Federal Worker, Taking Care Of Sick Husband, Looking Forward To Getting Paycheck
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - With the federal government reopened, we wanted to follow up with a South Florida couple we first met last week.
A federal prison worker who's also caring for her ailing husband, no doubt relieved to be getting a paycheck soon.
It's day 36 of the government shutdown and Angela Dickinson still hasn't gotten paid.
"I don't think anyone anticipated it lasting this long," she says.
On Friday afternoon, she received the best news she's heard in over a month.
"Where was I? In the car actually, and a friend sent me a text message saying the shutdown is over."
A glimpse of hope for Angela and her husband Willy. They're living off one income.
"Granted it's 3 weeks, but we'll take three weeks."
Because of the shutdown, she opened up and very personal struggles came to light.
"I have to check his temperature."
Willy suffers from congestive heart failure. This gentle mother and steadfast wife who works all day as a teacher in a federal prison, then goes home to care for her husband.
"The machine is connected to his heart and it keeps it beating"
This situation has been hard on her and her family. but she's learned to cope with her struggles and take pride in her work.
"It put a face with a government employee because most of the time you just brush it off as just the ego and you don't see the people behind the government and this is what brought the employee to the forefront."
Since our story first aired Angela says co-workers, friends and even strangers have been tying up her phone lines offering everything from money to food, some even offering their time to spend taking care of Willy.
