Medical Expenses for Heider Family

My name is Anita Pasquale, and my Father was James "J.L." Heider. He passed away on Monday, September 18, 2023 at 5:40pm. He was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Leukemia about 2 1/2 weeks ago after being admitted to the ER at Forbes Hospital followed by West Penn. When he developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and we started down a roller coaster ride that has left us devastated.

He had been feeling tired, as of late, but he attributed that to his age catching up to him. The upkeep of almost 5 acres of land, he joked, just wasn't as easy as it used to be in his younger days. Not one to shy away from hard work he continued working, chopping down trees, mowing and weed whacking the property. He attended his bloodwork appointments as the doctor ordered after they found his B vitamin levels were out of whack. However, the doctors said he needed to go to the ER August 29, 2023. He never came back out of the hospital.

The diagnosis of Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease (COPD), and AML Leukemia came as a shock. With that surprise, he was transferred to West Penn Hospital of Pittsburgh for more intensive care for the Leukemia. The ups and downs that followed as his lungs became the focus of treatment were horrible. The doses of intravenous chemo-therapy were given, leaving a new surprise, pulmonary embolism. With his oxygen saturations falling, the doctors advised he go on a temporary ventilator to give his lungs a rest. He agreed to this, saying his goodbyes by phone/FaceTime to me in hopes I could make the trip in time before he was put to sleep for the vent. But his condition worsened, and I didn't make it, he was asleep before I got there. His last words were, "I love you, and I mean that."

Well, I love you too, Dad. To help Mom, we are asking if you're able to help with expenses. My parents had a financial investor that did poorly for them, and Mom was not prepared for such a situation. As we all know, Medicare, well it won't cover everything especially with the burial. Anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated by my family. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and for anything you can give.