MDA and Me

Hello my Friends,

I hope you are all having a great summer.  I still feel like I'm in Florida with all the rain and humidity we are getting here, but at least its not snowing...that should start sometime next week...lol.

As Labor Day too quickly approaches,  I become obsessed with one thing.... The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon.  The Telethon and I go back many years.  As a child I loved the Telethon...I would sit for hours watching.  I loved Jerry, I loved the cheesy entertainment,  I empathized with the disabled Kids and above all, I loved seeing Broadway Casts perform  Yes even then I was a Broadway Queenette.  I was always very proud when my Dad would let me call in our $5.00 pledge.  I was always jealous of my cousin Debbie after finding out she was answering phones for the Telethon...I wanted to be there too.  The one thing that I didn'tknow was that I too was one of Jerry's Kids.

It was not until I was re diagnosed with CMT (My form of Muscular Dystrophy) at Duke University Medical Center at about 24 y/o that I realized that I had one of the forms of MD.  Once I resettled in Florida, I registered with the South Florida MDA.  The only problem in Florida was that the clinics were in Miami and I lived in Ft. Lauderdale.  I hated driving in Miami.  I started volunteering at the Telethons in the early 90's.
The first year I decided if Jerry could do 21 hours straight, so could I.  That was a huge mistake.  By the 12th hour, I was mumbling and my hand had cramped.  It was then that I realized that it's the thought and not a marathon.

In the 90's as my hands and legs started failing me, MDA became a godsend.  When my insurance paid for a scooter for me to get around in, I never knew that they didn't provide you any way to get the scooter around by car. I called the MDA and they provided me with a scooter lift for my car.   When I moved to Green Bay,  The MDA representative was the first person I met.  She came over with essential equipment that I truly needed.  She remains a dear friend today.  I go for a yearly clinic where they access my disease and see if I need anything.  They provide me with any equipment and repairs on equipment.  They are an integral part of my life.

While my time answering phones has Become only 2 to 4 hours (my hand problems keep me from doing more), I have started raising moneys before the telethon.  I have been truly blessed in that since I have been in Green Bay, I have raised close to $30,000.00 for this great charity. When my Dear Mother passed, they paid tribute to her at the local Telethon..it was beautiful.  Every year I am interviewed and at the end of the interview, I present the generous monies that my wonderful friends and family have donated.

I truly wish that I knew that I could have utilized MDA's program as a child.  Instead of going to the MDA camp, I ended up at an all sports camp.  That did not go all that well, but that's for the next blog.

I know times are rough, but if you can spare a few dollars, you can click on this link https://www.joinmda.org/wlukbeastar2010/rick3rex

If you wish to send a check, please email me at rick3rex@aol.com and I will give you an address
Every dollar is truly appreciated.
Thank you in advance!  Everybody stay cool.
Be Superb!
R