OT: Angel has an angel!!
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| Sun, 12-31-2006 - 3:18pm |
Okay, so, for those of you who don't know, my youngest DD, Angel, was born with Policy's Syndrome (AKA Bhudda's Syndrome), which is a number of otherwise ordinary orthapedic birth defects occurring all at once to cause a severe orthopedic problem. Anyway, Angel is going to be 4yo January 5th and her surgeon wanted her in a wheelchair 6 mo ago. Her disability makes using a stroller for someone her size nearly impossible.
ANYWHO... our insurance doesn't cover a wheelchair for her because some idiot somewhere labled her as 'partially ambulatory'. Yeah riiiiiight! She can walk ON HER KNEES for about 10 feet at a time in a well cushioned (carpeted) environment. So we applied to local agencies for assitance in getting a chair for her with no results. It's one of those things where we make too much money to qualify for anything but not enough to pay for the things we need. The basic modle of chair she needs costs over $700 used... if you can find one. New they cost $1300, and of course, her dr wants her in a tilt chair, which costs $2400! And that's just the chair, not including the carrier for the van or the ramps for doorsteps, ect.
So, there we were, me and my mom, perusing Goodwill the other day, and low and behold, what do we see sitting way back in the corner by the Ugly Couches No One Will Buy section? A top of the line, all the bells and whistles attached, tilt pediatric wheelchair! I was afraid to look at the price tag... so my mom did.
THEY ONLY WANTED $100 FOR IT!!!
I almost started crying. Mostly because I didn't have $100 to grab it up at the time. Soooo, my mom talks to the manager of the store, explains the situtation, and convinces her to hide it behind the Ugly Couches where it would take six gorillas or an act of god to get it out. THEN the manager tells us that if we come back on Saturday (it was Tuesday) that everything in the store will be 50% off, including the chair. So, we went about wedging the chair behind the Ugly Couches and left to go make phone calls to relatives more financially fluid to arrainge the money. Come Saturday I really didn't hink it would still be there. I mean, it was a $2400 chair going for $100. But I got up and showed up to stand in line for the 50% Off Sale anyway. I was the 3rd person there.
Now here's the REALLY TOUCHING part... I started talkig to the lady in front of me (we had 45 minutes to kill). She was an older farm wife type and we had a lot in common. Anyway, we started talking about the things that had gotten us out of bed at such an ungodly hour of the morning on a perfectly good Saturday and when I mentioned the chair she just got this weird smie on her face, nodded, and said "Oh it was still there last night right before closing." Well, when the store finally opened I went straight to the back where we had gorilla proffed it and found it had been labled with a 'sold' tag. I almost started crying. Then Sandra (the farm wife) and the manager walk up and Sandra puts her arm around my shoulder and hands me the sale reciept!
Turns out SHE was the one who donated the wheelchair in the first place after her grandson, who has CP, out grew it. And she's friends with the manager of the store, who told her about Angel when she came in on Thursday and asked why the chair had been wedged against the wall like it was. Since the store can't reserve items and doesn't have layaway, she paid for it so it wouldn't get snatched up! She had come that morning specifically to deliver the reciept to me in person!
At that point I DID start crying!
I paid her back for the chair (which the manager went ahead and let go for $50 since it was technically picked up on the day of the 50% Sale) and we went next door and had coffee, exchanged numbers, and made plans to get together later in the week at her house so she could meet Angel and see her in her new chair. Sandra has a small farm near us, with a horse that she said our girls could ride.
~SNIFF~ Okay, I'm crying again now! And Angel LOVES her chair. She sat in it for 3 hours after it came home and wouldn't get out of it to let her dad adjust it until we took her for a few laps around the block and up and down the street a few extra times. She also insisted on stopping and showing all of our neighbors. Now it's adjusted to the smallest size and we're making Winnie The Poo seat covers and riding pillow for it.
Okay, okay, I'm done with my long windedness now. Just had to share.
~Candes


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WHOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!
That is so darn fabulous! I started tearing up with you. Fantastic, fabulous, marvelous! I would love to see her in her "wheels". She is one fiesty gal and I am sure she will quickly figure out how to get herself around in it.
Yehaw! Christmas miracles abound this year. Did I tell you my friend Christine had Catholic Charities AND Downstown deliver many christmas surprises to her door this year? She was just cleaning one day the week before christmas when someone showed up at her door. She nearly didn't answer thinking it was jehovah's witnesses. That was catholic charities with a truck load. Later that day the folks from DownsTown showed up. without those there would not have been a christmas.
So who says there isn't a Santa Clause? See now, I am getting all teary eyed again dammit.
Renee
(((((Oh Candes))))) that is absolutely fabulous! It's the best holiday story I've heard in years. What an amazing way to start the new year.
Here's to Angel's new ride!
Amy
I'm teary now too! thanks for sharing!
Betsy
*sniff sniff* That is wonderful!!!!!
Chrissy
Candes,
I'm all choked up too. This is huge! What an excellent holiday gift! I'm very happy for Angel and all of you.
-Paula
visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
Aw dang it, now you've made me break my first New Years resolution of not blubbing into my tea first thing in the morning!!
Candes,
I had to stop crying before I could post.
Wow, Candes!
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