Re: [QUAD-L] Living alone and the future

[Stacy Harim]

I do live alone but my situation is much like yours Jim.  Out of the very few friends I still have, most of them are married.  I can call them and ask for their help or support but they are so busy with their families.  Their kids are in sports mostly and they are great parents being there for every game and practice on top of work.  My other friends are just too caught up in their own lives.  One just parties so much.  I do offer the possibility that we go out sometime but he never takes me up on it.  I just realize that I have myself to count on that this point since my family isn't around.  My closest relative that  I can count on is my Dad which is strange in itself is almost 3 hours away.  I am fortunate that I do have my neighbors next door that I am friendly with in case something happens.  I fell transferring from the drivers seat in my van and they ran right out to help me when I called.  I do feel that anyone that is in a comprimised situation such as any one of us should make sure we are friendly with our neighbors, have their phone numbers, etc. in case the inevitable does happen.   Not only did I contact my ECIL when moving on my own after rehab, but I also wrote letters to my state representatives and got a lot of good feedback as far as help goes that the ECIL couldn't or didn't give me.   Stacy ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: quad-list@eskimo.com Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2006 9:33 AM Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Living alone and the future My biggest fear is living alone and I know one day that's going to happen.  I'm still married with my two children living at home but I take my situation one day at a time.  Since my injury, I have learned a lot about my family and my friends.  I have found out that if I do not pick up the phone and make the call nobody will call me except for a couple close friends of mine.  I have family that will travel pass my house several times a month on their way to be doing something else and they never stop in and say hi even if it is for a few minutes.  I'm fortunate enough to have PCA's come into my house but that is only because I'm on a program with the state of Minnesota that provides this service as long as I am working.  I truly believe that my family and friends that I have, except for a few, are too busy with their own lives to include me in their lives because my disability.  Everybody always tells me that we need to get together and I tell them to give me a call but they never do.   Jim