As the glow of the holidays wears off, the recently relocated couple is realizing the desperation they face. They need a lot of things – home care, income assistance and furniture. But most of all, they need a place to live.
“This is wonderful for now, but it’s not a full-time solution,” Stephanie said, looking around the kitchen of her daughter’s home where they’ve been staying.
Downstairs, her two grandchildren play games with their parents. One of them is non-verbal autistic, and has a complicated set of needs all of his own. The home itself, nestled in the steep hills near the top of Lyman Street, prevents Robert from the freedoms he had when the couple lived in Downtown Truro. Then, he could leave his front door in his power wheelchair and do whatever he pleased.
“The sidewalks in Truro are terrific,” he said through his quiet, raspy voice. “In my power wheelchair I could go out in the morning and literally spend all day going all over Truro.”
Now his power wheelchair sits at the bottom of the stairs of the split-level home. He’s been using a chair on loan from MacQuarries Pharmasave, who also lent him a hospital bed. They can use the equipment as long as they need it, but will eventually need things of their own.
With the holidays over, the process of applying for everything they require has started. Sitting at the kitchen table on Saturday, Robert used the little mobility left in his hands to change addresses online from UK to Canada. It’s a tough job to know where to start, with so many forms, offices and people to go through.
At the top of their list is a place to stay. Their former apartment on Victoria Street is now occupied, and Colchester Housing has yet to find a suitable fit. With the burden of his condition on both of them, neither can work a full time job. On a monthly income of just around $800, they’ll need their rent subsidized at least.
Due to the nature of Robert’s regressing condition, they need things quick. The last two years have seen plenty of freedoms taken away from the couple and they hope to avoid losing the biggest one yet.
“In a year, I couldn’t tell you where Rob is going to be. What we’re talking about is me being able to live with my husband,” Stephanie said. “We’ve been taken from me being able to sleep with my husband, to me sleeping beside my husband, and the next step is me visiting my husband.”
“Death would be a relief in many ways,” Robert said in a moment of solemnity as he contemplated the long road that’s brought him to this place. But then his tone changes. “And yet, I’m better off than many. And I’ve got a lot of blessings, and a lot of really good things in my life. I’ve got a faithful, loving wife, who has experienced this as I have. And continues to do what she can. You know, I would cut her loose if she could have freedom and a life.”
At the end of the table, Stephanie scoffs and rolls her eyes.
“But when I say that, I’m risking getting beat up,” he added as she smiled.
Their gratitude to the community, the charitable donors and the people who organized their return is immense. They arrived home from England shortly after midnight on Dec. 24 to a full turkey dinner cooked by Trish MacNaughton, whose husband, Kevin, was a key part in their homecoming.
But Act II of the battle is just beginning, and it will be a long road until they can be comfortable again.
Robert’s tone shifts from thankful, to pessimistic, to hopeful throughout the conversation. Through it all, he remains defiant in the face of his disability.
“It’s not over yet.”
Twitter: @tdnryan
As the glow of the holidays wears off, the recently relocated couple is realizing the desperation they face. They need a lot of things – home care, income assistance and furniture. But most of all, they need a place to live.
“This is wonderful for now, but it’s not a full-time solution,” Stephanie said, looking around the kitchen of her daughter’s home where they’ve been staying.
Downstairs, her two grandchildren play games with their parents. One of them is non-verbal autistic, and has a complicated set of needs all of his own. The home itself, nestled in the steep hills near the top of Lyman Street, prevents Robert from the freedoms he had when the couple lived in Downtown Truro. Then, he could leave his front door in his power wheelchair and do whatever he pleased.
“The sidewalks in Truro are terrific,” he said through his quiet, raspy voice. “In my power wheelchair I could go out in the morning and literally spend all day going all over Truro.”
Now his power wheelchair sits at the bottom of the stairs of the split-level home. He’s been using a chair on loan from MacQuarries Pharmasave, who also lent him a hospital bed. They can use the equipment as long as they need it, but will eventually need things of their own.
With the holidays over, the process of applying for everything they require has started. Sitting at the kitchen table on Saturday, Robert used the little mobility left in his hands to change addresses online from UK to Canada. It’s a tough job to know where to start, with so many forms, offices and people to go through.
At the top of their list is a place to stay. Their former apartment on Victoria Street is now occupied, and Colchester Housing has yet to find a suitable fit. With the burden of his condition on both of them, neither can work a full time job. On a monthly income of just around $800, they’ll need their rent subsidized at least.
Due to the nature of Robert’s regressing condition, they need things quick. The last two years have seen plenty of freedoms taken away from the couple and they hope to avoid losing the biggest one yet.
“In a year, I couldn’t tell you where Rob is going to be. What we’re talking about is me being able to live with my husband,” Stephanie said. “We’ve been taken from me being able to sleep with my husband, to me sleeping beside my husband, and the next step is me visiting my husband.”
“Death would be a relief in many ways,” Robert said in a moment of solemnity as he contemplated the long road that’s brought him to this place. But then his tone changes. “And yet, I’m better off than many. And I’ve got a lot of blessings, and a lot of really good things in my life. I’ve got a faithful, loving wife, who has experienced this as I have. And continues to do what she can. You know, I would cut her loose if she could have freedom and a life.”
At the end of the table, Stephanie scoffs and rolls her eyes.
“But when I say that, I’m risking getting beat up,” he added as she smiled.
Their gratitude to the community, the charitable donors and the people who organized their return is immense. They arrived home from England shortly after midnight on Dec. 24 to a full turkey dinner cooked by Trish MacNaughton, whose husband, Kevin, was a key part in their homecoming.
But Act II of the battle is just beginning, and it will be a long road until they can be comfortable again.
Robert’s tone shifts from thankful, to pessimistic, to hopeful throughout the conversation. Through it all, he remains defiant in the face of his disability.
“It’s not over yet.”
Twitter: @tdnryan
