Introduction:

Homeless; the very word I’m sure evokes

and instant image for your notion of what homeless is. It’s the

annoying person on the side of the road during your morning drive

that insignificant brief thought before going in and spending $3.00

on an iced coffee, and maybe even just an interuption to your

favorite TV show as you walk away. The reality of their situation is

deep impacting and life changing. Please take the time to read about

my journey into their world as I too intentionally became homeless

for several weeks.

First let me say that I am guilty of

it. Sure yes I’ve helped a ton of people with change or a kind word

as I’m sure most reading this have. It’s our defense AGAINST changing

it because after all we once gave fifty cents so the problem is

solved. In reality there is little change created with spare change

though it does provide temporary relief for hunger or thirst. On my

quest for the answers I first became intentionally homeless. The

second portion was connecting with those currently homless and

conducting interviews. Each person interviewed was provided my thanks

and $5.00 for their time. Their answers in no way guided or shaped. I

highly encouraged an open explaination of what their life is like and

what a normal day consists of.

You might think there is no work for

someone with no job. You’d be wrong. The daily tasks needed just to

survive on the streets consumes 8-15 hours every single day. Those

asking why don’t worry I will provide the answers. First lets start

at the start of a standard day. You don’t always awake to everything

you need. One location might have a shower (if your lucky) and

another miles away and traveled on foot may give you a meal if you

get there soon enough. In between this time as a homeless individual

you also need to be worried about violence, rape, being robbed, and

other mindless crimes against the homeless.

The first thing that I found eye

opening was the just how much they utilize that we throw away. From

pop cans,  meat, and even your dinner left overs (scraps) they use

anything and everything they can. While there are some con aritst

people that ask for money those are not the people of my story. How

do I know? I went and observed them in their element homeless. Often

sitting and writing or reading, playing cards anything to escape the

reality for a little bit. The environment that I was in was often 95+

degrees with little water so shade becomes a turf war. When I had

been doing it a week I was already getting aggrivated though I had

many advantages that they didnt. I began to get mad at myself for

being so selfish. That was when one of the women I interviewed

explained she was from my home state and had been homless for 20+

years even raising children on the streets.

I’ve often heard that phrase and I

admit YES! I have said it myself “Why don’t you get a job”. I

admit freely how stupid I was. Many of the people I spoke with apply

for jobs on a daily basis only to never receive a call back or even

an interview. Imagine yourself going for an interview when you have

almost no resources and access to a shower is often hard to find.

These great people sadly need to make sure they find their next meal

because often for them that in itself is a day long job. The work

they can find is cleaning up out trash. Recycling cans “canning”,

tearing into dumpsters for meat we toss, and finding clothing that

has been thrown away are streams of income for the disadvantaged. No

interview required just an ability to do completely humliating work

while people watch and laugh at your for almost no pay. When is the

last time you worked for 8-15hours to collect enough cans to feed

your children just to wake up and do it again. Oh were you under the

false impression that they all get cash or welfare? You would be

wrong again. As most don’t have an address they are NOT eligible for

help even if they have children and the ones that do obtain help say

that “It just isn’t enough to ever get ahead, .. how do you save a

part of it when there is nothing left and I am already eating out of

trash cans?”

Whats worse is they watch as animals

receive treatment and food while they are un able to get the most

basic of help.

Day 21

I sit outside a hotel room that has

been paid for me by a program and the State of California. It is

available for 10 days to anyone who is homeless. Assistance is given

for budget planning (how ironic). It took me a few hours to

de-compress and get the wifi working to even be able to write this.

My hands now covered in thick un identifiable blisters. Weather from

the heat or the stress or lack of water it is clear my body took a

beating. I have stayed within the guidelines available to any

homeless individual but there are catches. 1. You must be able to

prove after ten days that you will have some place to go. For me I

brought the documentation that I have purchased a small home and am

awaiting entery. Me and my girlfriend found a home for $1,200 –

full purchase price and a monthly land/lot rental of $480. It’s a 2

bedroom but in comparrision to other units around very reasonable. We

are awaiting entry to get approved by the trailer park lot which

leaves us nervous because we had to pay for the place first. The

nerves when we sold everything and dropped $1,200 we didn’t have sure

we have a contract but asserting it would take time, money and

resrouces we don’t have.

A bit of russian rullet as it was a

better long term fix. The “easy” choice would have been to take a

1br small unit for $900 a month which the land owner refused to

pro-rate even though it was the 14th. He did assure us

though next month he’d consider pro-rating the rent. (YEA RIGHT) so

we went for the option to owned a forclosed unit. I can’t help but

smile as the way I am being helped is a ten day vacation at a hotel

comperabale to the Hilton in Minneapolis ten days free. The biggest

question I have is where they come up with the number ten because you

rarely could even get a paycheck together that fast much less solve

some long term situation. I am lucky I have a place to go and really

that is what this program is for. There is another less strict

program that allows for 16 days at this same hotel for anyone but can

ONLY be used once in your life as a resident here.

