Leah Justice EMERGENCY FUNDS

Hello!! With Leah's permission, we are setting up this GOFUNDME page to help support her during her medical emergency. The medical bills are growing fast and arriving daily (for example $165,000 life-flight helicopter ride to Charlotte hospital), but Leah is in need of support immediately to help with day-to-day living expenses, travel funds for Charlotte-based specialists, and more. She cannot work and it will take time for disability paperwork to come through. In short, Leah needs financial help NOW.

 

Leah has used all of her vacation and sick time; she has quickly gone through her savings at a rapid pace. Physical therapy sessions alone will cost more than $150 a week; add to this monthly medication, insulin, and a new machine blood sugar monitor ($5,000+) is now desperately needed so she can test herself with the use of only one hand.

 

Here is Leah's story in her own words:

Having a moment of being thankful of how lucky I am. I’m sure most of u know as hard as I tried to avoid Covid, it got me and got me bad. I was the first to get vaccines and the booster.

 

Diabetes didn’t help matters but it was the no spleen that really got me. I was fine on Friday, January 28. Worked all day. Started feeling bad that night and by 2 am was vomiting. Couldn’t walk to the bathroom and kept falling so I took to the bed with a bowl. By Saturday afternoon I couldn’t catch my breath. My mom called and although I forbid her to come over, she had a bad feeling and she and my dad rolled in. They called my brother and took me to st. Luke’s. St. Luke’s discovered I had blood clots and helicoptered me to Charlotte (FYI that ride was $165k and I don’t even remember it )

I was put on a ventilator and given 2 surgeries for the clots. Long story short, I’m apparently 1 of few diabetics to make it off the vent, should have had a stroke during one of the surgeries and didn’t and they first thought they would have to amputate my whole arm. I’m sure everyone at St. Luke's is amazed I survived at all.

I spent 10 days in Charlotte. I’m doing hand therapy twice a week at St Luke’s with the great (and kind of funny) Karol Young. I will be getting some of my hand amputated, but hopefully just fingers at this point.

 

Last Monday, I got really sick again. St Lukes sent me to Mission Hospital. I spent the week finding out I have a bleeding stomach ulcer and esophagitis.

 

But, with all the bad going on, my family and friends have been tremendous. I haven’t cooked a meal since Jan 27. I have an incredible friend who is doing my laundry, washing dishes, giving me baths, whatever I need. My parents, brother, and sister have been amazing. Friends have cooked for me, taken me to appointments, taken care of Luke. Ex-husband Charlie has been amazing. I’m just overwhelmed with all the love and support. And no, I can’t work. It’s killing me but it’s just not possible with the weakness and pain.

 

I just want to thank everyone for their prayers and willingness to help. I'm stubborn and as much as I’d like to get through this on my own, it’s just not possible. I appreciate every little or big thing that’s being done.