Helping Kristy and Jordan

On October 23, 2019, I traveled to Mobile Alabama to visit my mother who was in the hospital because of dementia-related symptoms.  While in route, I received a text message from my nephew Jordan stating that he and his mom (Kristy, my younger sister) were headed to the emergency room.  Kristy had been suffering from flu-like symptoms for a couple of days and her condition was not improving.  Upon arrival, I rushed to the emergency room and found Kristy laying in a bed with Jordan by her side.  Kristy looked dehydrated, pale, extremely tired and the Doctors were waiting on test results to identify the cause.  Late that night as we continued to wait for results, I decided to take Jordan home to rest for school the next day and thought Kristy would be showing signs of improvement the next morning.   Unfortunately, when I returned to the hospital the next morning, I found Kristy in surgery recovery and discovered her left foot was amputated. Kristy was devastated and began to cry when she told me about her foot, and I was in disbelief.  Kristy had contracted a bacterial infection that was poisoning her body and the infection would have killed her if not removed immediately. Kristy was released from the hospital about 4 days after her surgery to a rehabilitation center for physical and occupational therapy.  Just as we thought things were improving, Kristy was diagnosed with pneumonia and was placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on high flow oxygen because of severe fluid in her lungs.  While the doctors ruled out autoimmune diseases and vasculitis, there remains some concerns about her kidney function.  Doctors continue to monitor her blood sugar level and blood pressure numbers as they are important to maintain her diabetes.  After two weeks in the ICU Kristy was released back to rehabilitation with an expected discharge date of December 10, 2019.

This event was very traumatic and created several problems with immediate needs.  Kristy was the primary caregiver for our mother and her 14-year-old son Jordan who is on the autism spectrum.  Losing a foot and the ability to walk presented serious physical, mental, and financial challenges.  Kristy had just graduated from school in July and recently started a new job working for a local hospital.  Since Kristy was only employed for about 90 days before the event, her employer was gracious enough to place her on a personal leave of absence while she recovered.  However, Kristy did not qualify for FMLA, had very little vacation or sick time, her healthcare coverage would only last through the end of November, and she had no source of income. 

Recovery from a foot amputation can take anywhere from 6-12 months and that depends on various factors. Emotional recovery can take much longer and after amputation it’s common for amputees to experience depression, anxiety, grief, denial, and suicidal thoughts.  Please help us support Kristy and Jordan through this difficult time and ease the many financial burdens ahead.  Your prayers and generous donations will aid in the complete healing process and bring a sense of peace for our family.  We believe God will provide healing, strength, and the resources Kristy and Jordan need to thrive and recover (John 14:13).

We are trying to raise money for Kristy and Jordan to help them survive.  All money donated will go toward one or more of the following needs listed below: 

1.  Medical Expenses (current and future surgery costs)
           a. Additional surgery preparation for prosthesis
           b. Cost of a prosthesis ranges from a few thousand dollars for a very basic prosthetic limb to more than                                  $40,000 for a more high-tech limb and prosthesis limbs last from 3-5 years.
           c. Wheelchair costs
           d. On-going prescription costs
           e. Physical and occupational therapy costs
2. Health Insurance costs
3. Rent (12-18 months)
4. Living expenses (12-18 months)
5. School Expenses and resources (Jordan)
6. Misc. and unknown expenses

 Thank you!