Help Ruby Overcome Medical and Moving Costs

Mon, Jan 13 at 9:34 PM

Ruby Atwood, aged 49, has been recovering from double pulmonary embolism since late October of 2024, a lung condition that blocked 100% of the blood flow to both of her lungs. In October Ruby was seized with severe chest pain and quickly went to the emergency room, where double pulmonary embolism was diagnosed after a CT scan. Intravenous blood thinning medication was then immediately administered to save her life. Ruby was advised by her physician that the pulmonary embolism came within hours of causing lung death, also known as infarction. Had she waited another twelve to twenty four hours to get to the emergency room, it could have claimed her life. Her recovery has been complicated by pneumonia and pleurisy. Shortly after two hospitalizations in October, Ruby lost her job. But she is grateful to be alive.

Ruby’s condition, like many cases of pulmonary embolism, requires months of recovery with persistent difficulty breathing, fatigue, reduced physical capacity, and exercise intolerance. Pulmonary embolism can in some cases take years of treatment to completely resolve. Ruby’s recovery has been complicated by over two months of pneumonia that was detected during one of two trips to the emergency room in late October. The first few weeks of recovery were also complicated by pleurisy, a condition in which the pleural sac that surrounds the lungs gets inflamed and filled with fluid. This made it even harder to breathe during the early stages of recovery. After missing work for the two hospitalizations due to pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, and pleurisy in October and in the face of not having the stamina for daily activities during the recovery phase of these illnesses, Ruby’s employment ended at the end of October.

Ruby’s physical stamina has been greatly diminished, so in addition to hospital bills she needs to pay for help with completing household chores to prepare her apartment for final inspection ahead of her family coming to put all of her belongings into a moving truck for the thousand mile drive to stay with family. Ruby is leaving Florida, which she has called home for 12 years, when her apartment lease ends January 31, 2025. She will stay with family further north until she has enough stamina to tackle a new job closer to her family and get back to living independently in today’s highly competitive job market and housing market.

Even with insurance, Ruby has medical bills for both of her hospital stays due to pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, and pleurisy, and she has out of pocket expenses for ongoing follow-up medical care as she continues to recover. Due to very limited physical stamina since late October, Ruby also needs to pay for moving and organization professionals to help her prepare for the move and a professional cleaning service before vacating her apartment and turning it over to the landlord. After vacating her apartment, Ruby is making an interstate move to stay with family while continuing to recover, then relocating again once she re-establishes her independence.

Ruby and her family have exhausted their resources and are seeking help to offset Ruby’s medical expenses and ongoing care, the cost of relocating to continue her recovery with family, and the cost of household and moving services.

Any donation you can offer to help offset the expenses described above would be very helpful to Ruby and her family and would be deeply appreciated.

Thank you,

T. Atwood