Patrice is an Army veteran, mother and Native American who served during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Patrice grew up in a small area of South Carolina in an Etiwan Tribe which was part of the Wassamassaw Indian Nation. She was a Food Service Administrator in the Army who made sure her soldiers ate healthy and nutritious meals during their training exercises, in the field, in combat and in the rear.
While stationed in South Korea, Patrice's battalion was poisoned and many of her fellow soldiers became critically ill or died. As a result of her time in the Army, Patrice suffers from PTSD, back and nerve damage, a rotated pelvis, cervicitis of the knees, cervicalgia and chronic migraines.
"I felt honored to be able to serve in the Army until I had to admit that I was disabled. Now I am reminded everyday of the sacrifices I made for my country when I attempt to take care of my personal hygiene, drive or sleep."
There are several issues with Patrice's bathroom. Her vanity and sink are too low to the floor as she is forced to bend to use them daily and that causes significant pain for basic things such as brushing her teeth and washing her face. Her toilet is too low to the ground and needs to be lifted. She also has issues stepping over the bathtub to simply take a shower. Her knees are weak and she needs a shower seat and grab bars for safety.
We will be creating an accessible bathroom complete with a raised vanity, a lifted toilet and removed tub with built in shower seat, grab bars and hand held shower head. These modifications will allow Patrice the accessibility she deserves and she will no long endure suffering when taking care of her basic everyday needs such as bathing. This will also be a great relief for her family as they will not worry about her further injuring herself in their own home.
Patrice has been on the waitlist for the VA Adaptive Home Grant for over a year. In addition her bathroom modifications she is in need of a ramp. The VA is overwhelmed by Post 9/11 soldiers who are wounded and in need of modifications. Only 120 veterans can qualify each fiscal year for the grant. As you can imagine, the list is long.
If you believe in helping veterans such as Patrice have their homes modified as quickly as possible, please help our mission and check back for updates on this project. Thank you for all of your help so far.
