would love to give him one.

My dad's back injuries are evolving rapidly and in a bad way. He couldn't get on disability because of the 12-month regulations they set.

No work means no home. This has been progressing for a couple of years now and it's only getting worse.

We decided as a family that we would buy this house together. I started college and my brother didn't want to move out yet.

This was just a simple solution to bills and necessities while we are still young.

My dad works every day except for when his back pain is so severe that he's unable to walk.

My dad and brother both landscape and it's hard work. He is on a couple of medications for high cholesterol, blood pressure, depression (Zoloft) and muscle relaxers (soma)

My dad works as a full-time landscaper. The help we receive from the government consists of food stamps and health insurance.

It helps more than I could explain, but not enough to cover the cost of our bills for two months for my dad to get the surgery that he must have.

We really just need help paying our bills, anything to help us out for two months. A grant would be helpful.

My parents pay rent, their car, water, and buy my two youngest siblings their needs.

My brother and I pay electricity, cellular phones, gas, cable, diapers, wipes, etc. and I will soon be paying off school loans.

Two months can build up a lot of debt and we can't afford to be homeless.