Oh Linda I am so sorry that you are going through this. Please know that you and Lee are in my thoughts and prayers and I wish only the best for you both.
Please take care of yourself my friend.
Marion

Lee needs to speak up............

so sorry...........

((((((((BIG HUG)))))))))
Now take care of yourself. Start with getting enough sleep and eating right. Take deep breaths and plan your course of action. Start with the most important thing and try to tackle that. One day at a time. You can do this.
Praying for you,
Kristi

Linda, turn it all over. You know God will take care of your and Lee. Don't carry this all by yourself. Love and hugs to you both.

Linda,
There are people who can help. Call them today. Tell them everything and let them tell you what assistance is available. You need to be able to show that you've taken every step to care for Lee and yourself. There are resources available in Orange County but it's not always easy to find them all. These people can do that for you. (Not sure where you are so I included the Osceola information as well.)
Kate

Health & Family Services Administrative Offices
2100 E. Michigan Street
Orlando, Florida 32806
Phone: (407) 836-7616

Neighborhood Centers for Families
http://www.orangecountyfl.net/cms/dept/hfs/ccc/ncflocations.htm
This link will take you to the list of family center locations. They are staffed by people who can help you tap into all the available services and are a great way to get help quickly. (I know about these because Goodwill works with the Centers and will often have one of our job placement people permanently located in a Center.)

Osceola County:
108 Park Place Blvd. , Building C
Kissimmee FL, 34741
(407) 742-8400

Linda,

Your post troubles me....I do not like the idea of people being unable to afford medication that they need....you also sound so sad.....My thoughts are with you as well.....take Solstices advice and contact people who can help you. If you need further help I may be able to do something....not sure what but I do know a couple of the head people at DCF that I may be able to call on. Not sure what they can do either. I hate to hear that you may have to leave your home and that you lost your husband. Its bad enough when you have money problems but to lose your mate at the same time has got to be very difficult for you. Please email me if you need to.

Sounds about par.
People who don't know Jack S... about the situation are the first ones to yell. So, where were they before, did they offer to help, did they get involved? I know the answer. Obviously, they're being as much help and support now as they have been in the past.
Just wish you had family closer to you who cared as much as this group.
ron

Thank you for your kind words, offers of assistance and for just being you along with your prayers. Lee had another stroke because of the stress of his children but he is slowly improving and wants more than anything to come home. I am attempting to relax and let some of the stress go, but it is not easy and I am still experiencing panic attacks and I am also in a lot of pain that I am going to the ER tonight in an attempt to get some relief and maube discover what is causing it. My life is very ubsettled at this time and I do not know what my future holds. I am facing the fact that my husband is slowly slipping away from me and the lonliness of an empty shell of a house. I still need all the prayers you can spare and thank you so much. Linda

Hey Linda ~ You have been in my thoughts and prayers also.
I am not trying to make a medical diagnosis but, some of your pain may be related to depression(?) I am just speaking from personal experience. Here is a link below for prescription medication assistance, if you haven't already, please check it out. My husband is trying to help my sil do the same.
Love and prayers
Kat

Here is a link that might be useful: Prescription med. assist program

Linda ~ Love, hugs and prayers coming your way.

FlowerLady

Linda,
You and Lee are in my prayers.

Linda Leaf

You do not need to make a medical diagnosis as know I am experiecning depression. I am a bi-polar and have been in remission for thirteen years. The current circumstances have created such stress that I have slipped into depression. I am coming out of it but the lonliness is another story. I had loss all interest in my plants, gardening in general and everything else that I cared about with the exception of my husband. I am glad to say that I am once again concerned about my babies and I am attempting to revive a lot of them. I planted new seeds this morning and I am going to eat and then head to the center to spend some time with my husband. I am once again focusing on my business venture and spending time at Give Kids the World helps me realize I am lucky compared to the life and death situations those children are facing.

I appreciate the link to the prescription site, but unfortunately I am one of those people that slip betweens the cracks as I have decent insurance, but some of my medications are extremely expensive and my share of the cost is more than I can handle at times. I am back to focusing on caring for me along with Lee and we will survive as God always manages to find a way for us.

I love you fellow gardeners so much and I do think of you as a big extended family. I wish I lived closer to some of you so that I could develop friendships and visit from time to time. I am not always a depressed and needy person. I can be a lot of fun and I adore showing off Disney to people. I am headed to the Flower shoe one morning this week and promise to take pictures. I am ready to take on life again and all of your prayers and concern has helped. Thanks for being here for me. HUGS Linda

Linda, glad to hear you are getting involved with your plants and volunteer groups again. And your business ventures with co-worker Ted sound very interesting!

