Saving Face With Faith
The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe. Proverbs 18:10
TESTIMONY ...
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I was born to JB and Mary Alma Fritts on April 11, 1958. I was born at home in Saint Charles, VA.,in a coal mining camp. After a few years my dad and mom divorced and my dad later married Vivian.
Growing up, I lived in various places. With my mom I lived in Dayton, Oh. When I moved in with my dad we lived in Portsmouth, OH and then to Rose Hill, VA where I was raised.I attended Thomas Walker High School.
I moved back to Dayton, Oh. in 1983. I continued to live in Dayton until 1999 when I moved to Calhoun, GA.
On March 31, 2000 I finally talked Sharon into walking down the aisle to marry me! The both of us had been married before and were reluctant to take that step, at first. In spite of the whole cancer ordeal, we are very happy that we are together! I love her so very much and she loves me too!
Between us we have 6 children. I have a daughter, Crystal, in Ohio.I have 2 sons, Kasidy and Korey, in Florida. Crystal has 2 daughters, Brittany and Patricia and a son, Daniel. Sharon has 3 daughters. Sharoll recently moved to Ohio. Gina and her 4 children, Dylan, Collin, Camryn and Devon live in Ohio. Jacinda lives in Gadsden, Alabama.
On Dec. 23rd 2002, I was diagnosed with Ameloblastic Carcinoma.
In November of 2002 all the employees of Perfect Fit Industries were informed that the plant was permanently closing down. After 9/11, business at the plant decreased rapidly.
At that time I was working up to 12 hours per day, five days a week. There were many 15 hour work days. I was working in the dye house and the temperature in there often reached as high as 120 degrees.
The doctors later informed me that a lot of my extreme fatigue was due to having cancer, 3 stage 4 tumors, eating my facial bones as well as the normal fatigue associated with that kind of work. I have always been a hard worker and even after finding out I had cancer I continued to work until the plant completely closed down.
Losing my job and finding out that I had cancer at about the same time turned my world upside down.
I went to apply for medical assistance. I had to lay my head in Sharon's lap as we waited. She had to fill out all the papers and answer most all the questions. It was a hard exhausting day! It was a frightening, confusing and painful time for us both.
The Social Security office informed us that in order for me to receive medical assistance that I would have to refuse my earned unemployment benefits after working all that time at Perfect Fit. If I didn't refuse it I couldn't get a medical card. We were also informed that is our household made over a certain amount of money I wouldn't qualify for assistance. My wife had to quit her job to become my full time caregiver (with no pay) It was and continues to be hard.(at times) I often have days when I cannot get out of the bed. Sharon brings me the nourishment I need and my medication to keep me going. She also makes all of my appointments, calls the doctors, gets my prescriptions filled, goes with me to my appointments and encourages me when I am down.
Once all the doctors decided on their course of action they started their procedures. Medicaid paid for them to remove my face but it will NOT pay for them to put me a face back on! It is called a"COSMETIC" or "ELECTIVE" surgery and/or procedure. That just does not make sense to me!
The doctors have told me specifically to avoid smoke, dust and fumes because there is so much cut out of my face and I am more susceptible to pollutants than most people are. Whenever I go to visit certain people, because of the air in their home I am usually in bed, very sick, for a few days.
My doctors say that I NEED a nose to filter out those pollutants and though I have worked my whole life, and worked HARD, because I have Medicare and Medicaid I have to come up with the cash to have my face rebuilt. I think that that is unfair. I can't have a nose, a roof of the mouth, a top lip and teeth because it is called "cosmetic". How is talking or swallowing cosmetic? How is eating with a mouth instead of using two fingers to chew your food cosmetic? I just don't understand.
Growing up, I lived in various places. With my mom I lived in Dayton, Oh. When I moved in with my dad we lived in Portsmouth, OH and then to Rose Hill, VA where I was raised.I attended Thomas Walker High School.
I moved back to Dayton, Oh. in 1983. I continued to live in Dayton until 1999 when I moved to Calhoun, GA.
On March 31, 2000 I finally talked Sharon into walking down the aisle to marry me! The both of us had been married before and were reluctant to take that step, at first. In spite of the whole cancer ordeal, we are very happy that we are together! I love her so very much and she loves me too!
Between us we have 6 children. I have a daughter, Crystal, in Ohio.I have 2 sons, Kasidy and Korey, in Florida. Crystal has 2 daughters, Brittany and Patricia and a son, Daniel. Sharon has 3 daughters. Sharoll recently moved to Ohio. Gina and her 4 children, Dylan, Collin, Camryn and Devon live in Ohio. Jacinda lives in Gadsden, Alabama.
On Dec. 23rd 2002, I was diagnosed with Ameloblastic Carcinoma.
In November of 2002 all the employees of Perfect Fit Industries were informed that the plant was permanently closing down. After 9/11, business at the plant decreased rapidly.
At that time I was working up to 12 hours per day, five days a week. There were many 15 hour work days. I was working in the dye house and the temperature in there often reached as high as 120 degrees.
The doctors later informed me that a lot of my extreme fatigue was due to having cancer, 3 stage 4 tumors, eating my facial bones as well as the normal fatigue associated with that kind of work. I have always been a hard worker and even after finding out I had cancer I continued to work until the plant completely closed down.
Losing my job and finding out that I had cancer at about the same time turned my world upside down.
I went to apply for medical assistance. I had to lay my head in Sharon's lap as we waited. She had to fill out all the papers and answer most all the questions. It was a hard exhausting day! It was a frightening, confusing and painful time for us both.
The Social Security office informed us that in order for me to receive medical assistance that I would have to refuse my earned unemployment benefits after working all that time at Perfect Fit. If I didn't refuse it I couldn't get a medical card. We were also informed that is our household made over a certain amount of money I wouldn't qualify for assistance. My wife had to quit her job to become my full time caregiver (with no pay) It was and continues to be hard.(at times) I often have days when I cannot get out of the bed. Sharon brings me the nourishment I need and my medication to keep me going. She also makes all of my appointments, calls the doctors, gets my prescriptions filled, goes with me to my appointments and encourages me when I am down.
Once all the doctors decided on their course of action they started their procedures. Medicaid paid for them to remove my face but it will NOT pay for them to put me a face back on! It is called a"COSMETIC" or "ELECTIVE" surgery and/or procedure. That just does not make sense to me!
The doctors have told me specifically to avoid smoke, dust and fumes because there is so much cut out of my face and I am more susceptible to pollutants than most people are. Whenever I go to visit certain people, because of the air in their home I am usually in bed, very sick, for a few days.
My doctors say that I NEED a nose to filter out those pollutants and though I have worked my whole life, and worked HARD, because I have Medicare and Medicaid I have to come up with the cash to have my face rebuilt. I think that that is unfair. I can't have a nose, a roof of the mouth, a top lip and teeth because it is called "cosmetic". How is talking or swallowing cosmetic? How is eating with a mouth instead of using two fingers to chew your food cosmetic? I just don't understand.
I just want to be normal. Whatever "normal" is. I want to go into a business and not have everyone turn and stare. I want to go to Washington, DC or into a bank and not have the guards come to see if I am there to do something wrong. I just want my life back.
The prosthetic devices made for me just recently failed and I have to restart the whole process over. Please keep me and my wife in your prayers!