Things are Changing

Well, to start with something pleasant, we had a beautiful day in Amarillo. Everything is beginning to green up. And I may soon be getting a sprinkler system installed.

Many of you know that Trent's needs for supervision have been increasing. The past four months we've seen such a decline. My frustration had been mounting because I couldn't find help that I could afford. Garrett had finally encouraged me to write to our Congressman, Mac Thornberry, and also Texas Senators. I e-mailed them on their sites once and then again the next month. I had nothing to loose. Here is a copy of that letter:

I don't know if you have had experience with a family member with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, but I've had 3 chances now to fully understand the devastation. My father had Alzheimer's disease and died at age 74 of a heart attack. My mother has Alzheimer's disease at age 86. My husband has dementia secondary to head trauma (concussions from sports injuries) diagnosed at age 54, now to turn 60 January 15.

My husband's dementia forced him to retire from teaching with 33 years experience. A year and half ago, I was forced to retire with 32 years experience to have more time for both my mother and husband. I hoped to find part-time employment. With my husband's diagnosis he has been unemployable and can no longer drive. His needs for more supervision and care are becoming inevitable. I have tried to get my husband eligible for disability and Medicare so that he could have access to programs that might help with getting him some supervision during the days when I work. Social Security says that my husband will be eligible for Medicare at age 65 but we can not qualify him for disability or early Medicare services because he doesn't have enough quarters in Social Security. The Social Security Agency referred me to the Texas Area Agency on Aging and Disability. That representative indicated that my husband must be disabled by Social Security or qualify for Medicaid in order to have access to their services. My husband was a high school coach, coaching two sports all of his working years. My husband's job did not give him the opportunity to work at a job in the summers that paid into Social Security. He worked and worked hard and long hours for 33 years to be told that no help is available to him. TRS has no supportive care agency for its disabled. Teachers are a disadvantaged community servant given great responsibility to young Americans.

For my husband to go to an Adult Day Care setting will cost us $900 each month which is almost half of my husband's retirement check, personal home care will cost more than that. To be able to afford $900 per month, I would need to find a full time job and that would make getting my mother and husband to the needed doctor appointments very difficult.

I feel that teachers do not get the same benefits after 33 years of hard work that the person who worked at a minimum wage job for 10 years and became disabled. Is there no mechanism for help for my husband? How will I see that he has the care he needs without being financially destitute before he makes it to 65?

Thank you for taking time to read this message. I hope there is something that you can lead me to or that you see the inequity in this situation and work to a better resolve.

Sincerely,
Donna Phipps

I received a call from Mac Thornberry's office giving me some information on early Medicare services. That was the first ray of hope but that would still be two yrs. away. It didn't help now.

One day in February, I received a letter from John Cornyn's office asking for release to look into Trent's information. I sent that as quickly as I could registered mail. Well, last Wednesday the wheels began to turn. I received a number of calls. So today's good news is that Mom is on a waiting list for a number of services from the Texas Agency on Aging and Disability and the cost of the adult daycare facility will be matched by the Area Agency on Aging for the Panhandle at least until September.

All of this is good news. It is answer to prayer that he'll have supervision each day and yet, my heart is so heavy. Trent has to go in for the intake. The intake is scheduled for 1:00 on the 18th of April. Garrett will go with us but I am afraid that Trent will make a scene. It may sound awful but I'm not going to mention it. He can't remember anything but if I told him he would likely start going to the day care soon---trust me, he would not forget that! I'm afraid we'd see anger like we've not yet seen.

I'm asking each of you to pray for us and in the future, vote for John Cornyn! dp