Dear Santa.....

R

reefermadn

Guest
Dear Santa,
Hope everything is going well at the north pole. By now I am sure you heard about my near death accident that happened on November 11th this year. It has put me out of work and left my family a mess this holiday season.
I have worked hard all my life to support my family and now I feel so bad that I am unable to do so. My Reef is dying due to malfunctioning lighting and I need so badly a new 260W PC set for my 55G to keep everything alive and healthy but as you know I am not writing you to ask for that.
My family is more important to me and what I ask you for this evening is much more important to me than anything in the world. I ask you to give my 2 daughters a decent Christmas. Valerie who is 2 now would be thrilled to have gifts under the tree with her name on them and that she could open and enjoy and Alyson who is 7 months could just use a cuddle toy or two.
Santa, You know me well, You know I have stayed clear of drugs, Too much alcohol and not run with the wrong crowd. I don't abuse my family and I would do anything for them. This year I don't want you to put me on your list.....I want you to put my family in my place. My kids most importantly. My wife would be happy just to have a new mattress to sleep on as ours is worn badly. She sleeps so little these days due to taking care of the girls.
So please Santa, For me....Just give my family a Christmas this year and I will be forever in your debt.
You know where to find us....Same house as last year and the year before and I'll leave that eggnog and those cookies my wife makes out for you again.
You be carful up in the sky during your flight this year.
Oh, And God bless you Santa! After all, It IS Christmas!
Keri
 
my way

my way

Active Member
What happened to you? You should have posted this much earlier so people could help out. Money is tight right now but I would be willing to send a donation to help the kids have a somewhat merrier christmas. Do you have a paypal account?
 
R

reefermadn

Guest
I used to drive a Wrecker. Large Wrecker towing large trucks. On Friday 11/11 around 4PM I went to pick up a 24' Box truck. Got it hooked up, In neutral and brake off then went underneath to pull the drive shaft. Using an impact gun I zapped out the first 2 of 4 bolts. Put the gun on the 3rd bolt and from that point I remember nothing.
Apparently the shaft was in a bind somehow even though the brake was released and the tranny in neutral. it ripped the yolk off from the final bolt and hit me in the top of the head with brute force. Nobody was around. I woke up 30-45 minutes later laying in a pool of blood under the truck and managed to crawl to the wrecker where my nextel was and call for help. My boss was there in 10 mins and got me to the hospital where I spent 4 days in ICU.
I had 12 stitches in my head, A Severe concussion and 3 herniated discs in my neck. Still suffering from migraines daily and neck pain and have to take medication to even function as well as to sleep at night. That's why you see posts from me at all hours sometimes.
I'm not looking for hand outs or anything here. Just was on my mind late last night as I sat here and I broke down in tears.
Sometimes a man just needs to vent and have others to talk to.
Friends are always a good thing to have.
anyone is welcome to email us if you want to talk about it.
Thank you for the thoughts.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Reefer, so sorry to hear of your blight. I have had one hell of a year myself which has left me in a serious financial bind. Somehow, someway, it will work out. Will you be able to return to work? I'm assuming that you can at least get some workman's comp?
God bless you and your family, Reefer. And your children will be getting the best thing of all for Christmas. You are alive.
 
R

reefermadn

Guest
Originally Posted by Beth
Reefer, so sorry to hear of your blight. I have had one hell of a year myself which has left me in a serious financial bind. Somehow, someway, it will work out. Will you be able to return to work? I'm assuming that you can at least get some workman's comp?
God bless you and your family, Reefer. And your children will be getting the best thing of all for Christmas. You are alive.
Thank you for the kind words.
Yes, I do get Workmans Comp but it is only 60% of my salary Which was not to good to begin with. It does not even cover the bills. We are behind on the

[hr]
now.
At least the Doctor bills and Hospital bills are paid.
As for returning to work, Doctor says he won't make that call untill after the new year but I now also suffer from high blood pressure and dizziness which I have never in my life had so I doubt I can go back to driving trucks and especially towing large trucks since it is a highly skilled and dangerous job.
I am a certified computer technician and could easily do that type of work but finding a job in that field is difficult if not impossible. If one can be found it pays so little because so many kids are into computers that places hire them at minimum wage and the kids love it because they get to work with computers.
I do thank God that I am here for my girls. I'm 44 and these are my last kids....Don't want to miss them growing up.
Keri
 
R

reefermadn

Guest
Great Link.
Nothing available at the moment but I have bookmarked it for future reference.
Thanks. :)
Keri
 
R

reefermadn

Guest
Originally Posted by My Way
I would be willing to send a donation to help the kids have a somewhat merrier christmas. Do you have a paypal account?
My wife said if somebody wants to help the kids that I should not feel bad about it. I just hate asking for anything. Shes says it's not asking when someone offers. So if you really want to....
God Bless you all.
Keri
 
my way

my way

Active Member
YGM from the grinch! Maybe you could do something like comp geeks, there are so many of us pc challenged people who need to get things up and running when we psuh the wrong buttons. :thinking: I know I could have used some help recently. 3 hardrives in a month and a half.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
God I just saw your letter posted on *Link Removed* and felt so bad for you. Hope everything works out well for you.
 
