Frustrated federal employees gathered outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office in downtown Louisville on Thursday to protest the government shutdown that has frozen their paychecks and prevented them from going to work.

More than 50 people joined the rally, which was led by the American Federation of Government Employees' local chapter. They waved signs with slogans like "We Want to Work" and "End the Shutdown Now" as passing cars honked in solidarity.

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McConnell blocked Senate Democrats' attempt Thursday to move forward with legislation that would reopen government agencies that closed shortly before Christmas after President Donald Trump demanded over $5 billion from Congress for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. But the crowd at Thursday's rally shouted for the longtime Kentucky senator to "do your job," call a vote and help stop the shutdown.

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This week, federal employees are expected to miss their first paychecks since the shutdown began. Here's what some of the furloughed workers who were part of Thursday's rally had to say about the shutdown's impact.

Trouble with cancer co-pays

Kristy Demas works for the U.S. Census Bureau in Jeffersonville, Indiana, but she’s on furlough right now.

She was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer and gets health insurance through her job, but she said it’s still hard to cover prescriptions, co-pays and related expenses when she isn’t allowed to work.

“I was already in the hole on the last paycheck, so now it’s even worse,” she said.

She said she applied for unemployment benefits in Indiana, where she lives, but hasn’t received any yet.

“I’m three weeks in, and I haven’t got the first penny,” she told the Courier Journal.

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Worried shutdown won't end

Robin Penick, who lives in Louisville and works for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said she's fortunate because her husband is still bringing in money with his non-government job and her children are already grown up, so she doesn't have to worry about covering the kinds of expenses parents with younger kids do.

Penick expressed concern for her colleagues, who may not all be able to weather the immediate financial impact of their furloughs. But if the shutdown drags on for another couple of months, it could start affecting her, too, she said,

When asked if she thought the shutdown could last that long, she replied: "This president? Yeah, I am worried."

Against the border wall

Anice Chenault, another Louisville resident who works for HUD, said her family has enough savings and her partner has a job, so they're not in financial straits.

"We're going to be OK," she said.

Chenault said she's torn because she knows a lot of other federal workers are living paycheck to paycheck, and yet she doesn't want a cent of government money to go toward Trump's wall. It's kind of a "Sophie's choice," she said, but it doesn't have to be.

"I think it's a racist policy," she said of the proposed wall. "We have no crisis at the border."

Furloughed HUD worker speechless

Sarah Andino, who lives in Southern Indiana and works for HUD, said she's been trying to keep busy while furloughed.

She's looking at doing some volunteering next week while she waits for the go-ahead to return to work. She's OK financially, she said, thanks in part to the support of her fiance, but she isn't planning any vacations or shopping sprees right now.

As for the political debates over the shutdown, Andino said she's pretty speechless.

"Honestly, it's extremely hard to watch," she told the Courier Journal.

Morgan Watkins: 502-582-4502; mwatkins@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @morganwatkins26. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/morganw.