A Plea to Help my Grandma Linda
Donation protected
For the last 8 months my grandma Linda has been suffering at the mercy of inhumane Medical Insurance Protocol. I am her grandson, Tristan Alan Hurley, and I am creating this GOFUNDME to make sure she gets the help she deserves.
On September 22, 2017, my Grandma Linda, severely injured her knee while in the process of moving. She’s always been active but while lifting a very heavy object her knee gave out. At the time she blamed herself, claiming it was ridiculous to think she was 30 year old “Wonder Woman”. Now, after 8 ½ months of fiercely battling medical insurance company protocol, she says she’s more than paid for her mistake. Her diagnosis deteriorated from a severely torn medial meniscus to a partial knee replacement. This was due to the medical insurance company’s insistent ignorance in putting off MRI’s. When it’s all said and done will be 11 months.
Grandma is unable to work and living in chronic pain. Her surgery date is set for June 5th, but her unemployment ran out May 1st. Through all of this she had also been visiting her best friend of 46 years everyday as she was in hospice care. She passed away May 12th. She has stayed strong willed through all of this.
I am a 21 year old student paying my way through college, so unfortunately I am unable to help her financially. But, I’m hoping that by setting up this GOFUNDME, I can reach all that sympathize with insurance companies who fail to help those who need it. She refused this Go Fund Me idea for quite some time and resisted even reaching out to anyone but her sisters, Lita, Lisa, and Cindy and her son, Jesse and his girlfriend Kelsey.
Her friends and I persistently have coaxed her into asking for help and she finally agreed to put her pride to the side and recognize it is alright to ask for help. She plans on being an advocate for those who are in the same situation as she is in now. She says that if she didn’t have the supporting cast she has now she would surely be living out of her car or worse.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Upon her 1st visit to her General Physician, she was diagnosed with a serious tear in the meniscus in her knee. My grandma has worked customer service all her life. At the time of her accident she was the H.R. Manager (at the Sudden Valley Market just south of Bellingham, WA). She tried for days to perform her job duties and was neither able to stand or sit for more than 2 hours. She had no choice but to resign, after two weeks of trying to work, completely aware her unemployment would not cover her rent & cost of living.
Grandma Linda has had the same medical insurance for years. Her doctor requested an MRI and her insurance denied it. The Insurance company protocol required her seeing an Orthopedic Surgeon and going twice weekly to Physical Therapy for 4 weeks. She had to wait until late November for an appointment with an Orthopedic Surgeon.
In the interim, in extreme pain and fearful of physical therapy, she went to a local Physical Therapy office. Grandma Linda showed the business owner and lead therapist her knee. The lead Physical Therapist stated she needed an MRI to fully identify the problem before anyone should try to rehabilitate her knee. Her Orthopedic Surgeon and her General Practitioner all agreed. They reapplied again for a MRI. It was denied.
She was forced to start Physical Therapy in December. Her knee was in such intense pain that all they could do at her appointments was lay her on a table and give her electrode stimulation to try and relieve her pain. Grandma Linda has been very pro-active in applying to charity programs and making payment arrangements with all concerned. She is assertive and VERY outspoken, to say the least. Desperately trying to move the MRI forward, she even contacted the medical insurance company and insisted on a 3 way conversation with the AIM agency. They set the guidelines for insurance protocol, but unfortunately nothing came of this.
Finally in January (4 months after initial injury), she was given an MRI. It was determined that she had a severely torn medial meniscus. The surgeon set her surgery appointment for late February. Because a new year was starting, her medical insurance reset her deductible so she no longer could afford the pre-operation costs; a tactic that many insurance companies will ploy to get out of paying for much needed surgeries/procedures. Grandma Linda cancelled her insurance plan and was forced to apply for Medicaid. That process took over a month.
Currently, 8 months later, she is using a walker and still has to wait until June 5th for surgery. Due to the inhumane requirements of the medical insurance companies, along with the putting off of MRI and surgery even with the support of 3 different doctors, she has damaged her knee so severely she needs a partial knee replacement.
