This is my first time on this site and I am trying to help a dear friend. Please excuse my lack of knowledge concerning the specifics of her paralysis.

I have a friend that became a quadriplegic nearly 4 years ago. She was sitting at her desk eating lunch at work and suddenly became paralyzed. The medical experts still have no real explanation other than a diagnosis of sudden onset of cervical stenosis.

She has been able to pay for her home healthcare and other medical necessities (prescriptions, co pays, gloves, bed pads, etc.) by using her inheritance. She has now gone through all of that money and is being forced to make some tough decisions about her health. Her disability income from Texas Teacher Retirement is $1,000.00 per month and her healthcare bills total $3,200.00 per month. She can no longer afford to have someone come into the house to help her get up and dressed in the morning, therefore she will have to stay in bed for the entire day. She also has no way to get to any doctor appointments, therapies or other necessities such as the pharmacy. She has decided to cancel a necessary surgery that she had scheduled for the end of the month, because she has no way to get to the follow up visits after she returns home.

As a result of all that is happening, she is terrified that she is going to lose what fragile independence she has and is very depressed. She has no family support that she can count on. She is very proud and VERY stubborn and she would never dream of asking for help. Her mind has never been affected by the paralysis, and she is desperately trying to find some sort of job where she could work from home. So, here I am online trying to find if someone that can at least point me in the right direction.... get me in touch with some sort of agency to help her find work....anything. If anyone has any sort of ideas, I know she would welcome them.

Since you are in the USA, give the I.R.S.; the Internal Revenue Service, a call, as they employ many home based workers that supply tech support for many tax related issues, for ordering booklets, website support, etc. A link to the IRS jobs page is below as well as a Google search that list companies that might help with IRS jobs...

IRS Careers
http://jobs.irs.gov/home.html

Google Search - irs home based businesses
http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&...mp;oq=&aqi=

You might contact your local TV news stations or one of the larger Cable news channels, they often have lists of possible, REAL, home based opportunities.

Additionally, if this has not already been done, you should contact the Social Security Administration regarding SSDI, SSI and the Medicare or Medicaid programs. All may be able to provide additional monetary as well as medical services; including transportation to medical facilities. You might also contact your local social services offices.

Social Security Administration
http://www.ssa.gov/

Social Security Disability Insurance Program - SSDI
http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/links_disability.htm

Supplemental Security Income Program - SSI
http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/links_ssi.htm

Medicare Program
http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/links_medicare.htm


Send me a message if you require additional info or help.

Best wishes to you and your friend,

Jerry

She def needs the medicaid/medicare if she cant afford her lifestyle anymore. They will help her get the care she needs at home.

Being in Texas, she should get fixed up w/ DARS. http://www.dars.state.tx.us/ from there she can get help w/ adaptations at home, transportation, work.. really whatever she NEEDS they will help make happen so long as she is wanting to work or go to school.

This will get you started http://www.dars.state.tx.us/drs/index.shtml

I asked my friend about DARS. She said she does not qualify for any of their services because she was not in an accident. She gets a little of medicare, I am not certain how much, I know they fixed her wheelchair. She does not qualify for medicaid because she has a home and a van. My understanding is that she would have to sell her home and her van in order to qualify for medicaid. This is where the subborn part comes in. She feels like if she loses her home she has nothing, so she holds onto it because she feels it is her lifeline. Plus, where would she live.

Both my friend and I are public school teachers. She has a degree in teaching as well as a masters in school administration. However, because she was a teacher in the state of Texas, she did not pay into Social Security. No public school teacher in the state of Texas pays into Social Security. We pay into TRS, Texas Teacher Retirement System. Therefore she does not qualify for Social Security or SSI. She does get a small disability check from TRS each month, but it is small.

http://www.apparelyzed.com/forums/index.ph...530&hl=ches see if anything in that post helps...