Being not just poor but also disabled results in terrible discrimination, most people can’t understand or accept non obvious disability like amputation or paralysis, mostly they want someone to have a fatal condition or the above, anyone else is often treated as too lazy to be worthy of help or even acceptance.
I was an unpopular(with chief and board) unionizer firefighter paramedic officer in a very wealthy fire and EMS district. I had put off reporting what started as an injury presenting with back pain but turned out to be a debilitating injury fearing it would prejudice an upcoming promotion. The fire district of under ten square miles worth a few billion $US being a real 1%er resort area with a chip on their shoulder and good lawyers was easily able to fight my claim in part due to my misstep.
I am now barely self funding a return to work as a niche job airplane pilot only due to socialized medicine and a (non US)disability pension after moving to my wifes country of second citizenship.
The important thing to take from my story is the lone American bootstrap stories are nearly impossible in a society like found in the US without massive family or community assistance. America where even if the one spouse can keep his nuclear family together under psychological, societal, and financial stress there is not an easy way to deal with the actual debilitating medical issues. This doesn’t even touch finding a way to earn or make enough money to survive when tied down by not only the disability but also the distraction of pain and treatment hindering expensive retraining.
Good job Marc Roth, great job TechShop, but greatest job Marc Roth+Learning Shelter that combination is rarest and most special of all!
How can we turn this story into an boring, expected, non-newsworthy outcome?
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