MS Patient Needs Accessible Van

My name is Jennifer. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1999 after six years of “maybe” and “probably” from doctors. I had stopped working because my children were in preschool, and being a wife and mother was my priority. My husband, Jeff, was in the Army and was often deployed and gone for extended periods. I did my best to be an actively involved parent and friend to other Army wives I knew. I spent a year playing single mom while Jeff did a tour in Korea. That was the year I was officially diagnosed after a spinal tap. In 2002 I had to stop driving and found myself needing a wheelchair more and more.

My husband took a position that would keep him stateside for a few years and home consistently as I became wheelchair bound over the course of a few years. During that time he left for an extensive training with the potential of going to Afghanistan. My parents spent the six months running our house and helping to care for me. A year later Jeff did go to Afghanistan and I moved back to MI with our sons. Again, family stepped up. His family and mine helped care for me and our then teens. Jeff retired in 2011.

Jeff is the do it all man now. He is the primary cook, but our kids are still home and they cook too. He shops for groceries, takes me to monthly doctor’s appointments and gets me in and out of bed every day. He helps with all of my daily living needs, including feeding me sometimes. The guys all do laundry. I do have an aide that comes in to help with me for three hours three days a week. She helps with breakfast and lunch, gives me a shower, and helps with light housework.

I do not say this for sympathy. I say it to explain the sacrifices Jeff has made for me. He now works nights so that he can be available to take me to my appointments. He could have continued to serve our nation. Jeff helped with Hurricaine Andrew clean-up, and fed starving people in Haiti.  He fought in Somalia in 1993 when our Rangers were shot down during what was portrayed in "Blackhawak Down."He was part of our mission in Afghanistan in 2011. That, alone, made him my hero. He continues to be as he stands by me now. Many spouses would have walked away. Instead, our love has strengthened. His job is not one that earns him a lot. Combined with his retirement, we still gross less than he did before he retired.

Most of our money goes toward living and medical expenses. We do not live ostentatiously. Our van is all but running on fumes. It is a 1997 with many miles and several problems. My greatest fear is that it won’t start one day and will be beyond repair. We fix a little here and there trying to keep it going. It only gets 13 mpg so we spend insane money on gas because it is our only vehicle. We need help to get a new or new to us minivan. Any help would be appreciated. I can not drive anymore, so I depend on my husband, family or friends to drive me places. It is scary to think someone other than Jeff could be behind the wheel when something mechanical goes wrong.

Will you be one of the people that helps? I pray you are. If you can't I thank you for reading my story, and hope you will pass it on.