I still encourage you to check into the county programs. There is help available for people with insurance who are also struggling to cover the cost of their meds. And people who can help you with Lee's situation. Talk to them.

And I know Disney has a great Employee Assistance Program that's available for part time as well as full time employees. Our Human Resources group attended a seminar there and heard all about their program and the thousands of employee calls they get each year. They report back to the company on how many calls they get and the type of help they provide but they won't reveal your name to your people at Disney. Talk to the EAP too.

You don't have to go through all this alone. There are people and organizations who can help.

Kate

Just when I thought nothing else could go wrong, the pain I thought was a pulled muscles in my side was so bad when I laid down and when I attempted to get up I could not straighten up. Spent the night in the ER to learn I have had kidney stones for the past six weeks and I passed them in the wee hours of the morning. I now have a raging infection and will have to stay home for the resmainder of the week on antibiotics, pain pills and antinausea meds. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Today was cast appreciation day for my area and there was a lot of fun things happening and I will be in bed asleep more than likely. I had intended to make chocolate Bouban street pecan pier. Oh,well at least I know I am alive and can survive the horrendous pain. I sat in the ER crying my eyes out and they were surprised I drove myself. I came close to calling the paramedics, but I am stubborn. Drove myself home also.

On the positive side Lee continues to improve and should be coming home in a month or so. I really miss him like this morning. I got a raise at work and it was decent. It kicked in last week and will see it in next weeks pay.

Planted lots and lots of tomato and pepper seeds in my kitchen nursery and hope they pop up soon. Involved in some of the swaps on the round robin forum. Having so much fun there.

Love you guys and I hope to actually post some pics soon. Linda

Linda you seem to sound better :-) I am happy to hear that you may get your Lee home soon :-) I can't believe how stubborn you are though....driving to the emergency room in the pain you were in. I would like you to email me your address....please? I would like to send you something. Nothing major....just something so that when you are feeling depressed and lonely you can look out into your yard and know you are not alone :-) I know sometimes when you are depressed its too much to even turn on the computer and visit with your friends online....this way you don't have to do anything....just look outside.

Thanks for your kind words, nytrinigemini, I sent you an email via the site here. I had the most wonderful news delivered to me today as I talked with the social worker at the rehab center. She told me that DCF closed their case and said there were never any real grounds to have opened one. The social worker said when it comes time for Lee to come home she, I, and the physical therapist will make all the decisions along with Lee. She stated that Lee had informed her that he intends to come home to me. He is improving daily and they hope to have him standing and taking a few steps next week. The therapist is impressed when I come in and coach im during his treatment. They say I really make him work and when I am there they see tremendous improvement in him.

I woke up Friday morning feeling good for the first time in a long while. I have occassional pain in my kidney area but that is to be expected until such time as the infection is totally cleared up.

I am doing better financially as some my Disney friends got together and took up a collection for me. It helped pay some of my bills and get them current and it allowed me to get all my medication. God always looks out for me and provides.

Things are not getting better with the children and they have truly stepped over the line this time. Karen did research and finally located the owner of our home and the person who is our landlord here. She and several of Lee's other children contacted both Lauren and Greg and demanded that they evict me from our home. They asked them both if they had seen the inside of the house. Greg stated that he had and he knew from the beginning that Lee would scar up the wall with his wheelchair and he had no concerns and that he was going to enlarge some of the doors. The children told him that they wanted me away from their father and that they wanted me never to have contact with him again. Greg said that one of the emails he recieved from Lee III was extremely violent and contained a death threat against me. Greg is filing harrassment charges and invasion of privacy against all who emailed and called him as in Lauren in CA. Greg is sending a copy of the threatening email to law enforcement. Greg told the children that I was the best thing that has ever happened to Lee and that they were behind us 100%. He said the children were far worse than I had told him and that they were evil people and that Lee and I should have no further contact with them. Lee and I are considering moving to get away from them. He said he will miss them but that I come first.

The center where Lee is staying has asked me to help them out by taking photos around the place and they are going to allow me to offer photo sessions on mother's day and father's day. We will see what happens and they are passing out business cards for me. Things are definitely looking up.

Thanks for all the prayers and offers and suggestions. By the way my neighbor got all over me for not waking her up to take me to the ER and the neighbors on the other side of me said I could have called them and they would have come and picked me up to bring me home. I now have their phone numbers in my cell phone.

I am getting sleepy finally and heading off to be as it is now 5:15 in the morning. Happy gardening today and I love each of you wonderful people. Linda