By Denise M. Baran-Unland For the Herald-News July 15, 2011
That ended in July 2009, when Anderson was shot in the head.
“I had gotten out of my car and was on the way into my house,” said Anderson, formerly of Chicago. “I remember waking up in the hospital not being able to see, but I thought it was because my head hurt so bad. Then the doctor came in and explained everything to me. That’s when I found out, ‘Damn, Russell. You’re blind.’”
Anderson wasted no time with self-pity. Instead, he praised God he was still alive. He had five good reasons to live: his children, ages 7 to 23.
“I felt a little sad,” Anderson said, “But I never said, ‘Why did this happen to me?’ or anything like that, because I figured I’m still here for a purpose. God doesn’t make mistakes.”
After a monthlong hospital stay, Anderson moved to a Joliet nursing home, supposedly for rehabilitation. When the promised rehabilitation did not occur, Russell taught himself, cane in hand, how to navigate his dismal new environment, determined his stay would be brief.
“I was used to being free, so this was a big adjustment for me,” Anderson said. “I had someone telling me when I could take a shower. I had to wait to use the bathroom, then share the restroom. I was used to eating certain kinds of food, but they weren’t going to cook that for me.”
In October, Anderson and his assistive devices moved into a Joliet apartment thanks to reintegration services provided by the Will-Grundy Center for Independent Living.
Anderson has a talking caller ID, clock, organizer, money identifier and electronic pen, which, when set on a piece of paper, reads words.
Soon after he moved into his apartment, Anderson attended the Illinois Center for Rehabilitation Education, where he relearned how to cook simple meals, safely exercise, use the computer and read Braille.
“I thought learning Braille would be hard,” Anderson said. “I thought, ‘I’ll never get all those little dots down. But once I got the hang of it, Braille wasn’t hard at all.”
He plans to return eventually to work as a chef. To nudge him in that direction, Anderson enrolled in the Wines 101 course at Joliet Junior College. In addition, he is compiling a cookbook of his favorite recipes.
Anderson has also returned to power lifting, which he enjoyed before the shooting, and is training for the Special Olympics.
Mostly, Anderson is thankful for the blessings his blindness has brought him.
“Before, it was always work, work, work. There was never anytime for fun,” Anderson said. “Now I just sit back and smell the roses. I enjoy movies, music, football, baseball. Sometimes, I just go out for a walk.”
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Will-Grundy Center facing cuts
The Will-Grundy Center for Independent Living recently experienced an 11 percent cut in funding for its reintegration program. Executive director Pam Heavens explains the program and how the center will adjust to the cuts.
What is the reintegration program and who does it help?
“The Community Reintegration/Money Follows the Person Program allows the 23 Centers for Independent Living in Illinois to assist people with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 59 move out of nursing homes.”
How is it funded?
“The Department of Human Services provides funds for CILs to buy home furnishings, household items, food, first month’s rent and security deposit, and assistive-technology devices for people leaving nursing home. DHS also pays the wages of personal assistants who are hired by the consumers to do whatever tasks the consumers cannot perform themselves.”
Is it cost-effective for Illinois?
“Since 1998, the state has saved hundreds of millions of dollars. On average, it costs the state $40,000 each year for a person with a disability to be warehoused in a nursing home and it costs the state $10,000 annually for a person with a disability to live in the community, even with personal assistant services. The dignity that is restored to the person is priceless."
#For Will-Grundy Center for Independent Living click headline or visit: http://www.will-grundycil.org/
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