There is a 6 to 8 week recovery average. That brings her to late August. Nearly a year after her accident! All her doctors, medical, and insurance contacts agree this is ludicrous. Her pain is off and on intolerable, but she is adamant not to take opiate based pain killers. She has survived on tons of ibuprofen and natural pain relievers and creams.
On top of all this she had been trying to care for her best friend, of 46 years who was in an Adult family Hospice home. My grandma has been a caregiver to many most of her life. She is the first to offer to help people and the last to ask for help.
Grandma Linda has used all her savings and only been able to survive thanks to the constant financial help of her son Jesse, and her sisters, Lita, Lisa, and Cindy. Two of them are disabled, so it’s been a tough situation for all involved.
My Grandma says she would be HOMELESS if she didn’t have the extra help from family! That’s why Grandma Linda is adamant her next job will be as an advocate for all the people in her situation who have no one to help them. She worries a lot about the people she’s met at various resource agencies in town. What sicken's her to no end are the veterans she’s met who need help. In years past, she has done volunteer work for agencies that help the homeless and the less fortunate. The state of healthcare is of great concern. All her doctors adamantly agree.
HOW THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT
We are looking to get enough money for Grandma Linda’s cost of living for 4 months. This would include her recovery time and a couple weeks for her to find a new job. She is collecting Social Security which comes less than her cost of rent.
Monthly Cost of Living: $1500 x 4 months= $6000 for cost of living for 4 months
Bills/Things to pay for monthly: Care Giving, Car Insurance, Medical Bills, Rent, Power, Food, Gas, Cable, & Phone.
WHY THIS CAUSE MEANS SO MUCH TO ME
My grandmother has been a huge influence on the man I have become. She is one of the most humble people I know and is a great lover of nature and her family. She passed on her love for the outdoors to me and I can’t thank her enough for that. It hurts me tremendously to see that she is unable to enjoy nature as she would be able to if not for her knee. And it also hurts to see her as stressed out as she is about getting by until her surgery. She has already helped me through some personal hardships that I would have been stuck in if it wasn’t for her guidance and wisdom.
I personally believe that there is much grandparents can offer their grandchildren and I’m sad to see that today’s young generation is starting to devalue their elders. There is much wisdom and love grandparents can pass on to their grandchildren. They are able give perspective on how the world once was and how they have seen the world change in front of them.
Overall, I’m doing this because I care very deeply for Grandma Linda and I know that she is worth it! With your donation, you could help her get back on her feet and by doing so help her to help others who are in her same situation.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
We appreciate every donation no matter how small! This is our first time setting up a fundraiser so we really would be grateful for any donation. We will do our best to keep everyone updated on how Grandma Linda is doing and how her recovery process goes. To help spread the word, we would love it if you could share Grandma Linda’s story with your friends and family, through any social media platform (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
It’s about time that our healthcare system takes a stance against insurance companies whose motives are not for the people who need the most help! Help Grandma Linda get on her feet again, so she can become an advocate for injustices of medical insurance protocol and be one of many that could spark change!
On September 22, 2017, my Grandma Linda, severely injured her knee while in the process of moving. She’s always been active but while lifting a very heavy object her knee gave out. At the time she blamed herself, claiming it was ridiculous to think she was 30 year old “Wonder Woman”. Now, after 8 ½ months of fiercely battling medical insurance company protocol, she says she’s more than paid for her mistake. Her diagnosis deteriorated from a severely torn medial meniscus to a partial knee replacement. This was due to the medical insurance company’s insistent ignorance in putting off MRI’s. When it’s all said and done will be 11 months.
Grandma is unable to work and living in chronic pain. Her surgery date is set for June 5th, but her unemployment ran out May 1st. Through all of this she had also been visiting her best friend of 46 years everyday as she was in hospice care. She passed away May 12th. She has stayed strong willed through all of this.
