Stephen and Edgardo.

Hello.

My name is Stephen Lapointe.

As most of you know, my husband, Edgardo Alvarado-Vazquez, suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) on October 13th, 2018.

Edgardo was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center and spent four weeks in the ICU and another three weeks in their rehabilitation unit.

Edgardo decided to return to work as an assistant librarian at The Key West Library in January 2019.

For nearly two years, while Edgardo worked at the Library, I would have to go and pick him up because he was unable to do his job.

Not every day, but at least twice a week.

That is when his paycheck got smaller and smaller.

I was unable to work full-time.

I had to be ready for another breakdown.

And Edgardo has had plenty.

Anti-seizure medication is very much like medication for depression. The first meds don't always work.

Edgardo finally opted out to retire from the county in April 2021.

His inability to function led him to early retirement from the State of Florida.

We were already struggling financially.

His departure left us without insurance and at least that steady income.

That was a year and a half ago.

I have been doing the best I can.

I am fit and able to work full-time.

But caregiving has put the brakes on my being able to leave the house.

Meanwhile, everything in our home has bellied up.

Our AC died.

We have a hole in our roof from Hurricane Irma.

The water leaks through an aperture in our bathroom.

We have a bucket to collect the water for flushing our toilets.

Edgardo sits at a Hospital in Miami. Incapable of making rational decisions.

All the while, I stand behind him to clean up the rhetoric and false information he leaves behind.

As I said before, I am quite capable of working.

But being a full-time caregiver has left me with few options.

I have reached out to social security for disability. No word yet.

I have contacted Monroe Family Services for support.

They only offer a break on the electric bill.

Other not-for-profits deem that having a mortgage constitutes ownership.

No matter how hard you struggle.

It has been suggested to me, to sell my house.

And then what?

Move? From Key West?

Financially, impossible.

I hate being here. Feeling like a pauper.

My degradation level can only go so far down.

I do believe that I have hit rock bottom.