Help Laurie On the Road to a Healthier, Happier Life
On September 2nd, 2000, I was injured in a car accident that left me paralyzed and dealing with PTSD. For most of my 24 years of being a wheelchair user, pushing the chair around town has not been too hard. But in the past several years I’ve had sharp increases in fatigue and joint pain, as well as GI issues. As time goes by, using public transportation and sheer willpower to get around has become increasingly difficult. Having a hand-controlled van would remove a huge source of stress in my life. I have a service dog to think about as well – if anything ever happens to Grady, I want to be able to use my vehicle to quickly transport him to an emergency vet.Additionally, I plan to move away from my hometown to a bigger city where there are medical facilities that are better equipped to handle my specialized health issues. Having a vehicle would help me be independent in a new city where I might not know many people. Living in a bigger city, I would also be closer to wheelchair-related activities such as sports, get-togethers, and peer-support groups — and Grady would even be able to have more play dates with fellow service dogs!Handicap vans are not covered by insurance — not the cost of the van nor the hand controls. Modifications for assisted driving can be upwards of $10,000 — before even figuring in the cost of the van itself. My modifications would include not only hand controls but a steering wheel spinner knob, a moveable transfer driver’s seat, a lockdown safety system for my wheelchair, and more.Having a van means I will be able to give myself and Grady a better quality of life. Anything you can give will help me towards that goal. And please leave a note, if you’re so inclined! I appreciate your support.*Family and friends of Laurie Crosby are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund Laurie’s uninsured medical expenses associated with Catastrophic Injury. Laurie has chosen to fundraise with Help Hope Live in part because donations are tax deductible for contributors and will only be used to cover medical and related expenses.*
Updates (1)
September 19, 2024
I've completed my driver evaluation with Certified Driving Rehabilitation Specialist Marc Samuels in Santa Cruz. He had a Prius outfitted with different hand controls so we could figure out which ones would work best for my needs. After a series of preliminary tests, it was time for the driving portion.Even though this consisted of just a short drive through a sleepy residential neighborhood, my brain and body's alarm bells were going off at high alert. I knew on an intellectual level that this was a symptom of PTSD from my car accident, but it was hard to not let the lizard part of my brain take over and freeze me up. I tried to take deep breaths and remind myself that I was OK. Marc noticed my demeanor -- he said I was white-knuckling it -- and he helped me through it with kindness and humor, which I greatly appreciated.When I was done I felt a bit exhausted due to my body being in hyper-vigilant mode, but I know driving will get easier with time. My mom snapped a pic of me in the car, Grady coming up to greet me happily because I was gone for a whole twenty minutes (we're together 24/7, so being separated isn't something that happens with us very often). I've posted the pic in my campaign album if you'd like to see it.
Photo Galleries (2)
Guestbook
October 3, 2024
Freeeeeddoooom!
Amy Heilman
September 15, 2024
I love you very much and I am so excited to donate to your van and driving again !
Susan Ragan
September 13, 2024
You are an inspiration!
Walt Lange
