Keep Tina and Her Mom Warm This Winter
February 17, 2010
Tina is a sunny and shy 17-year-old who loves learning and hates to ever miss a day of school. But her painful and serious degenerative muscle condition (muscular dystrophy) challenges her and her single mother every day. Tina moves about by wheelchair and is aided in her breathing by an oxygen tube by day and a ventilator mask when she sleeps. Because her mother can no longer carry her upstairs, Tina sleeps on a mattress on the floor in their small living room. She reads, sleeps and does her homework there. When her fun-loving cousins come to visit, they play, watch TV and tell stories on Tina’s bed on the living room floor.
A high school junior, Tina shares the floor mattress with her mother so Mom can help with her immediate needs during the night. When her brother, who is in the military, comes home to visit with his friends, there is nowhere for Christina to have space of her own.
These days – especially after the two unprecedented February blizzards on the east coast – the family’s small rural farmhouse is especially cold and cramped. It’s so cold that Tina can’t shake her cold and flu symptoms on top of the disabilities caused by her muscular dystrophy.
To make matters worse, when the news came that Mom had lost her contract raising chickens for a poultry producer, Mom knew that the farm’s bills would quickly pile up. Propane, electric, telephone, gas for the car…with no income and Tina’s health and medications at the top of the list, Mom was in despair.
When ASRL asked, “What do you need?”, Mom’s answer was, “Please pay our electric bill, help us with small repairs to the chicken barn and keep the house warm for Christina. Perhaps you can even help me with my dream that Tina can have a bedroom on the first floor of her own.” In 24 hours, ASRL had paid the overdue propane and electric bills and had ordered a new tank of propane for the farm. ASRL raised funds to provide gas cards to ensure that Tina could get to the hospital and helped pay for car repairs.
To assist them in the long term, ASRL is reaching out to find a group to repair the home and barn – and perhaps even build a private bedroom and bath for Tina on the first floor. ASRL is supporting Mom to help her re-engage her chicken producing contract so the family has a steady source of income.
Still, until the house is repaired the family is struggling with its old and drafty farmhouse and they must keep Tina warm and snug while she sleeps on the floor. We welcome your contributions when compassion can’t wait.
