Saw A Homeless Man On Crutches With Amputated Lower Right Leg Today.

[TheMastersNemesis]

When I was going to my med center for a blood test saw a man on crutches holding a sign at a busy intersection. We decided to stop on the way back to give him some money and a couple of energy bars. To my amazement the man had NO right foot. He was in his 50's or early 60's.

I live in Colorado and lost my left foot to staph 9 months ago. And it has been difficult journey. And have lived my new life in a wheel chair all this time. Thankfully I will most likely be walking again soon with my bionic foot. It has been hard enough adjusting with all the medical care I have received and being home adjusting to working with my disability.

How terrible it is to see someone in such a predicament so disabled. And where this man was is miles from any services. Even tonight I wonder how can this man survives and where could he be sleeping tonight. He is 16 miles from the nearest homeless shelter.

I wonder what the hell is happening in this country. We have a governor taking away peoples' food stamps because it is good for them. We have someone being arrested for feeding the homeless and hungry. We have laws in Denver making it illegal to lay on the ground or sidewalk in the city. Last year the guns nuts doing a recall we were protesting against had an 80 year old lady protester arrested and ticketed for sitting in a chair on the sidewalk.

When I was at DOL I spent 4 years working at a homeless shelter part time. It was the best and most enlightening experience of my life and my career.

[Kalidurga]

1. This should be given the same amount of concern as natural disasters, maybe more...

man made disasters seem to be the most persistent and cause the most damage. Seriously if his house burned down he would still be housed somewhere. No money for shelter too bad even if you can't work even if you are severely disabled.

[TheMastersNemesis]

3. How Far Can You Go On Crutches With NO Right Foot.

I still must use a walker because I had two surgeries on my right leg due to staph infection. At best I can do only about 50 yards that way. Even on crutches it is very tiring moving very far. Plus this fellow had no chair if I remember right. And getting and using a prosthesis is somewhat involved. And a prosthesis can cost over $10,000.

[Kalidurga]

4. Exactly

no one with a disability should be out on the street. But, I have seen it often enough. Homelessness is a man made disaster. It's going to take the will of the people to end it. It's unfair and deadly. No one should be homeless and hungry for lack of resources especially if they are unable to work for an income.

[msongs]

2. America's family values - endless wars and corporate giveaways, not medical care nt

[SheilaT]

5. I do volunteer work at my local homeless shelter.

Sometimes we have people there who use walkers, or even a wheelchair. I cannot begin to imagine how difficult it would be to be homeless in the first place, let alone needing a walker, or wheelchair, or crutches.

[redruddyred]

8. it's the other way around tho.

they're homeless because they have to use a walker or crutch.
and republicans want to cut social security when clearly the system we have is failing us already.
have they no shame.

[reddread]

14. why do you say that?

I have never seen an example.
there are endless reasons why homelessness occurs.
the number one and two reasons?
Family-
1. Abandonment
or 2. Extinction

[awoke_in_2003]

16. So because you haven't seen it...

doesn't mean it doesn't happen? Do you know that if you try to file for disability it is almost always a two year process, as they fight you tooth and nail? My wife went through this process, luckily I have a decent job. How many people can afford no income for 2 years?

[redruddyred]

17. three years on this end

also the statistics on abuse of the disabled are really shocking. esp for mental illnesses. or anything which remotely ressembles a mental illness. or the act of being female while sick with a not-mental illness (bitches be KRAZY).
you can find yourself in a double whammy there where you are ill and have to leave home b/c of that illness.
not just home I've had some terrible landladies.

[reddread]

19. I understand disability is a struggle

but how do we know this person was not homeless before the amputation?
I see folks losing arms and legs for whatever reason on the street. needing wheelchairs.
you wouldnt think that would be hard to find would you?
injuries occurring outdoors that severely limit mobility or independence.
some seriously sad sights, but for the most part they were homeless or on the path to it
first, and arrived for other reasons.
Families that will not support or accept the behavior of mentally ill substance abusers
are the top cause, Im certain.
Brain chemistry is an awesome force.
There is not enough support within our society for the challenges facing many families.
and when those families dwindle it really leaves people out on a limb.
Speaking of which, those difficult conditions people confront outdoors may well include a higher
percentage of health care problems resulting in amputation,
a pretty sad thought.

[DreamGypsy]

6. Homeless...

Homeless, by Luka Bloom:

Homeless

It was a homeless man in Hollywood who got me thinking.
We’d just flown in from San Francisco; we’d been flying
and driving for weeks. This day I saw a homeless man on
the street in Hollywood. I felt the usual mix of sorrow for him,
and anger at a society that makes a man live like this.
Later on I thought about it more, he affected me differently.
He really looked together, really organised. He was a survivor.

I’m sure his life is really tough, but I felt a deep sense of
respect for him, much more than pity. Then I asked myself,
why did I react this way. It struck me, that here in this crazy
world, there was a man, who drives no car, who flies no plane,
who heats no home; in a time of global warming his CO2
emissions are pretty much zero. This homeless man in
Hollywood is a model urban citizen.

I on the other hand, I live this life of good intentions,
I travel the world, I try to be aware of the earth, I sing my songs,
I look and hope for change. But out on the road, I fly every day,
I drive every day, I heat my home, and burn up so much fuel
that if everyone lived like me, we’d need about 4 planets
just to keep it all going…………………….. Shit!

Funny how a homeless man in Hollywood got me thinking….
Men like him just walk the walk, and men like me………..
Well, we talk a good talk….

It was a homeless man in Hollywood…
Homeless…
© 2007 Bloom / O’Reilly IMRO-MCPS

[LeftInTX]

7. How sad..........

[lonestarnot]

9. To you themastersnemesis

I'll be thinking about this homeless man with one foot missing tonight whoever and where ever he may be.

[kelliekat44]

10. Yes, but you should smoke a joint and "chill." nt

[Initech]

11. We're going backwards at an alarming rate. This is definitely not progress.

[UglyGreed]

12. Horrible the way

people are treated these days, that poor man.

[daleanime]

13. K&R....

[niyad]

15. what is happening in this country? as borowitz said, we are making this a place where nobody

wants to live. at least, nobody with heart, or brain, or the slightest amount of compassion and empathy and basic decency.

[mnhtnbb]

18. It is becoming a country dedicated to the worship of $$$.

Very sad. Very disturbing. And I do not see it turning around any time soon.

[reddread]

20. at the Altar of the modern media megapoly

[KamaAina]

21. Must be a day that ends in a 'y'.

Many, many homeless people use crutches, wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Many more have psychiatric disabilities.

Oh, and welcome to our world! (I have a different disability. )