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+--- Thread: An update. Progress and new challenges. (/showthread.php?tid=295152)
An update. Progress and new challenges. - Blankity Blank - 03-20-2025
Things have been going great, and not so great.
My housing manager is very optimistic that I may be getting a spot in a new fixed income apartment complex in the next month or two. Right now, we're waiting for the okay from the complex and the state agency involved. I'm trying to keep my emotions in neutral until the decision is officially made.
More good happening is my room mate has been paired with an excellent new housing advocate. She's just getting up to speed on his case, but she's knowledgeable, encouraging, but maintaining a reasoned 'l'm going to get the best hand dealt to you possible, but I don't have a magic wand, so stay patient.
Additionally, John has finally had his cataract surgery and so far, so good.
On the less shiny side of the coin, John's cognitive decline continues. I've managed to kick the can of getting him seen by a neurologist down the road, and at least open a conversation with him about the issue. A ways to go, but it's a start.
Unfortunately, my health situation is... not so great.
I've been diagnosed with two broken vertebrae and disc compression, probably stemming from an auto accident a year or so ago.
I won't soft pedal it. It's been hell. I've been all but bedridden for the last few weeks, in pain pretty much 24/7. Think excrutiating back spasms literally if I take too deep a breath, cough or just shift position in bed the "wrong" way. My doctor is still zeroing in on finding an effective pain management strategy.
Recently I've come to the conclusion that the best way to get back into a daily routine that includes not being a prisoner of my room is to bite the bullet and get a wheelchair. I can tolerate the pain associated with moving from bed to chair, and once in the chair I can grin and bear it.
I'm speaking with a spine surgeon tomorrow. Unfortunately some research shows that the general prognosis for a positive outcome is not what one would hope for. The optimistic view puts the outlook for a positive outcome at 60-80%. Less optimistic estimates put the odds at 50/50.
There is actually an ongoing discussion among medicos about what is called "failed back surgery syndrome", discussing the prevalence of surgeries where the patient actually comes out worse off post surgery than they were pre surgery.
I will be listening very hard tomorrow for how hopeful, or not, the surgeon is.
I have posted a GoFundMe appeal to help in dealing with some of the downsides of what's been going on. https://gofund.me/b60ecfcb
The nastiest surprise is than the landlord at the boardinghouse where I live require a one months rent upon moving, to cover the loss of rent while he finds a new tenant.
Normally, I'd object, but for two elements. The first being that, though neither I nor my housing coordinator recall that being mentioned, he reread his copy of the rental agreement and it's in there, initialed. Best guess, both of us were too eager at the time to get me housed that it just didn't register what it meant.
The other factor is that my last apartment ended in an eviction after I worked with a city organization that would have guaranteed payment of my rent, only for the landlord reversing course at the very last minute and refusing to cooperate with the program. Why? I'll never know. Even the on-site complex manager was in the dark about the sudden turn around.
So that makes it important to maintain a good relationship with my current house manager, so any inquiries from the new complex will be positive and without waves.
The goal of the GoFundMe is set to cover the cost of the wheelchair (I'm 6'3" and a hair shy of 300#, so a "bariatric" type chair will be needed) and the unexpected $800 final 'rent' payment.
MRF has been amazing in their generosity during this journey, so I include this only for those who feel moved to assist and not tax their resources still further. Any amount proffered will be a great help and deeply appreciated.
Jeff Miller
Blankity Blank
https://gofund.me/b60ecfcb
Re: An update. Progress and new challenges. - August West - 03-21-2025
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