Fund for Cindy Baugh
Donation protected
This is a letter I never thought that I would have to write. I have always admired my mother for being an independent, hard-working woman. She always puts herself last and always looks to help everyone else and never asks for anything in return. On various occasions, she has allowed friends and relatives to live in our home for periods of time without asking for anything from them in return. As her daughter, she has helped me (as a single mother) and my son, who has special needs, in more ways more than I can describe. It is against her nature to ask for help even when she needs it.
Recently, my mom’s life has been turned upside down and everything has come crashing down around her. My mom has worked since she was 13 years old. Now after just turning 60, she finds herself unable to work and struggling financially.
In May 2019, she suffered a stroke in her left eye. I had never heard of such a thing happening to anyone’s eye. Never knew it was possible, but apparently it can. The stoke did damage to her optic nerve and caused her to lose sight in her left eye. For the next twelve months, she relied on her right eye, to continue working and to try adjusting to having limited vision. After the stroke, her doctor told her that there was a possibility that the same thing could happen to the right eye.
In April 2020, while my mother was caring for my grandmother, she contracted COVID-19. I was so scared for both of them. Fortunately, for the most part, it was a mild case of COVID. However, with a weakened immune system, my mom suffered a stroke in her right eye just like she did in her left eye a year earlier, almost to the day. She has now been classified as legally blind because she can only see some images and shapes in her peripheral vision. Everything directly in front of her is completely black.
For over 40 years she has worked in financial accounting for government contractors. She has always been loved by her managers and peers and enjoyed her work immensely. Now without the ability to see what is in front of her, she is unable to continue working in that field. In fact, her employment options are extremely limited at this time. My mom’s doctor advised her to go to rehab so that she could become better accustomed to her new normal. Unfortunately, most of those agencies are closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Besides losing her vision, which has been extremely difficult, her doctor feared that she might have cancer. On August 7, 2020 she underwent 7½ hours of surgery in which the surgeon removed a section of her colon, enlarged lymph nodes, appendix, and a large mass from her abdominal wall. The surgery was successful, and so far, no cancer has been found but it has left her with a long recovery, preventing her from beginning rehab for her vision, if it was even available at this time. In addition, there still may be other medical work that needs to be done because her lymph nodes are still reactive.
As I mentioned, the loss of vision caused my mom to lose her employment. She has not had any income since May 2020, and we are now getting close to October. In the five months since this happened, she has exhausted what savings she had. Filing for disability benefits is a long process and can take 6 months to a year to finalize and come through. We have also been told that they usually deny the applications the first time you apply. It is recommended that you obtain a disability lawyer to help with applying and the appeals process. Along with the job loss went her medical insurance. No medical insurance. No income. It's hard to even imagine for her to be in this situation, but she is.
It is so hard to watch my mother go through this. It has completely changed her way of life. The doctors say that there is nothing that they can do to bring her sight back. Once the Optic Nerve is damaged there is no way to regenerate or correct the damage. She must learn how to do everything again. She can’t see what clothes she is putting on or if they are inside out. She can’t see to butter her toast in the morning or to pour herself a glass of cran-grape juice without missing the cup. She can’t even put her toothpaste on her toothbrush to brush her teeth. There are so many things that we take for granted every day. My son loves playing with his “Nana” and now she can’t see to play the games he wants to play with her or the shows he wants her to watch with him. My mother now won’t be able to see to help me pick out my future wedding dress or see the face of any of her future grandchildren.
In the past 6 months, my mother has lost her sight, her job, her ability to work, her health, and on top of all of that; she lost her sister and best friend Freda Campbell, on July 30, 2020 , the day after her 60th birthday. Through all of this she still wakes up with a smile on her face, trying to adjust to her circumstances, and ready to tackle whatever life plans to throw at her next.
I am appealing to everyone to donate any amount possible to assist my mother in her recovery and rehabilitation so that she can possibly get back some semblance of her life. Any amount will help. Needless to say, she has been under a tremendous amount of stress in 2020.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all in advance for any generosity you are willing to show her.
Recently, my mom’s life has been turned upside down and everything has come crashing down around her. My mom has worked since she was 13 years old. Now after just turning 60, she finds herself unable to work and struggling financially.
In May 2019, she suffered a stroke in her left eye. I had never heard of such a thing happening to anyone’s eye. Never knew it was possible, but apparently it can. The stoke did damage to her optic nerve and caused her to lose sight in her left eye. For the next twelve months, she relied on her right eye, to continue working and to try adjusting to having limited vision. After the stroke, her doctor told her that there was a possibility that the same thing could happen to the right eye.
In April 2020, while my mother was caring for my grandmother, she contracted COVID-19. I was so scared for both of them. Fortunately, for the most part, it was a mild case of COVID. However, with a weakened immune system, my mom suffered a stroke in her right eye just like she did in her left eye a year earlier, almost to the day. She has now been classified as legally blind because she can only see some images and shapes in her peripheral vision. Everything directly in front of her is completely black.
For over 40 years she has worked in financial accounting for government contractors. She has always been loved by her managers and peers and enjoyed her work immensely. Now without the ability to see what is in front of her, she is unable to continue working in that field. In fact, her employment options are extremely limited at this time. My mom’s doctor advised her to go to rehab so that she could become better accustomed to her new normal. Unfortunately, most of those agencies are closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Besides losing her vision, which has been extremely difficult, her doctor feared that she might have cancer. On August 7, 2020 she underwent 7½ hours of surgery in which the surgeon removed a section of her colon, enlarged lymph nodes, appendix, and a large mass from her abdominal wall. The surgery was successful, and so far, no cancer has been found but it has left her with a long recovery, preventing her from beginning rehab for her vision, if it was even available at this time. In addition, there still may be other medical work that needs to be done because her lymph nodes are still reactive.
As I mentioned, the loss of vision caused my mom to lose her employment. She has not had any income since May 2020, and we are now getting close to October. In the five months since this happened, she has exhausted what savings she had. Filing for disability benefits is a long process and can take 6 months to a year to finalize and come through. We have also been told that they usually deny the applications the first time you apply. It is recommended that you obtain a disability lawyer to help with applying and the appeals process. Along with the job loss went her medical insurance. No medical insurance. No income. It's hard to even imagine for her to be in this situation, but she is.
It is so hard to watch my mother go through this. It has completely changed her way of life. The doctors say that there is nothing that they can do to bring her sight back. Once the Optic Nerve is damaged there is no way to regenerate or correct the damage. She must learn how to do everything again. She can’t see what clothes she is putting on or if they are inside out. She can’t see to butter her toast in the morning or to pour herself a glass of cran-grape juice without missing the cup. She can’t even put her toothpaste on her toothbrush to brush her teeth. There are so many things that we take for granted every day. My son loves playing with his “Nana” and now she can’t see to play the games he wants to play with her or the shows he wants her to watch with him. My mother now won’t be able to see to help me pick out my future wedding dress or see the face of any of her future grandchildren.
In the past 6 months, my mother has lost her sight, her job, her ability to work, her health, and on top of all of that; she lost her sister and best friend Freda Campbell, on July 30, 2020 , the day after her 60th birthday. Through all of this she still wakes up with a smile on her face, trying to adjust to her circumstances, and ready to tackle whatever life plans to throw at her next.
I am appealing to everyone to donate any amount possible to assist my mother in her recovery and rehabilitation so that she can possibly get back some semblance of her life. Any amount will help. Needless to say, she has been under a tremendous amount of stress in 2020.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all in advance for any generosity you are willing to show her.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jessica Baugh
Organizer
Rosaryville, MD
Jessica Baugh
Beneficiary