Portraits - Adelino Ferreira Rodrigues
Adelino was admitted in the CHPB/FHEMIG on April 25, 1969 and said that this was because "an angry dog bit me"!
Nilta Pires Chaves was admitted in the CHPB on March 30, 1976 and does not know the reason for her hospitalization.
They started dating when they were still at hospital. "Nilta liked me, washed my clothes, stayed close to me. I also liked her poor thing, I felt sorry for her. I would go out and buy good things for her to eat and also clothes. She listened to what I would say."
While still at hospital,Adelino was able to make some money selling snuff and by saving these small amounts, he finally ended owning a reasonable sum.He then started lending money with interest charges to hospital employees.Finally when he had a reasonable amount of money, he opened a savings account and added Nilta as a second bearer.
Adelino was very much afraid to leave hospital and be abandoned, of having to work and clean a house: "That’s a woman’s work, here I have people doing this for me."
However, when he met his former friends that had left hospital and found them "well off in life" he decided to leave. Adelino was discharged on January 21st, 2004 and is presently living in a Therapeutic Residence.
When Adelino was discharged he had been dating with Nilta for the last four years and did not allow Nilta to leave hospital when she had the chance. She remained confined and Adelino would pay her daily visits. However, after six months, both wanted to leave hospital, so finally, in July 2004, Nilta also became a tenant of the Therapeutic Residences.
With both living in the Therapeutic Residences, visits became more and more frequent. The couple felt the need to build a life together and this was brought to the attention of their technical advisors. Adelino and Nilta wanted to get married. They started preparing themselves to take responsibilities towards each other and build a home. Adelino, being the man of the house, started getting to know the financial side: grocery shoppings, rent, water, light and phone bills, bakery and butcher expenses. These bills that did not exist in his former life. He was seriously worried on this matter. He expressed his concern to people he trusted at the point of no longer wanting to get married, believing he would not be able to deal with the new responsibilities. But his love and the need to be with Nilta were stronger than his fears. He learned to cook, do the laundry, iron, clean the house etc. He was eager to learn everything !
Nilta, on the other side, also learned how to manage a house. She was ready to help with the expenses of her future husband. She never had doubts as to her feelings and at no time she thought of giving up marriage. When they felt sure of themselves, they officially informed they were ready.
The following months were full of worries, satisfactions, anxieties and work: talks with the priest, premarital courses, wedding rings, the house furniture, the place where they would live, the suit and the wedding dress, the bridal shower…. The party!
Adelino wanted a blue shirt, like the bus drivers’ uniform. So, all them went out in search of this shirt. They attended the neighborhoods’ schools to learn how to sign their names, since they did not wanted their fingerprints on such an important document. They wanted to look good, so both did dental implants.
Finally the big day arrived: gifts arriving, the party organized, maids of honor, best men, church music and cars for the bride and bridegroom….the honey moon!
They married on December 2, 2005 in the Bom Pastor parish and father Ronaldo celebrated the wedding ceremony.
Adelino and Nilta have been married for more than a year. They complain of small problems and lead a normal social life. It’s a couple that can plan expenses, entertain friends and neighbors and like to travel (especially to Aparecida do Norte). They go to church and attend the neighbor’s school. They have credit account expenses in the supermarket, the bakery, the butcher and the city stores. "Thank God we have a good credit in stores we buy. I am an honest man and I honor my bills."
"When Nilta was ill we made a promise and kept it.She did not undergo surgery,so we went to the Vicentinos,chose a poor family and during three months we supplied them with food kits.During all the time she was sick,I cleaned the house and did everything necessary for her to have a rest just as the doctor advised.She would only go out with a taxi to do her physical therapy.She was really sick,but now she is fine."
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