The Season of Giving: Can You Help this Disabled Vet this Christmas?

On Veterans Day, we thank vets for their service. Here is a way for our gratitude to go beyond lip service.

Last week, our minivan began making a horrid noise. It would lessen once the van warmed up, but it was worrisome nonetheless. We took it to our trusted mechanic and anxiously awaited the test results. Diagnosis: a bad power steering pump. $670 and loss of the van for an entire day was the prescription.

Guess that will be the family Christmas present this year.

But while I was mired in a pity party over this, which given our humble finances (my husband’s a career military man, after all, not an investment banker) is akin to near catastrophe, my dear friend was facing a financial hurdle of her own. One much harder than my little old car problem. And she wasn’t throwing a pity party about it.

Her husband was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, and while he is currently in remission, the toll the disease has taken on her family has been tremendous. The treatments left him with permanent and severe nerve damage. A Navy petty officer, he was unable to perform his duties and was medically retired just shy of being able to garner an early retirement based on service, which would have resulted in a more opportune status for him and the family. Because of his disability, he is unable to work. He is in pain most of the time. My friend works hard to maintain the family, having to take care of him in addition to their four children, the oldest of whom is autistic. But despite their continuing travails, this is one of the most generous, most spiritual women I have ever known. Our problems are nothing compared to hers, and yet she manages to stay positive. It’s humbling for me, and I’m grateful to her for helping me put my life in perspective.

It’s because of that that I am asking for your help on her behalf. She has found a special bed that will allow her husband to finally get a good night’s sleep. He is always fatigued, and it has affected his ability to interact with his kids. In addition, it will eliminate the current problem they have of moving him from his wheelchair to their regular bed, which is not only difficult, but often results in him falling. The cost for this bed is $6000. Unfortunately, the Veterans Administration will not cover any portion of the cost because he is not a terminal patient.

She is a proud person and does not ask for charity or handouts. But this is important to her. She has set up a campaign at Indiegogo to raise the funds to help them shoulder the burden of this cost. I’m respectfully asking you to help her and her family achieve their goal. This is the Season of Giving. How often do we throw a few coins in the Salvation Army can? Or send some extra food to the food bank or toys for Toys for Tots? I encourage you to do those things, because they help others and its a good thing to do. But that help is anonymous; you don’t know who specifically is receiving that toy or that food (usually). I ask you to consider the help you could give to this one specific family, a veteran’s family. On Veterans Day last week, we thanked vets for their service. This week, let’s go beyond talking and actively show our gratitude to this vet at this time.

If a financial contribution is not possible, then I would ask you to please circulate the link to her story and her campaign on Indiegogo: http://igg.me/p/275374?a=1780543. Share it on Facebook, Tweet it out, repost on your blog–however you can help spread the word.

It’s not often we get a chance to change a person’s life. This is one such chance. I believe, as my friend does, that this one thing can help improve not only her husband’s quality of life, but by extension improve the entire family. It would be a truly blessed thing for the children to have even a little bit of their old dad back.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. And on behalf of the Foremans and veterans everywhere, thank you for any help you can give!