Support Paul Rasmussen: A Hometown Hero's Health Journey

"9-1-1, where is your emergency?"

If you've ever called 9-1-1 in Harrison County, WV, you may have heard his calm voice on the line. Now, he needs your help.

When Paul was a teen, he had a dream of serving his country as a Marine. Life threw him a curveball when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his right leg at the age of fifteen. Paul fought through chemotherapy treatments at NIH but eventually lost his leg. His dreams were crushed, and he struggled with what to do with his life. Paul loves people so it's not surprising that he became a volunteer firefighter and an EMT. Those positions eventually led him to a fulfilling career as a 9-1-1 dispatcher at Harrison County Bureau of Emergency Services where he has served the community for the past 24 years and reached the rank of Captain.

Paul has faced several medical struggles in his adult life as well. He was diagnosed with diabetes in his 30's. In 2015, he suffered a heart attack. In late 2020, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 kidney disease and was referred to a nephrologist. Low iron and hemoglobin levels were diagnosed in December 2021, leading to iron infusions and Procrit shots. By July 2022, Paul faced ESRD Stage 4. Frustrated by his decline in health, he found a new nephrologist who started preparing him for dialysis and referred him for a transplant. Paul suffered a second heart attack in October 2022, which caused the testing for a kidney transplant to be put on hold while the doctors waited for his heart to heal. Paul struggled with daily challenges of fluid retention, fatigue, and breathlessness. Despite these health challenges, Paul's dedication to our family was unwavering and he continued to work. In October 2023, Paul was referred again for a transplant evaluation. On November 17th, he had outpatient surgery to have a PD catheter placed in his abdomen so he could begin dialysis. Two days later, I couldn't wake him up.

Paul was transported by ambulance to United Hospital Center where I learned that he had suffered a stroke. The neurological assessment, as measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, revealed a score of 41. A NIHSS score of 41 is extremely severe. The NIHSS ranges from 0 to 42, with higher scores indicating more severe neurological impairment. Paul was placed on a ventilator and stabilized. Hours later the doctors told me there was nothing else they could do for him, but they had reached out to neurologists at Ruby Memorial Hospital, and they hoped they could help him. Paul was transported to Ruby by Healthnet where the doctors told us that his condition was even worse than we thought. His entire body was shutting down. We did not expect him to live. We prayed.

Over the next few days his tests showed that Paul had strokes on both sides of his brain, blocked carotid arteries, diabetic keto acidosis, pneumonia, elevated liver enzymes, raised troponin levels, severe aortic stenosis, and other issues. The doctors started him on dialysis to rid him of the toxins in his body. It was days before they removed him from the vent, and we were so relieved when he finally spoke! Unfortunately, he was very weak, and he had lost feeling and motor function on his left side. Ten days after his stroke the doctors performed surgery and placed a stent in his carotid. He was immediately able to have more control of his left arm. But he still had a long way to go!

It was almost four weeks before Paul was well enough to transferred to Encompass in Pennsylvania for physical and occupational therapy. It was even more challenging for Paul to become mobile again because of his amputation, but on December 30th, he walked out of Encompass and came home! God had answered our prayers with a miracle!

Paul is now continuing his physical therapy at home, and we have learned how to do his dialysis treatments at home as well.

Financial burdens now weigh heavily on our hearts. When Paul had his stroke, many of our co-workers generously donated their vacation days to ensure Paul still received a paycheck. Paul has filed for disability retirement, SDI, and Medicare. However, the approval process is lengthy. Social Security also has a 5-month mandatory waiting period before Paul can receive any benefits, and there is no back pay. His donated vacation time will run out on March 22nd, so it's very likely that Paul will stop receiving paychecks months before he starts receiving any disability benefits. The impending loss of his employer-provided healthcare while waiting for disability and Medicare coverage adds to the stress. The most pressing concern is to ensure that Paul does not lose his health insurance, which is crucial for him to continue his dialysis treatments and physical therapy. When his donated time runs out, he will need to enroll in COBRA to keep his insurance. The cost will be over $800 per month.

Many have asked how they can help us, so we are reaching out to our community, friends, and family for support during this challenging time. Your contribution, whether big or small, can make a significant difference in helping Paul receive the care he needs AND will help us with medical expenses, insurance premiums and living expenses.

Please continue to pray for us and share our story. Thank you so much!

Shelley & Paul Rasmussen