GARDENING: BRINGING FAMILY TOGETHER
WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER INVESTING IN A FAMILY GARDEN
COLLABORATION Gardening gives your family a chance to collaborate. When you’re stuck inside for long periods, you may be spending time together, but it’s usually not quality time. Working in a group to create and maintain a garden is a hands-on experience for everyone. It’s a chance to get the whole family involved with a single project, and you can literally share the fruits of your labor. DECIDING ON PLANTS When it comes to deciding which plants you want in your garden, there are many variables to consider. Do you want to grow edible plants, ones that have magnificent blossoms, or ones that are easy to care for? Flowers are a good start if you want a plant that grows a little faster; plus, they lend a pop of color to your garden. Growing vegetables is also rewarding, as the kids will take great pleasure in eating what they’ve grown. Other possibilities include sunflowers, blackberries, peas, and lettuce. You might be surprised at how willingly children eat their greens when they’ve had a hand in growing them.
After spending a winter cooped
up inside with your family, there might be a little tension between everyone. Fortunately, it’s spring, and
the warm weather, melting snow, and blooming flowers offer a good way to ease restlessness. This
season, why not bring your family closer
together by starting a family garden?
A LEARNING EXPERIENCE Nearly every step in the gardening process can be a learning experience for kids and parents alike. Begin by discussing where you should start and why, what supplies you’ll need, and the types of plants you want to grow. Gardening also offers opportunities to learn about science, ecology, and nutrition.
Family gardens can bring something new and fresh to your home. So, get outside, enjoy the sun, and discover the joys of plants and gardening.
Feeling Secure for a Lifetime
As Michael W. of Springfield put it, he started working after graduating high school to “get a job, start my life, work with my hands, and because I had no money!” He worked for many years at a plumbing supply warehouse. One day, at age 46, he was getting a toilet from an overhead shelf. As he pulled, lifted, and turned, he injured his lower back. Michael hadn’t missed work in over 10 years, but he missed three months after his injury. He worked in pain for another seven years with the aid of regular treatment, injections, and medications, until the pain became unbearable. He underwent his first lower back surgery, a laminotomy. The procedure is an orthopedic neurosurgical procedure that removes part of a lamina of the vertebral arch in order to decompress the corresponding spinal-cord and/or spinal-nerve root. He had his second surgery a year later and a spinal fusion soon after. In an effort to combat his ongoing and debilitating pain, his doctors implanted a spinal cord stimulator. A year later, they implanted a revision of the stimulator. In the next year, they inserted a programmable morphine pump. All told, Michael has undergone 13 surgical procedures, and claim costs have approached half a million dollars so far. Depression resulted from the pain and limitations, making it hard for Michael to even imagine a brighter future.
In his application for permanent total disability, Michael said, “I have lost everything in life
that can be lost. When I do anything, I have to do it with incredible pain … half of my life is spent on my back not sleeping … thank God for television and frozen foods.”
Although the Industrial Commission doctors opined that Michael should be able to do some sort of work in spite of several failed but diligent efforts at rehabilitation, the Industrial Commission hearing officer agreed with us that Michael is effectively precluded from any kind of work. Because of his injury, Michael had to sell his home, since he couldn’t even afford his mortgage. Since we were successful in helping him obtain permanent total-disability compensation, Michael is now able to afford his own home and has the security of lifetime benefits.
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