Please donate

'Tis the season -

Earlier this year the wife of one of my colleagues was in the hosptial and it didn't look good. We sent a card wishing them the best for a speedy recovery and offering any help we could provide.

I didn't hear anything else about it. A few months ago this colleague became a coworker. I still didn't hear anything, and frankly, months had gone by and I didn't even remember anything about it.

He attended our department Christmas party with his wife. This was the first time I met Jody Green. Seeing her bandaged up and in a wheelchair still didn't spark my memory of this past spring. She was all dressed up for the holiday, she looked beautiful, she was happy, bubbly and a complete delight! Her eyes sparkled - I remember thinking to myself "I need to tell Jack how sweet and adorable his wife is next time I see him at the office".

Jody is a miracle and she needs our help - as with many people in tight spots, they would never ask for assistance, even though everyone wants to help! She's already reached her lifetime benefit from her health insurance. Everything is an out of pocket expense now. Can you imagine? I can - my husband could have been in the same situation after his accident in January of 2003. I can totally relate to how Jack and his family were feeling when Jody was first taken to the hospital. If you haven't been in that situation, count your blessings.

You can read Jody's story here at The Jody Green Project - you can also donate there or you can contact me.

We were lucky to have Mr. Paisley's employer behind us - they took care of a lot of things while he was off his feet for 6 months - 6 months, try to imagine waking up one morning and going about your regular business and just a few hours later something happens and you can't do anything for yourself for weeks...then months. Add to that not being able to work during that time. Then your insurance runs out. What would you do? How do you choose what bills get paid? How do you pay for surgery? Medication? How do you pay for home renovations now that you have to use a wheelchair? (again, Mr. P was lucky that he got OUT of his wheelchair, but when he was in it, we moved out of the Paisley Cottage and moved in with my parents - taking over their master bedroom - why? A wheel chair won't fit thru doorways in a 1940's house -) Obviously, not everyone has that luxury and in today's economy, i'm not sure we would have had the same financial support from Mr. P's company -

Enough rambling from me - if you can donate anything, please do.