Status
Not open for further replies.

trying to stay positive

Distinguished member
Joined
Sep 17, 2007
Messages
313
Reason
CALS
Diagnosis
08/2007
Country
US
State
Illinois
City
Chicago area
Hi everyone. I am so happy to be posting on the Stories of Hope Forum!

As most if not all of you know, it is so much easier to give rather than receive help. Society sure has us programmed! My DH was diagnosed with ALS 8/07, with symptom onset spring of 05. He worked for as long as he could, actually longer than he should have. His last day was the end of Feb. He was approved for SSDI within 30 days, but we will not see a check until late Sept. You guys know the drill! I am on SSDI myself, for eye and knee problems. All we had coming in was a small STD check through his union. So money has been a little tight while we wait for his SSDI to start, especially since our real estate taxes, home owners ins. & car ins. are all due within 2 months of each other!

We have always been a family that gives and helps others out, and I realized that now it is time for us to reach out for help. So why was this so difficult for me? :confused: I did alot of praying and finally emailed my minister asking if he had any ideas for a fundraiser for my family. He said he had an even better idea.

He made an announcement during the church service regarding my family. (most already knew about DH's diagnosed) He set me up at a table after the service with a donation box that my daughter made. We did this for 2 weeks. My church family was so amazing, I can't even begin to tell you! I even had one of the congregants come over to my house and bring me money! Twice! Another woman who doesn't even attend my church, but knows one of the congregants, met me at the grocery store and we shopped for food for my family.

Asking for help was very difficult and humbling :oops: but once I opened myself to receiving, the help that came flooding in was truly miraculous.:-D Stu Millheiser and the ALS Guardian Angel Foundation provided us with a check to help with our expenses. What a kind and compassionate person he is! And just a few days ago, we got a letter from DH's union staing that they are increasing the STD payments by $150 a week, retro to July 1st. :-D God truly provides, we just need to be open to receiving!

God Bless every one of our PALS and CALS.

Linda
 
What a great testimony!

Dear Linda

I am so very happy that I am crying for you all!

God is our great provider and His word is faithful! Doesn't He feed the birds and how much more He will do for us.

Giving thanks for you all tonight!

Thanks for sharing some great news!

Patty :-D
 
Linda,
This is such a wonderful story. You're right...it's one of the hardest things in the world to ask for help. I'm sure glad you went ahead and did it. I hope you can rest easier now.
All the best to you and your family,
Jane
 
Linda

Wonderful Story,God is good all the time and all the time God is good. I love your story and it also reminds us how important a Church family is. I am so thankful for you and I could hear the smile in your writing and that made me smile for you. God continue to bless you and will continue to pray for you guys.

Renee
 
linda

That is a beautiful story amoung everything that you have going on. When I was sick in the spring, my church family did soooo much for my family. It was amazing. It was on a much smaller scale but the warmth & love was overwhelming for us. It has inspired me to give back to them. I have signed up for for training in the stephens ministry at our church. I think that instead of focusing/worrying about my health, I should help those that are in worse shape than me. I pray that it will give perspective on things that matter most.....loving people.

Take care, and God bless you. you will be in my prayers.

april
 
The Lord has provided as always ,thats a beauiful story.

Pat 1
 
I can so relate!

Linda you are so right that it is much easier to extend help, than to ask and receive help. When my pals was first diagnosed last year, we had a hard time accepting help, we had always been the one that bought gifts at christmas for needy families, shopped for groceries for someone who needed them, but when we needed help....I did not now how to ask.

I'd like to share something that happened last fall. My hubby was diagnosed in May/07, we like everyone else went thru getting the SSI started, things like that. We became very active with our local ALS chapter here in Michigan. In September they have their annual "Walk'n Roll" for ALS at several different places in the state. Our area is the Lake Erie Walk. I debated about participating, because of asking for help. We had helped with benefits in the past, but it wasn't for anything that really effected us, so it was easy to ask for the funds. Anyways, it got down to about 3 weeks left, and I had talked to my hubby and we decided to go for it. I knew we had a lot of contacts, and my hubby had a large extened family, and if we went for it, we could raise some funds for ALS, not just US, but for our Michigan PALS and their families.

Long story short, in about 2 weeks we raised almost $5,000. What was the kicker, was most of it was employer matched. If we had not waited to the last minute to start, we could have raised so much more. People that we had come in contact with had been so generous. It was such a blessing to meet all those we hadn't known before, and to actually see how some of the funds have helped some of the members makes it all worth the while. Not only did we receive the "help", we were able to see how it helps. Such a blessing!

When you are taking care of your PALS, alone sometimes, it is easy to think that no one cares. Lots of times it is because people don't know. If they don't "KNOW" they can't help. If you don't ask you can't be helped. With so many of us struggling to make ends meet, we have to say to ourselves, I need help and its okay...then we can be blessed.

God bless you all....
 
Last edited:
gimpydad'slady

First of all, I would like to know your real name.

What a nice story. I would like to get involved in some local als chapters in our area. I have no diagnosed but if I do or dont I want to start putting my energy into this. I would like to get your opinion on where I can fit in or start. I want to help those effected in anyway. shopping, errands, doctors, sitting in the house and visting-anything! and of course money raising.
where do you think that I should start? If there are any local events or fund raisers, let me know. I dont know if there is a chapter close to me or you, not sure where to start.
 
Hi April!

Yes, there is a local office in Southfield. They are separate from the National ALSA, so all funds and donations, whether they are items in the loan closet, or funds, stay in Michigan and help Michigan families. I can get you the information you need to contact their office. The staff there is wonderful, and have been very helpful. I will PM you the information so you can get in touch with them at your leisure.

They just had the kickoff for the walk last week. My hubby is going to be the ribbon cutter for the Erie walk in September! We had a wonderful experience last year, it was our first walk, we had 58 people sign up to walk, and 54 showed up! I was so emotionally moved by the participation and the generosity of all the people that donated and participated. A friend of ours is a photographer and he took a group photo of all of us, I have it hanging in my home office with our fundraiser certificate. It was a very rewarding experience.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top