LIMA — Elizabeth was a teenager when her first child was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect.
There was little time for work as Elizabeth tended to her daughter, Emily, now 11, whose heart troubles needed constant monitoring and medical treatment.
Then Elizabeth learned that her second child, Seth, suffered from a brain bleed that went undetected until he was 18 months old.
Now Seth, 8, is learning to live with cerebral palsy, while Elizabeth’s youngest child, Sam, is set to undergo testing at Nationwide Children’s Hospital to determine whether he suffers from a brain tumor or excess fluid in the brain.
Elizabeth and her children, whose names have been changed to protect their privacy, are one of hundreds of families registered for the Salvation Army’s Adopt a Stocking Fund, which provides meals and gifts to needy families for the holidays.
Elizabeth knew from the moment Emily was born that her life would revolve around her children.
But the reality of being a stay-at-home mother to children with serious medical needs has tested Elizabeth, who worries about how she will get her kids to school and their medical appointments after her car engine died and a second vehicle is already showing serious maintenance troubles.
“I’m constantly stressing out about how we’re getting these guys to their specialist appointments,” Elizabeth said.
The family is waiting to learn whether their new rental home will pass safety inspections, but the rental does not provide appliances like a microwave, stove or washer and dryer set.
Meanwhile, the kids are wishing for Play Station 4 video games, clothes and other toys suitable for a toddler.
Sam needs a winter coat, while Seth is in need of new school uniforms and Billy Footware boots, which zip around his brace.
Emily wears size 12-14 girl’s clothing and women’s size 7 shoes. Seth wears size 10-12 boy’s clothing and 4.5 boy’s shoes and Sam wears 18–24-month toddler-sized clothing.
ADOPT A STOCKING
The Adopt a Stocking Fund benefits families during the holiday season. Monetary donations can be given online at give.salvationarmy.org/stocking or via Adopt A Stocking; c/o The Salvation Army; P.O. Box 234, Lima, OH 45801. All material donations for a specific family should be dropped off at The Salvation Army, 614 E. Market St., Lima, and should include a copy of the article or the date the story appeared in The Lima News. See past stories at LimaOhio.com/tag/stocking.
