Jorge Needs our Help with Medical Bills

Dear friends, my name is Stephanie Kwan and I have known Jorge Hernandez as a coworker and friend for the past 15 years. We’ve shared good times and bad: I had the pleasure of attending Jorge’s wedding, I’ve enjoyed a few bleary-eyed nights watching him skillfully playing poker, I remember that he went out of his way to help me move into my new apartment, and I cherish the support that Jorge gave me when I lost my mother a few years ago.

Jorge has worked at Del Sol Medical Center for about 29 years and he is the life of the inpatient rehabilitation unit. He has helped me countless times with his expertise and good humor. I could not have helped so many people without Jorge’s brains and brawn - throughout his career he has likely helped thousands of individuals. The patients always remember Jorge before anyone else.

Jorge is a spiritual person, a poet who gifts his original work to friends, an aspiring screenwriter, a dancer, a cook, and a guitar player.  He is a walking rock music encyclopedia, a cigar aficionado, an appreciator of scotch and a fan of the Colts (and Peyton Manning.) He is also a wonderful person that is very much in need of our support right now.  In June of 2020, Jorge began feeling ear pain and intense headaches. A neurologist would soon tell him that he needed ventriculo-peritoneal shunt surgery - in other words, brain surgery. After undergoing neurosurgery and taking months off to recover, Jorge was still not feeling well. His ear pain would be compounded by unbearable abdominal pain. Time after time, Jorge would try to return to work but his body would not cooperate.

More trips to multiple doctors resulted in more tests and waiting and finally a diagnosis of gallstones. Jorge underwent surgery to have his gallbladder removed in October. He attempted again to return to work but the abdominal pain persisted. A surgeon finally agreed to perform surgery to explore his abdomen and the abdominal part of his shunt was adjusted. During his recovery from another abdominal surgery, Jorge contracted covid in November. He came close to needing hospitalization due to difficulty breathing but managed to fight it off at home.

Jorge made yet another attempt to return to work and he was successful by easing into work with shorter days at first. About a month ago, he started having laryngitis, difficulty swallowing, and everything started tasting bad to him. Diagnosed with strep throat, Jorge followed the medication regimen prescribed to him but his voice did not improve. Meanwhile without an appetite, he quickly dropped 60 lbs. Jorge was able to get a second opinion from a different physician and underwent another round of tests. The results were not good.

Jorge is currently hospitalized with the diagnosis of a tumor in his neck that is wrapped around the vertebral artery. The tumor has paralyzed the left side of his throat. The next steps may involve a difficult 10-12 hour surgery with a likely recurrence of the tumor or a 2-hour radiation procedure that may not be successful either. He is awaiting placement of a feeding tube because he cannot safely swallow food.

Jorge needs our financial support right now to make mortgage and car payments and to pay the multiple medical bills that have been accumulating now for over a year. Relieving some of the immense financial burden will allow him and his family to concentrate on the road ahead. With gratitude and humility, I ask for your support to help my friend. THANK YOU in advance for lifting him up in prayer and for your generosity. God bless you.

As Jorge would say, I leave you in the Love and Light,

Stephanie

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6.