Posted on: Friday, December 24, 2004
ADVERTISER CHRISTMAS FUND
Computer would help rehabilitate ailing man
By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
A.I.'s husband is a big man, a construction worker who supported himself and his family for more than 30 years.
"He said it was like a sledgehammer falling down on his knees," A.I. said.
Her husband said he just needed a rest. He'd take a couple of weeks off work. He'd be back on his feet soon.
The pain got worse.
"He went to the doctor a couple of times but the doctor didn't know what it was — wanted to do tests and we didn't have medical (insurance)," A.I. said.
To donate, send checks payable to "The Advertiser Christmas Fund" to Helping Hands Hawai'i, P.O. Box 17780, Honolulu, HI 96817.
Monetary donations also may be dropped off at any First Hawaiian Bank branch.
Goods can be donated at the Community Clearinghouse at 2100 N. Nimitz Highway, near Pu'uhale Road. For details, call 440-3804.
To donate by credit card, call Helping Hands at 440-3867 and specify that you are calling to make a donation to The Advertiser Christmas Fund. You will be asked to provide your name, credit card number and the card's expiration date. Please designate how you want your donation listed in the paper. "So he gave up," A.I. said.
The family bills mounted. The depression became nearly as debilitating as the pain, and the big man's pride got in the way. He refused to ask for government assistance to feed his family. He wouldn't get help for himself.
A.I.'s salary didn't come close to covering the family's monthly expenses.
A.I.'s parents, an elderly couple on a fixed income, went broke trying to help their daughter pay rent. Eventually, A.I. was forced to leave her husband in order to get the state aid she needed to care for her sons and her parents.
The breakup of the family helped A.I.'s husband to overcome his pride. He got the assistance he needed to see a doctor, and was told he has arthritis and gout and needs surgery to replace both knees. He went to see a lawyer about filing for Social Security benefits. Recently, he got his family back.
He's still depressed, A.I. said. While helping him prepare his medical paperwork for the lawyer, she discovered his doctors considered him suicidal.
The family is strapped for money, but A.I. says they are working hard to stay together.
Someone gave them a computer and for a while A.I. saw hope in it; her husband discovered he had a knack for computing, and the life-long laborer started talking about getting his high school diploma and taking computer classes.
The Internet offered him a venue into the outside world, and he seemed more cheerful and less bothered by his lack of mobility.
Then the computer broke.
A.I. would like a computer for her husband for Christmas and a bike for her 8-year-old son.
Her oldest son, who put his dreams on hold to help support the family, wants only to see his father healthy, happy and confident again.
Christmas Fund donations will be used for families who need help making it through the holidays.
Any money remaining after the holidays will be used to help those in need throughout the year. For information on how to donate, see the "How to Help" box.
Our anonymous Santa is matching the first $25 of each donation to the Christmas Fund.
Recent donations:
Total: $3,690
Previous total: $84,481.76 Total to date: $88,171.76
A few years ago, while working on a road construction project, his legs started to ache. A couple of times they just gave out on him, and he found himself on the ground.
Her husband was in a bind. He tried doing odd jobs to get the money for medical care, but as the pain increased, his mobility decreased. He couldn't finish the jobs. He became depressed.
How to help
