Sunday, October 26, 2008

Call Me Crazy...

Ok, so this may just be me being me, a little bit crazy. I just want to help and make the world a better place. I am trying to use my new found freedom to figure out where I fit in this place. And one thing that I have always wanted to do is find out a way to help my community.
Some background...about 3 years ago, we found out that Brianna was hearing impared. We found that one ear was completely deaf, and the other was in need of a hearing aid. I also found out that my insurance company doesn't provide assistance for that hearing aid. I had to come up with $2,000 just for her one hearing aid. I am a divorced mom of 4, who was not receiving much help from dad, I worked full time, but making next to nothing after paying for daycare and medical insurance through work. I was shocked at this price. There were no government programs to help me. I made too much for Brianna to go on Medicaid, and too little for me to be able to afford this right away. And right away is what Brianna needed. So I reached out to the community. I received help from the Lions Club and Brianna's Elementary school. I borrowed what was left, and we got her the hearing aid within about 1 month.
One thing during this whole process that just upset me more and more was that there wasn't help for Brianna. There wasn't someone I could turn to and say, hey, this is a child. She NEEDS this, and I don't have the means to help her. The Lions club did help, I don't want to discount that at all, but it took a lot. They criticized me because I had a newer car, I didn't own it, but I had a loan out for it, they made off the wall suggestions like asking her father for the money (her father withdrew himself from her life years ago, after our divorce). After a lot of crying, pursuading and heartache, they did come through for us. But what about that mom or dad or family out there that just can't find where to turn? What about those people that take the first "NO" they hear and give in to the helplessness? What about those children who have to wait months or years for their family to save the money to get them the hearing aid that they deserve and need?
So, this is where I want to come in. I want to do something. I want to be able to help people. I want to be able to at least take one huge burdeon off the shoulders of that parent who just found out that their precious, perfect and beautiful child needs help. All of you who have gone through this stage, the finding out there is a hearing loss, you get angry, you deny, you get another opinion, you get said and they you accept and grow. I want to do something that makes the financial part a little easier to cope with. That way they can put their emotions into their child and getting the child and their family through this step.
So I am thinking about this a lot more lately. This is so close to my heart. What can I do? I want to start a charity or a non-profit. This is a very rough idea right now. I have all the good intentions and heart felt desire to do this. What do you think? Does anyone have experience or input that you would like to share with me? I know that I am thinking all heart right now, and very little planning it out and what it would cost to start. I haven't gotten that far yet. But the way I figure it, who will give me their opinion better than people that may have been there themselves. People that may have felt the way I do, or people that may have been able to do something to help already. You!
So, let me know if you have anything to say about this. Opinions, suggestions, or flat out tell me I am crazy!

2 comments:

Dr.Rutledge said...

Hi Brianna's Mommy,
I'm an academic physician (formerly at Harvard and Stanford) who found your blog while looking for the best health writers. I think your writing is great! I would like to feature you in the Hearing Loss & Deafness Community on Wellsphere, a top 10 health website that has well over 2 million visitors monthly.

If you would like to learn more, just drop me an email to Dr.Rutledge@wellsphere.com

Green Skunk said...

Hello Brianna's Mommy, did you write to the person above?