Nora Barrett

My name is Ruth Shapiro--"there but for the grace of God go I" or you. My good friend Nora Barrett --healthy (or so she thought) and required a cardiac surgical procedure. Overnight stay in hospital--go home to recuperate. Unless---something goes wrong. Nora suffered a spinal stroke during the process. Now--she is permanently paralyzed from the waist down. Nora--independent, mother, grandmother, now great grandmother--in her early 70's , worked to supplement her social security--up until this. Nora was a woman who would help or give where and when needed, no questions asked. Nora took care of her husband until he passed--she nursed and cared for her mother until she passed. Now--this independent, self-supporting woman will depend on friends, family and medical assistance for the rest of her life. Her home needs to be modified to wheelchair accessible. All of this will require substantial financial costs that she does not have. This family is not a family of means---Nora often supplemented their incomes and needs ahead of hers. She has a son that lives with her, now a blessing-- when she can return home--she won't be alone. (she can never be alone now). Think for a minute--what would you do? Realization--how life can drastically change in a second. What would we do?? I hope to help her financially meet some of what will come her way now. I can be there for her as a good friend. Help keep her spirits up. Cheer her on through rehabilitation. Be her friend that cares about her. Nora passes the "would she" test. Would she do for me--yes--without a doubt. Just think---what would you do? I ask for your help, so I can help her. She will have continuing bills to pay plus the costs of modifying her home so she can live there again. Now this woman who has worked her whole life to be comfortable will never be able to go back to work again. that leaves a massive cut in her income--relying on social security only, which will be difficult--and impossible.