Caddo Kiowa Technology Center

Fort Cobb, OK - March 9, 2010 - Many reach a point when they say, "Life is good." Pam Lively and her husband were there. The children were grown and grandchildren were on the way. They both had jobs they enjoyed; Pam was a hair stylist and her husband drove a truck. They owed nothing on their home, owned a lake house and had money in the bank.

Yes, life was good. And then the phone rang. Lively was at work when she received the call that her husband had been in an accident at work.
He had been caught in the power take-off of his truck -- not just once, but twice. The PTO had first grabbed his jacket. The jacket wound around the equipment until it tore from his body. As he crawled away from the machine, it caught his shirt. Mr. Lively got away again, crawled to the cab of his truck and called for help. Pam arrived at the emergency room hoping for good news but preparing for the worse. Mr.
Lively had received serious head, neck and spine injuries. He survived the accident but came home a different man.

The accident was the first wave in a perfect storm. Medical bills and a now single-income household overwhelmed the couple. The challenges then moved from the hospital to the courtroom, where attorney fees and suspended assistance created a financial disaster.

Lively explains, "We were in financial negotiations with the company.
While those negotiations were ongoing, they didn't pay anything. The courts ruled in our favor, but it took a year, then the attorney took half of the award. We lost our home and moved into the lake house."

During the next nine years, taking care of her husband and managing his affairs controlled her life. Their income consisted of his disability, VA assistance, workman's compensation and what little she made from the few remaining clients she saw each Friday.

"One day as I was taking care of our monthly bills, it hit me. All of the income we were living on now would be gone if anything were to happen to my husband. I knew it was time to make some decisions and take action. If I didn't come up with a plan I would not have any control over my own future," says Lively.

Lively's first thought was that she was too old to learn. Other than her cosmetology certification, she hadn't been in school since she married and dropped out at age 15. Concern about her future and encouragement from a neighbor and her sister-in-law (both CKTC students), motivated her to enroll at CKTC.

The neighbor, Pam Ferencich, suggested she get help from VA funding.
"I don't think many people know that the assistance is available," says Ferencich. "People know about the GI Bill but don't realize the VA will help when a veteran or serviceman has been classified as 100% disabled.
It was exactly what [she and I] needed to make coming to school a real possibility."

The VA Scholarship for Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans and Service Members provided the help that Lively needed to enroll in medical office classes at CKTC. She also took the GED exam and passed with high scores.

"My children have been very supportive of my new student status. They are proud of what I've been able to accomplish," reports Lively. "Ten years ago I couldn't imagine a circumstance that would put me back in the classroom. I don't think anyone ever thinks that the disasters and tragedies they see in the paper will every cast a shadow over their own life. I never did. I thought I knew what was on the road ahead."

Lively concludes, "I think that even though you have a plan and you think you're prepared for whatever might come, you never know what the
next minute will bring. You have to be ready to change your plans --
to adapt. My teachers are supportive and I am learning about some
really interesting things. I love being in school."

Lively is moving through the coursework with determination and perseverance. Sonora White, CKTC instructor, says, "Pam is very devoted to her education. She is here every day with a great attitude and she has a tremendous work ethic."

Additional information about CKTC is available online at www.caddokiowa.com or by calling 405.643.5511.

Faced with harsh realities and tough decisions, Pam Lively (Fort Cobb) enrolls at CKTC.