[TheForge] moving on

[Dan Brewer]

Since you have a plethora of time and a degree in engineering try to put
some of the learning to use designing stuff to make your life easier. Since
you are not alone in being disabled you might be able to sell some of the
stuff you come up with. You have the need to get around.  I have seen
handicapped equipped vans for sale on e-bay and craigs list.  I assume that
you do not need a new one.  Here is a van on e-bay search for item
110209790215. The van  is located in Summerville Georgia.  Here is one in IL
e-bay item 250202419600.  I have seen some of the vans set up so you can get
into the van lock the wheel chair down and drive off. 

Dan in Auburn

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of terry l. ridder
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 11:23 AM
To: schade at acegroup.cc
Cc: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] moving on

hello;

comments intermixed below.

On Thu, 3 Jan 2008 schade at acegroup.cc wrote:

>
> I don't know anything about the places listed so
> maybe I shouldn't even reply. But if I remember
> right you live in Northern Illinois which is close 
> to Northern Illinois University and also DeKalb
> Tech College. If money is an issue you can save
> bundles by going to a school that you can drive
> to and stay living in your current home. Most
> places have some kind of services for people with
> disabilities like car service etc.
>
yes, still in northern illinois. northern illinois
university is roughly 6 miles from me. no, there is
no public transportation in the rural areas. i have
no handicapped equipped vehicle. even a used handicapped
equipped vehicle is in the mid to low $30,000.00 usd.

transvac, the semi-quasi county bus service for handicapped
and the elderly, used to go to the grocery store or shopping
in general.

medvac, the same semi-quasi county bus service for handicapped
and the elderly, used to go to medical appointments also
charges the obscene amount of $0.50 usd per mile.

college with student housing temporarily solves the issue
of transportation.

>
> But beyond all that I think you may be getting a
> little long in the tooth to go to college and make
> it pay off for you. There must be places in the 
> Rockford area where people with disabilities can
> work and start making money right now. If you work
> for the two years it might take to update your 
> education you might be money ahead to just go to
> work. Even a relatively low wage job.
>

this is most definitely true. age and disability
discrimination happens everyday. been there done
that. i printed out just part of my job search
for the 1996 legal nightmare , that was 18,000
pages.

rockford, is roughly 39 miles from me.
i have applied for several jobs and they
all find a reason to not hire the old guys.

i am too young to collect social security retirement.
i do not enough current quarters of work to qualify
for social security disability. the total household
income prevents social security supplemental income.

whether i make any money by going back to college
is at this point really does not matter. i need to
do something other than sit here waiting to die.

the accident of 6 aug 2007, the head-on-collision,
the mounting medical bills, and new legal nightmare
have torn the family apart. there is nothing left of
the family. there is nothing left to keep me here.

>
> If you do go back to school there will still be
> the reluctance of employers to hire a 50+ year
> old guy in an entry level position. May be
> against the law but it happens every day.
>

my choices for college are pretty basic.

get a masters in enigeering so that i can teach
in the state of illinois secondary schools (high
school) without all the education courses.

take all the education courses so i can get a teaching
certificate so that i can teach in the state of illinois
public schools.

go to culinary school and do something
totally different.

i am seriously leaning toward culinary school.

having an engineer degree sure has not helped me in
the past 12 yrs. in the past 12 yrs i have been able
to work roughly a total combined time of two years.
7 years of that time was spent recoverying for 6
surgeries to the left shoulder, arm, and elbow. since
6 aug 2007, i have had countless surgeries on my legs.
i cannot even walk without a walker or assistance. i
can only use a walker to go short distances. i spend
most of my time in a wheelchair. recovery from the
6 aug 2007 accident may take another 12 months.

i need to get on with living instead of sitting here
waiting to die.

>
> Good luck.
>
> Bob
>

-- 
terry l. ridder ><>
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