We actually really enjoyed sharing what we’ve been dreaming of with you guys. It has been amazing helpful, encouraging, and exciting to be able to finally talk about it! You guys thought of a lot of things that we hadn’t, so we made a big long list and have been going through it thoroughly, weighing options and possibilities. It really feels amazing to have you all in our corner. Thank you for being here 💜
I won’t lie, though. On Monday, we got a real punch in the gut.
Brady called someone who specifically works in the vocational rehab program. It was in that call that it was officially confirmed that Brady going back to work would mean losing our disability benefit. Completely. Poof. Gone.
If Brady wanted to try to go back to work, he would have a two year window to decide it wasn’t working out, and he could pop back onto disability. But if he wants that option, he needs to go through the vocational work program that helps him get back into the work force. He would have to do that first. If he does not go through the program, he loses his disability payments altogether. And the wait to get into that program is about 18 months.
*sigh*
So. Brady going back to work means he loses his benefits. Therefore, if he goes back to work, he needs to get paid VERY WELL, IMMEDIATELY, because there would be NO assistance. Which is a BIG ask when his area of expertise – contracting – isn’t really within his grasp anymore. There would be no slow entry back to the workforce. Its all or nothing.
We trust God above all else. This feels completely impossible at this point, because whether we move or not, the disability payment is simply not enough. Its about half of what we need to live, whether we build or not. Conveniently, the house we had planned to build would very likely carry a smaller mortgage, and we could maybe get by there without a full time job on top of it all. But at this point, it seems impossible.
We have tons of calls in all over the place with lots of different people in hopes to find a solution. We are deeply searching for grants, bursaries, charities, etc. who might help us go further with this. If you know any establishments who might consider us, please let us know so we can add them to the list. We may need to write a really humbling letter soon and send it to a million organizations.
Everyone we have spoken to completely understands why the move is a necessity for our life, but they also see the bind we are in. It feels absolutely amazing to have SO MANY PEOPLE backing us. I know just about ALL of you want us to be able to move, and build an accessible bungalow in which all of us could live our life to the fullest. We could live in the house we have designed for the rest of our lives, regardless of mobility, deterioration, etc. It also feels just amazing to have so much support and suddenly SO little hope. How can we ALL be rooting for this when it looks like ALL of us are up against a wall?
We are praying for miracles. Please join us.