Donate to help Jerry Buckenberger

Hi, my name is Rashelle Buckenberger and I'm fundraising for my father, Jerry Buckenberger. My dad was a teacher and coach for 29 years. From Priest River Idaho, Oroville WA to the Central Valley school district in Spokane. He touched countless lives in the classroom and on the ball field and now needs your help.

The trouble started on September 26th when my dad had an operation called a lung volume reduction, placing Zephyr valves to help with his end stage COPD and emphysema. It was supposed to help him not retain so much CO2. He was released from the hospital more than 24 hours early and 3 hours later he had a pneumothorax (lung collapse) and returned to the hospital. His heart rate was in the 180s for hours. They cardiovented him and shocked his heart. He ended up in the hospital for another month and had been diagnosed with afib that they couldn't control. Went home, heart started beating out of control again, and ended up back in the hospital for afib and an unknown heart issue. This hospital stay was also a month. They discharged him into an awful care facility where he spent one night where he was taken by ambulance to the hospital for a severe bladder infection and failure to thrive. That stay lasted 3 weeks. He got to come home for maybe 2 months but couldn't do more than sit in the chair and get up only to use the restroom. Next hospitalization was a month at Sacred Heart for c-diff and diverticulitis. He came home for 6 days and ended up back in an ambulance to Holy Family for his breathing. He thought he was having a heart attack. This most recent hospitalization he was diagnosed with COVID and pneumonia, and has now been in the hospital for more than a month. Doctors are saying he has around 2 months to live and recommended hospice. Dad's not ready for hospice as they take away all life sustaining medicine and use only comfort care. Basically they're the last line of support when it's the end. Dad doesn't feel ready for that. He is very weak and will need nursing and care around the clock, or many hours everyday, but we cannot afford this. Insurance won't pay because he is not yet 65 so not eligible for state insurance. He is approved for a bipap but will need oxygen, catheter, walker, and bedside commode at home. Dad wants to go home and be home. He does not want to end up in a facility and doesn't feel ready for hospice.

He has been in the hospital 4-5 out of the last 6 months, which is an insanely high bill. He cannot walk on his own, nor sit up on his own. He's out of breath just from talking. He's on 6 liters of oxygen right now all the time and using the bipap at night. He has lost an immense amount of weight and is in pain and air hungry all the time.

Speaking of costs, the raised money will go to pay for part time at home nursing which runs $2800 a month, and the incredibly high hospital bills. $7,500 hospital stay bills since September (not including past stay since 3/3 to current day). $5,000 plus for the Zephyr valves. $4,400 for ambulances and EMTs. Plus $1,200 for prescriptions and other associated costs. I know things may be tough for people right now, but anything you can donate would be greatly appreciated. My dad and I thank you.