Nurse Alice needs her own angels

Sometimes life can just punch you in the gut.

Alice Gates, 39, has been a registered nurse with the Veteran Administration Health Care System in North Little Rock, Ark. for more than 15 years. She loves her job. She has worked in oncology/hematology and primary care areas taking care of veterans who receive health care through the VA system. She has served hundreds of patients. Her own father is a U.S. Navy Vietnam veteran.

In September 2022, Alice was named as one the Great 100 Nurses of Arkansas by the Great 100 Nurses Foundation, which honors these outstanding medical professionals. After years of working she went back to school and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN) in 2021. Alice is married to her husband Mike and they live in North Little Rock where she grew up. They have three children. Mike is a Merchandising Associate with a local home improvement store where he has worked for more than eight years.

In the spring of 2022, Alice developed pain in her lower back and knew something was wrong. She was falling down regularly by October. After months of medical appointments to search for a cause, the answer came when an orthopedist reviewed her medical records and ordered an MRI. It revealed a devastating diagnosis. Alice had a tumor in her spinal cord. Because the risk of her becoming paralyzed was a real possibility, Alice was advised that the tumor should be removed immediately.

Her medical team explained to Alice and her family that the operation was delicate and the outcome would be uncertain.

She underwent spinal surgery in December 2022 in Little Rock. There was good news. The tumor was not malignant. However, just days later, it was apparent that Alice was paralyzed from the waist down. Her life would now be different.

After a month in the hospital recovering and undergoing spinal cord injury rehab, Alice came home and is adjusting to her new life as a paraplegic. It's not been easy. She and her family's lives have been turned upside down. Everyday tasks once done with ease are now impossible or take extra time and effort. There has been stress, frustration, anger and tears. Despite the enormity of these challenges, Alice has managed to remain mostly positive and hopeful because she's a fighter; and she's watched brave patients battle through serious medical issues for more than a decade. She attends outpatient rehab and knows it will take a year for her body to heal. She hopes she'll be able to feel her legs and walk again unassisted. She walks with a rollator and is determined to use a wheelchair as little as possible.

After years of taking care of others, it's Alice who needs help now. She currently cannot drive. She has so far been unable to return to work at the VA. As Alice and the VA work to determine a new role for her considering her disability, she's been without a paycheck after exhausting her paid leave. She's tough and intends to return to her profession. But for now Alice and her family face the immediate crush of everyday and medical expenses amid the loss of her income. Donations to this campaign will help this family as they navigate their new reality and Alice is able to resume her nursing career.

Thank you for reading this campaign statement.