(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . There's always another one [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-12-12 This one’s name is Dave. He’s a lot like me, very reluctant to ask for help even when it’s obvious he needs it. Ah, but helping someone else, now that’s a different matter. The boundaries change and you can ask for assistance with that. I started my engagement with Daily Kos like many of you. I was a lurker for several years and eventually decided to join and start making what I hope were contributions by comments to the site and have even posted a few diaries over the years. I have tried to write diaries about subjects of personal interest naturally, or to make observations about things I felt need more attention drawn to them. This time I am posting a story of someone in need at a time (is there ever not one?) when we’ve all heard so many stories like it that it hardens our heart and makes us want to turn a deaf ear to the pleas. You can probably guess where this is going, so skip to another diary if you get depressed or have been exhausted by the sheer numbers of them you have encountered on social media. My friend Dave does not have an exceptional story, in fact I would say it’s very typical of what can happen to anyone in this country. He had a good life going; a wife he adored, a good job in a growing industry (he was a video game developer who had a hand in creating some of the characters a few of you original Nintendo players would know), a nice house, decent cars — you know, the American dream. But time passes and things change. His wife developed cancer, he had to leave his job and move back to Texas to have family help with her care, and in the process he drained his life savings trying to save her when his insurance coverage ran out. Flash forward a couple of decades and he’s had medical problems of his own, which in turn limited his employment opportunities and he is now retired and relying entirely on social security for his lifestyle, which is modest but thankfully, he has enough help from friends and family that he is not homeless. But the last two years have been hard on his health. He developed diabetes, and because he couldn’t afford dental insurance he skipped seeing one which eventually led to rotten teeth and repeated bouts of illness until he had them all pulled. Earlier this year he had a foot infection which progressively got to the point of needing two toes amputated. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop it and a few months ago he lost the whole foot. And because when it rains it pours while in rehab for that he had a heart attack (at least he was in a good place to survive one) that lead to a triple bypass. I have been able to help him with some daily expenses and by picking up prescriptions and making grocery trips and doctor appointments with him. But a prosthetic foot would get him out of the wheelchair and much more self sufficient. Plus being able to stand would greatly help keep his strength and health from deteriorating further. So that brings things up to the present and what he is in need of. Pretty simply, it’s teeth and a foot. This is not a life or death changing cause, but if I can help him get these things it will greatly change his quality of life and give him back some degree of independence. And eat something besides soft food. So if you have the resources to help it would be greatly appreciated, and if you don’t it would still be helpful if you could spread the word on whatever social media you have access to. Kos is the only social media site I interact with, so my ability to spread the word of this cause to a wider audience is limited. Exposure of his need to a larger community and in other places would be as helpful as cash donations at this launch point, so please consider giving a little time and effort (or even a recommend to promote this diary and get it a spot on the Trending Stories list) if that’s what you can spare. The prosthetic foot will cost him around $9000 out of (an empty) pocket, and I’m guessing somewhere around another grand would cover dentures. So roughly Dave has about $10,000 worth of problems I am trying to help solve for him. My ability to do this on my own is beyond my capacity but like most people, naturally I’d like to help a friend how I can. If I can get anywhere close to this goal his brother can probably find a way to finance the remaining difference for him. Here’s the link to his go fund me account, and like always, anything helps. Dave needs you, but he won't ask And of course, thank you for all you do. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/12/12/2291130/-There-s-always-another-one?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/