There is a flip side to this coin that

I must present in fairness to both sides. With so many programs and

leg up’s how is it people remain homeless in so many areas? Speaking

to a worker today (8/23/2011) who wished to remain nameless but

allowed me to quote her she stated: “I believe they just reach a

dead end”. I asked if they just exausted all programs and she

promptly replied “Exactly.” Shrugging she went on to talk more in

detail about how there are a lot of programs in the area some more

restrictive than others but most one use programs. So the short

version is in the eyes of these programs you get one shot (sometimes

rightfully) to get on your feet and learn your lesson. But what if it

happened to you? Homeless once like someone I met at 19 and again at

nearly 50 is she really not deserving of another shot? I ask myself

this while remembering waiting 5 hours to find a bathroom to use

during the day as all busineesses require you to purchase something

and some areas have no public restrooms.

I remember the thirst and wanting

something to drink. I remember wanting food begging for sleep and

slowly losing my mind as I only got 1-3 hours of sleep a day or none

for several days.

I started this wanting a glimpse into

their world and to really know what causes it, what we can do to fix

it, and why some never get out. I feel like I really have a better

understanding of the situation. I’ve made a map/ outline of how I

will be going into the other topics and have few interviews left to

complete. What continues will be my journey into all of these issues

and more.

There is a business market you would never expect and it’s unique because instead of offering a solution it’s purpose is to keep you sick. Let’s take a moment and understand residual income. If a customer never needs a new phone, new computer, new car, there is only a one time fee. The same is true with your body and health care. Why cure cancer when you can make millions off the year after year treatment. This isn’t to say that there aren’t those that seek a true cure for cancer, but when the “big wigs” have their hands on the FDA’s neck you’ve got to believe a cure will have decades of red tape behind it.

By the thousands they flock regular people seeking cures and leaving the United States and heading for clinics in Mexico. Is it sun and surf they seek. No! They are going to Mexico because there are simple effective treatments there (that happen to be cost-effective) that are not offered in the United States. Few have probably heard of a Caffeine Enima procedure being used to treat cancer. However there are clinics south of the border curing cancer by the thousands every year doing just that. The human body is an amazing advanced piece of biological ability. Big companies like Pfizer and Eli Lilly would rather you not know there are cures out there that can help you.

As someone who suffers from MS and having been told first hand that there is no cure I know the pain of an in-curable disease. I refused to believe there wasn’t something I could do so four years ago I started to experiment with my body. I started by trying vitamins and seeing what worked and what didn’t. I treated my body like an iPhone I was trouble shooting because I knew I was good at problem solving. I had the fastest repair of the iPhone in Apple’s history 2 seconds. So if I could fix an iPhone in 2 seconds I knew I could help myself. I was right. I moved on from Niacin and went on to B12 then tested how I felt giving each a week trial. The conclusion B12 and Niacin worked and both were available over the counter at Walmart at reasonable prices. I continued my search and went on to Fish Oil then again combined them and brought back together all three into my cocktail determined to find an answer for my MS. I refused to lay down and just be tired and give up. I had to be careful with the fish oil after three capsules I felt burning so I brought it back down to 2 caps and it worked great. The fish oil brought back clarity and memory where the Niacin produced energy the B12 tossed out depression and restored energy. The mix together was powerful, but I continued for another two years.

The next year I happened to stumble across Monster Energy Drinks (TM) and Gadzooks I’d done it. When my mix was applied with Monster Energy drinks (in monitored amounts) I was off and running and had no further MS symptoms. It has been 2 years and my mix is still working. Coffee can be substituted for those sensitive to caffeine (consult your doctor or natural health professional before trying). With the legalities out of the way I can 100% tell you that it worked for me and continues to provide me relief.

From peppermint for a headache, to lavender or melatonin for sleeping problems. Don’t believe the hype! MD’s are tought that “modern medicine” is the best for everything. While it is sometimes needed OFTEN you do not need a pill made by the giant. The earth is abundant and ever providing. The earth / god put everything here that we need. The answer to any medical problem (non man-made) is contained in nature. Do research and become your own professional. Again sometimes medical MD help is needed but for the rest rely on the best asset you have yourself, and your ability to know what works for you. Last there are test kits you can affordably order to test your own urine seeing if your low on certain elements.  Use all resources at your disposal and most importantly refuse to give up. Mind over matter and attitude is everything are your weapons until you find your solution.