Double Amputee Gets Life-changing Blessing
Ms. Mae is a double amputee. Diabetes has ravaged her body. Gangrene necessitated the removal of her legs more than a year ago and she now requires dialysis three times a week to stay alive.
Ms. Mae and her sister, Ms. Scott, live in a rural area of North Mississippi. Ms. Scott took her sister in when she had her legs amputated. The singlewide trailer that they call home was constructed in the late 1960s or early 1970s and shows all of the wear of the past five decades. There is no central heat or air. A window unit in the den keeps the pair cool. Their only source of heat is the kitchen stove.
The back porch steps were almost non-existent. There was little more than some carpet and a few splinters of wood to serve as steps for the home. The only way in or out for Ms. Mae was for compassionate friends or relatives to carry her wheelchair through the back door. This situation was looked on unfavorably by the transportation service that provides the ride to and from dialysis. They threatened to discontinue their service if something was not done to ease her transfer in and out of the trailer.
Sr. Linda with Holly Springs Social Services assessed their situation and made an emergency plea to Volunteer Services for ramp construction. Volunteer Services put a call out to all of the local churches and Minor Memorial Methodist Church in Walls stepped up to the plate.
Pastor Amanda and a team of eight church members took on the project a few weeks ago. Alena of Minor Memorial had previously spoken to Lois and Kelly, Volunteer Coordinator and Assistant Volunteer Coordinaor for Sacred Heart Southern Missions, about available projects in the area. The church was advised of the urgent need for Ms. Mae’s ramp and they jumped on board.
The group spent a Saturday morning and afternoon creating a wheelchair ramp under the direction of SHSM’s new Site Foreman and Jobsite Assessor Lee . Work began at 7 a.m. and by 2:30 p.m. they were packing up their tools. Though stairs and a concrete landing pad had to be added, it was complete enough for access to and from the home.
For the first time in more than a year, Ms. Mae was able to travel in and out of her home without being carried.
“What a blessing! What a blessing!” exclaimed the two sisters. They both were thrilled to have the ramp, but more over for the generosity of our staff and volunteers for the time and effort.
When Lee and Lois returned this week to finish the stairs and pad, two members of the sisters’ family pitched in to complete the work.
“I can’t believe they did all of this for us,” said Ms. Mae. “God is good,” said Ms. Scott.
Everyday life has changed for both of the sisters. Freedom to come and go for Ms. Mae and a safe entry for Ms. Scott makes the ramp construction a double blessing for this family.
