13 replies to this topic

[charlotte49er]

Kinda late to be sharing this.

However, I want to share a personal experience I had with one of the politicians several years ago.

For those of you who don't know it, I'm a Paraplegic. For the last 7 years I haven't had the use of my legs. This thread isn't about me. (OK, a little.)

I got injured on the job in Nov of 2005. I spent Thanksgiving that year lying on my back in a hospital room, and almost Christmas.

When I came home, I had to rely on my friends and neighbors to do my grocery shopping, get my laundry done and basically get anything I needed including my meds.

Come the first of the year, I applied to CATS to be able to ride the "special" bus. I was tired of having other people wait on my sorry a$$! CATS own website said that a representative would come out and survey your situation and that it would happen within 2 weeks of applying, or else you'd have to reapply.

2 weeks came and went. 3 weeks came and went. No phone call from CATS. Finally I called CATS and after being transferred 3-4 times I got someone's voicemail. I left a msg and a week later a guy called me. He said that he was the one who had to come to my apartment and approve me. (He had to make sure 1) That I was disabled in some way. 2) that I could get in and out of my house/apartment by myself or with an attendant, 3) that my equipment, (wheelchair) was in good working condition. He then added that he was super busy and that it would be at least 2 more weeks.

2 more weeks came and went, and no call from this guy to set up an appoitment. So I called an left a msg. Another week and no call. By this time, my one friend who had been doing most of my shopping, laundry and meds told me she was getting married. Oh Sh**!

I was talking to my real estate boss and he suggested that I call the head of CATS. I found the guys name, but no where to get ahold of him. No email, phone number, nothing. By this time I'm frustrated and mad!

David, my real estate boss, called and asked if I needed anything as he was going t be near my neighborhood. I gave him a shopping list and told him that I hadn't found a way to get ahold of the head of CATS.

David said, "He** call or e-mail the Mayor, Pat McCrory!"

Pat's e-mail and phone number were all over the internet. So I sent him and e-mail at 9:00 in the morning. That afternoon, the guy from CATS showed up on my door to approve me! Seems Pat called the head of CATS and the guy and left a voicemail for him to get me approved that day!

I'm sure that Pat McCrory had more important things to do running Charlotte than make some phone calls on my behalf, but he still did!

And because of that. Pat McCrory will always have my vote no matter what office he runs for!

[Iceberg Slim]

CATS is awful for folks with special needs and I am sorry that you had the same experience that unfortunately many others have had. Have you reached out to any community support organizations to advocate for you. I know in the days of excepting entitlements the concept of this is unpopular, but you have a lot of resources that are available to you to assist you with activities of daily living that can ease the burden on you and your loved ones...I will be happy to share resouces with you. If you are in the Charlotte Mecklenburg area via PM.

[Mr. Belding]

I believe Pat McCrory almost put me in a wheelchair recently. He was speeding out of a parking garage as I was walking down the sidewalk. I kinda matrix'ed his front bumper and made eye contact with him. He waved a sheepish "my bad" wave and watched to make sure I got all the way out of the parking garage walkway. When we made eye contact, my first thought was "damn this dude looks exactly like Pat McCrory"
Then he drove off with two Pat McCrory Governor 2012 stickers on the back of his car. Can anyone confirm if he drives an older dark blue sedan (Mercedes maybe?)

[pstall]

yeah cats does do a bad job like sag said. got a buddy that is a social worker/advisor for kidney patients. he has to constantly fight tooth and nail to get some of his patients a friggin pass.
i guess fraud is real bad but they have to come up with a better system for those in the most need of help.

[Proudiddy]

Cool story 9er. Good to hear man.

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of job did you work and how were you injured?

[Tensor]

I met Pat once at a function at the country club I worked for in HS/college. He seemed like a legitimately good guy.



Ive been impressed with his ads. They are very straight forward and don't bad mouth the opponent (at least those shown in charlotte did not).

[charlotte49er]

Cool story 9er. Good to hear man.

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of job did you work and how were you injured?

