The crisp cooler air over the weekend meant we were initially walking much faster while door-knocking.

  (I say “we”, but really I should say “me”.  Art calls us the tortoise and the hare as I zip along in front of him, looking over my shoulder occasionally to ensure we’re still a team.  “Pace yourself,” he calmly advises me as he walks steadily down a long street.  I never listen and always tire o…ut waaaaay before him, but I’m much too stubborn to admit he was right : )  …..

Although the yippy dog, chained up in the front lawn, made me want to bypass the home, we tried the side door when it appeared the dog’s chain wouldn’t allow him to go that far.  I’m so glad we did.  At this home, we met Chris (names changed), a young dad in his 30s with a wife, four kids…and a yippy dog.  Chris came out to visit with us while one of his sons took the dog inside.  We’d interrupted a birthday bash, but Chris wanted to take the opportunity to share with us his plight.  A degenerative eye disease has left him legally blind, resulting in a loss of job and currently no health insurance.  Evidently, there’s quite a long wait before Medicare disability takes effect (up to two years?!), so the cold/flu he is now battling, is going untreated.  Chris spoke highly of his former employer here in CR, who kept him on the payroll several months after Chris was unable to work; just so that he could meet his bills, take care of his family and continue his medical coverage which he desperately needed.  Unfortunately, that ended a year ago. Now Chris and his family are struggling to deal with unemployment and the lack of eye sight.  Also, much of the aid offered from the Dept. of the Blind is only available in Des Moines which is yet another hurdle. Before we left, I told Chris how much I admired his can-do attitude.  This is a young man who loves his family and is determined to make the best of a series of hard blows.

 (Art was able to connect Chris with a local individual who can assist with some of the resources he needs.)

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