Help Jamie get a wheelchair van

Thank you for taking the time to read this page. My name is Jamie, I'm 32 years old, have a beautiful partner, circle of friends, a family of beloved dogs and I’m a proud social worker. A year ago, I went in for what is described as a low risk outpatient surgery to remove a kidney stone. What was only supposed to take two hours has now resulted in a long recovery with an unknown projection due to an extreme life threatening complication during surgery. I was immediately put on a ventilator and into a medically induced coma and spent two months in the ICU fighting for my life. I had a number of other life threatening complications in the coma which further impacted my condition and recovery. 

When I awoke from my coma, I was fully paralyzed and unable to move a single muscle below my neck. I had a tracheostomy and feeding tube and was unable to talk at all. I was diagnosed with critical illness polyneuropathy.

I spent 7 months in inpatient rehab in hopes of being able to regain use of my voice and body. Unfortunately, I am still unable to move most of my body and need to rely on my partner and a home health aide for my care needs as I am bed bound and only able to be mobile when assisted into a power wheelchair. 

Being out of work, unable to work, and living off of my meager disability income and my partner’s income while they have to manage the majority of the bills, has left us financially depleted. 

Right now, being able to attend my follow-up doctor's appointments has been critical in any potential of my making meaningful progress to hopefully become independent. Unfortunately, being restricted to a power chair limits my options. The medicaid provided transport is sadly unreliable and has cancelled my rides to important appointments with no notice. The other option is using the bus system, which is difficult due to my fatigue in waiting for the bus in hot and cold weather and threat of contracting covid or other illnesses being in such a small space with many unmasked people. Since I am unable to go to the bathroom while out of the house, the long journey on the bus makes going anywhere extremely difficult and draining.

We are hoping to raise funds to purchase a wheelchair accessible vehicle and to help with the growing medical expenses that continue to occur.

Thank you again for reading my story and if able, any contribution would be greatly appreciated as having your independence taken from you in an instant makes you desperately want it back as quickly as possible.

Love,

Jamie