I was in real estate and a sales associate for Dell Computer in Carolina Place Mall. I was opening the Kiosk one morning , reached down to retreive a laptop from the safe and ruptured 2 disks and bulged a 3rd. I went from walking to not walking in 36 hours. That was Nov 15th, 2005. I haven't walked since.

Now I have a handicapped van that I drive everywhere. But when you can't drive or even ride a bus anywhere, you litteraly feel like a prisoner. (At least I did.) I was stuck in my tiny apartment. Only time I went outside was to take the trash out or to talk with neighbors. At least when I got approved to ride the "shorty" bus LOL I could go to the grocery, shopping, movies, laundry, etc.

I look at it as a "Mulligan"! I got to take my life in a different direction. How many people get a chance to do what they want to do with their life. (OK, sports figures do.) I spent so much time working and buying "things" that I had forgotten what was really important in life. I truly believe I am a better person now than I was before my injury.

[The Saltman]

I was in real estate and a sales associate for Dell Computer in Carolina Place Mall. I was opening the Kiosk one morning , reached down to retreive a laptop from the safe and ruptured 2 disks and bulged a 3rd. I went from walking to not walking in 36 hours. That was Nov 15th, 2005. I haven't walked since.

Now I have a handicapped van that I drive everywhere. But when you can't drive or even ride a bus anywhere, you litteraly feel like a prisoner. (At least I did.) I was stuck in my tiny apartment. Only time I went outside was to take the trash out or to talk with neighbors. At least when I got approved to ride the "shorty" bus LOL I could go to the grocery, shopping, movies, laundry, etc.

I look at it as a "Mulligan"! I got to take my life in a different direction. How many people get a chance to do what they want to do with their life. (OK, sports figures do.) I spent so much time working and buying "things" that I had forgotten what was really important in life. I truly believe I am a better person now than I was before my injury.

damn I knew that story was familiar.


Damn Sportstalk I didnt know that was you.

how are things going? Bet you're happy about how your colts are doing?

[Proudiddy]

I was in real estate and a sales associate for Dell Computer in Carolina Place Mall. I was opening the Kiosk one morning , reached down to retreive a laptop from the safe and ruptured 2 disks and bulged a 3rd. I went from walking to not walking in 36 hours. That was Nov 15th, 2005. I haven't walked since.

Now I have a handicapped van that I drive everywhere. But when you can't drive or even ride a bus anywhere, you litteraly feel like a prisoner. (At least I did.) I was stuck in my tiny apartment. Only time I went outside was to take the trash out or to talk with neighbors. At least when I got approved to ride the "shorty" bus LOL I could go to the grocery, shopping, movies, laundry, etc.

I look at it as a "Mulligan"! I got to take my life in a different direction. How many people get a chance to do what they want to do with their life. (OK, sports figures do.) I spent so much time working and buying "things" that I had forgotten what was really important in life. I truly believe I am a better person now than I was before my injury.

Happy for you man!

Not to turn this into a lounge thread, but is there any chance you regain some of your lost function?

That actually is kind of scary because I was working out earlier in the year, bent over during an exercise and couldn't stand back up. I had to crawl to my bed and needed help getting into it. I couldn't walk for the next 3 days or so, then when I was finally able to it was with a severe limp. Any slight pressure the wrong way would send a shooting pain up my lower back and I'd almost fall.

By the time i got into the spine center, they said it could've been a muscle or disk issue, but it didn't matter and they didn't need to do any further tests because by the time I went in, I had no sign of nerve damage or anything. Definitely scared me though and it took me almost 2 weeks to get back to walking normal.

[Darth Biscuit]

We should have a name change thread... idk that was SportsTalk either...

[The Saltman]

i have the ability to go to a profile and view name changes...can you guys also do that?

[Darth Biscuit]

i have the ability to go to a profile and view name changes...can you guys also do that?

I believe we can if we go digging in profiles... I assumed that carolina49er was a new user... obviously incorrectly.

[cookinwithgas]

His signature has sporttalks web site on it as an ad lol

[rodeo]

I knew it was sportstalk because of the propensity for puffy haired 1988 looking women.