littlebuck

littlebuck

Active Member
hey there reefermadn im sorry to hear about that. Im in pretty much the same boat you are i got hurt back in april and have been dealing with this since. Just watch out with workers comp they will try to mess around with you. Make sure everything is in letter form from the doc. and if something hurts tell them. I have been on pain pill since and taking sleep aids to try and sleep. There is a great thing that GNC has for like 4.00 for 60

[hr]
to help sleep. It more of a mental block for the mind but it helps. Its called Melatonin 3. try them its worth the little bit of money for them. I know the feelign with only getting 66 2/3 of ur pay it kinda sucks. If you need anyone to tlak to let me know. littlebuck70@yahoo.com im here all day and have nothing to do besides my tank. LOL keeps me sain. Well hope you feel better.
 
michelle l

michelle l

Member
Hey, look on the bright side. At least you do have a skill that you can use to land a job, even if the pay isn't so great. Last year my hubby & I both lost our jobs in manufacturing, due to the downturn in the economy. With no real skills aside from assembling things, we have both decided to go back to school because there are just no jobs to be had out there for people with no skills. While attending school is good in the long run, we've gone from making nearly three figures together to less than $19,000 per year. We lost everything...our house, our cars, everything we have worked so hard for...including our spotless credit. Luckily we have been able to get a student loan for my husband for his school but I have no idea where the money will come from for my spring classes. Somehow I'll make it work. We struggle to make ends meet and pay bills, deal with power being shut off and worrying that we'll not have anything to eat, but we get by. We keep our eye on our goals, and that is to finish school. Is there any way you could go back and learn additional skills?
My point to this rambling story (sorry I focused the story on my woes!!) is that there is always a bright side, even when things seem bleak. You are alive and your kids have you as a daddy. Even though the conditions may not be a great as you'd like, you do have a mattress to sleep on and a roof over your heads. You're not paralyzed. That in itself is a blessing. Chin up!!
 
R

reefermadn

Guest
Thank you to everyone for the encouraging words.
I am positive about the whole thing. Went through the "suicidal" stage and all the emotions caused by the head injury. Made it through with encouragement from my beautiful wife.
Now focused on just getting the girls a decent Christmas and making the most of a bad situation.
As for taking even a low paying job (When the doctor releases me) that just can't be done because I am the sole income for my entire family. minimum wage would not feed and house us even though we don't live above our means. We live in a 20+ year old 2 bedroom mobile home and do not drive new cars so we know our limits and are fine with that.
I know there are others as bad or worse off than we are. I just was very emotional last night when I wrote my "Letter to Santa" and it made me feel a little better to get it off my chest and be able to talk about it with others.
May God bless everyone and not just those of us in need.
Merry Christmas.
Keri
 
michelle l

michelle l

Member
Hey again Keri
I don't think anyone was trying to say that they were worse off than you....at least, I wasn't....I think that we were just trying to get you to feeling less depressed about the big scheme of things. It doesn't matter what you have as far as material goods as long as you have food, a roof over your head, and clothes on your back, but I know that doesn't make things any easier at Christmastime. It's programmed into us to want to give nice things at Christmas, especially to the kids because they don't understand money issues yet. I'm sorry that I don't have any other advice aside from just hang in there......we're always here on the board when you want to vent!
 
R

reefermadn

Guest
Michelle,
I never meant to imply that you were saying anything wrong at all. Your message was taken as you meant it, In a positive way.

Thank you. :)
 
michelle l

michelle l

Member
I knew you took it positively....I just wanted to be sure that you knew I didn't mean to minimalize what you are going through!! You're welcome!!!
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
Are you still able to work and sell the computer systems on your business website? I found the link to you business website on your profile.
best of luck
 
R

reefermadn

Guest
Originally Posted by ScubaDoo
Are you still able to work and sell the computer systems on your business website? I found the link to you business website on your profile.
best of luck
Yes, I am capable of doing computer work but my business has yet to go anywhere. I have yet to have one customer that comes from the website (Which is why I always put it in my profile....Hoping). Only people that ever visit it is customers I have had for a while and they are mostly networking customers that only have a problem every few months so not much there.
I would love to build it up. Just put the website up the last of Jan. this year. Did all the work myself. It takes time for search engines and all to find me and I keep hoping that in time I can compete with the big boys and make a good living from it.
So if you know anyone that needs a computer, Check the testimonials page and you will see what some of my past customers say and tell anyone you may know that needs anything to visit my site.
I can not compete with Dell on pricing but I am a firm believer in "You get what you pay for".
Keri
 
R

reefermadn

Guest
Well, The Coral Beauty Angel has gone to fish heaven this morning. She was really stressed when I got up this morning and covered with ICH again. Colors were all faded and she was swimming sideways and laying around gasping. To be humane, I was able to capture her and put her in the QT tank where she passed. There was no saving her. I may be new to SW but been keeping fish for 20+ years and can tell when a fish is beyond saving.
This is a very sad day for us as she is our first loss in the reef other than damsels during the cycle. We can't afford to replace her with me out of work. If I could I would get one since it would be in the QT tank for amonth anyway, By then the reef treatment would be done and ICH gone. The worst part is she was my wife's Christmas present from my mother.
R.I.P Beauty, We will truly miss you.
Keri
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top