Couple struggles to provide basic needs for grandchildren
Posted by: "Don Mathis"
fourteenpercenter@yahoo.com fourteenpercenter
Sat Dec 15, 2007 9:14 am (PST)
To
bigredchristmasdrive@yahoo.com Regarding
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19114332&BRD=2150&PAG=461&dept_id=430589&rfi=6I was amazed - but not surprised - to read, "When they were awarded temporary custody of Daniel, she refused to go after court-ordered child support from his parents, and because of that decision, she just found out it makes the child ineligible for Medicaid."
The Government has tied Child Support to a variety of State Programs. The biggest boondoggle is that each state in the union receives millions of dollars from Washington for maintaining a Child Support Registry. And the more people on the list, the more money they receive.
It looks like Teresa Tyler is another victim of unjust Child Support legislation; her grandson is ineligible for Medicaid because someone is not on the Child Support Registry.
She should write her State and National legislators to voice her complaint.
In the meantime, please ask Teresa Tyler to reconsider her decision to have baby Daniel circumcised. Would she cut off her own eyelids or earlobes? Would she surgically remove her own hair or fingernails? Not only would she save $2,800 by reversing her decision to have the little boy circumcised, baby Daniel would be better off.
Don, the 14%er
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Couple struggles to provide basic needs for grandchildren
By: Teresa Stone-Irwin, Times Staff WriterDecember 13, 2007
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Teresa Tyler with her grandsons Daniel, Travis and Joshua. Tyler and her husband were recently awarded temporary custody of nine-month-old Daniel.
Daniel and Teresa Tyler have lived in Lake Butler since July 1999 after losing their home in Starke. Teresa's mother passed away in September that same year. Since then, its been just one thing after another for the Tylers. "Every time we get back on our feet, something else comes along and knocks us back down again," Teresa said.
The Tylers are raising two of their grandchildren, Travis, 13, (of whom they have full custody) and his half-brother, Daniel, 9 months old. Another grandson, the boy's cousin Joshua, stays with them during the day while his mother works.
Daniel has been with the Tylers since his birth. The boy's parents also lived with them until Daniel was five months old and they were able to get their own place. "Three weeks later, they brought Daniel back to me," Teresa said.
Just two weeks ago, the Tylers were awarded temporary custody of Daniel and hope to return to court sometime next year to gain full custody. Teresa said that she knows his parents love him, but are just incapable of providing for his emotional and financial needs full-time.
"From time to time, his mother does bring me some disposable diapers," she said.
Right now, Teresa is concerned that her husband, sole provider for the family, is in jeopardy of losing his truck-driving job because of accumulated points on his license. "We'll know something next week for sure and if he looses his job, that means we will lose this house too because we already have two mortgages on it," Teresa said.
They adopted their oldest grandson, Travis, now 13, shortly after he was born. The Tylers were not even aware they had another grandchild until they received a call from his mother in Texas telling them to either come get him or they were putting him up for adoption. The Tyler's youngest child had just left the nest when they scraped everything they could, worked a few flea markets, and raised the money to travel to Texas to get Travis.
Recently, Teresa found out that it is going to cost her $2,800 to have baby Daniel circumcised. They plan to use whatever money they receive from their tax return to help pay for it, because Medicaid will not offer the family any assistance.
When they were awarded temporary custody of Daniel, she refused to go after court-ordered child support from his parents, and because of that decision, she just found out it makes the child ineligible for Medicaid.
"I knew neither one of them could afford to pay child support, and having it court-ordered when have just caused more problems," Teresa said.
Unfortunately, right now, Daniel is coping with an inner ear infection and a cold and they cannot afford to get him to the doctor, much less pay for any prescriptions he may need. Remaining optimistic, Teresa said that things were worse with Travis because he was born with asthma, had all sorts of skin and medicine allergies and also had to have tubes put in his ears and his tonsils removed at an early age.
Teresa is using just a handful of cloth diapers for Daniel and said that from time to time, his mother will buy disposable diapers for him when she can. "Brittany Johnson, a dispatcher with the Union County Sheriff's Office, has helped me out tremendously with getting some things for the baby and she even gave me a bag of clothes for him," Teresa said.
When asked what she could specifically use, Teresa said doesn't need anything for herself, but only for the kids so that they do not feel the strain of what she and her husband are going through. Daniel needs size three disposable diapers, baby food (Daniel doesn't like to eat any greens), and Nestle Good Start infant formula. All of the kids can use clothes. Joshua said he'd like to have the PlayStation II game "Burnout 3." He also likes anything to do with the weather, and hopes to be a storm chaser some day. He used to have a borrowed copy of his favorite movie, "Twister," and would like to own a copy for himself.
Travis would like some Hot Wheels muscle cars and the PlayStation II games "Smackdown verses Raw '08" and "Spiderman III." He also likes football, particularly the Jaguars, Cowboys and Dolphins. "NCAA teams I like are the Seminoles, Hurricanes and Gators," Travis said.
If you would like to help the Tyler out the Tyler family, please contact Mindy Goodwin of the Big Red Christmas Drive at (352) 494-3320 or by e-mailing
bigredchristmasdrive@yahoo.com . To see photos of other families in the community who have been helped or are still in need of assistance during Christmastime, visit
www.freewebs.com/bigredchristmasdrive/ .