I am a 21 year old student paying my way through college, so unfortunately I am unable to help her financially. But, I’m hoping that by setting up this GOFUNDME, I can reach all that sympathize with insurance companies who fail to help those who need it. She refused this Go Fund Me idea for quite some time and resisted even reaching out to anyone but her sisters, Lita, Lisa, and Cindy and her son, Jesse and his girlfriend Kelsey.
Her friends and I persistently have coaxed her into asking for help and she finally agreed to put her pride to the side and recognize it is alright to ask for help. She plans on being an advocate for those who are in the same situation as she is in now. She says that if she didn’t have the supporting cast she has now she would surely be living out of her car or worse.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Upon her 1st visit to her General Physician, she was diagnosed with a serious tear in the meniscus in her knee. My grandma has worked customer service all her life. At the time of her accident she was the H.R. Manager (at the Sudden Valley Market just south of Bellingham, WA). She tried for days to perform her job duties and was neither able to stand or sit for more than 2 hours. She had no choice but to resign, after two weeks of trying to work, completely aware her unemployment would not cover her rent & cost of living.
Grandma Linda has had the same medical insurance for years. Her doctor requested an MRI and her insurance denied it. The Insurance company protocol required her seeing an Orthopedic Surgeon and going twice weekly to Physical Therapy for 4 weeks. She had to wait until late November for an appointment with an Orthopedic Surgeon.
In the interim, in extreme pain and fearful of physical therapy, she went to a local Physical Therapy office. Grandma Linda showed the business owner and lead therapist her knee. The lead Physical Therapist stated she needed an MRI to fully identify the problem before anyone should try to rehabilitate her knee. Her Orthopedic Surgeon and her General Practitioner all agreed. They reapplied again for a MRI. It was denied.
She was forced to start Physical Therapy in December. Her knee was in such intense pain that all they could do at her appointments was lay her on a table and give her electrode stimulation to try and relieve her pain. Grandma Linda has been very pro-active in applying to charity programs and making payment arrangements with all concerned. She is assertive and VERY outspoken, to say the least. Desperately trying to move the MRI forward, she even contacted the medical insurance company and insisted on a 3 way conversation with the AIM agency. They set the guidelines for insurance protocol, but unfortunately nothing came of this.
Finally in January (4 months after initial injury), she was given an MRI. It was determined that she had a severely torn medial meniscus. The surgeon set her surgery appointment for late February. Because a new year was starting, her medical insurance reset her deductible so she no longer could afford the pre-operation costs; a tactic that many insurance companies will ploy to get out of paying for much needed surgeries/procedures. Grandma Linda cancelled her insurance plan and was forced to apply for Medicaid. That process took over a month.
Currently, 8 months later, she is using a walker and still has to wait until June 5th for surgery. Due to the inhumane requirements of the medical insurance companies, along with the putting off of MRI and surgery even with the support of 3 different doctors, she has damaged her knee so severely she needs a partial knee replacement.
There is a 6 to 8 week recovery average. That brings her to late August. Nearly a year after her accident! All her doctors, medical, and insurance contacts agree this is ludicrous. Her pain is off and on intolerable, but she is adamant not to take opiate based pain killers. She has survived on tons of ibuprofen and natural pain relievers and creams.
On top of all this she had been trying to care for her best friend, of 46 years who was in an Adult family Hospice home. My grandma has been a caregiver to many most of her life. She is the first to offer to help people and the last to ask for help.
Grandma Linda has used all her savings and only been able to survive thanks to the constant financial help of her son Jesse, and her sisters, Lita, Lisa, and Cindy. Two of them are disabled, so it’s been a tough situation for all involved.
My Grandma says she would be HOMELESS if she didn’t have the extra help from family! That’s why Grandma Linda is adamant her next job will be as an advocate for all the people in her situation who have no one to help them. She worries a lot about the people she’s met at various resource agencies in town. What sicken's her to no end are the veterans she’s met who need help. In years past, she has done volunteer work for agencies that help the homeless and the less fortunate. The state of healthcare is of great concern. All her doctors adamantly agree.
HOW THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT
We are looking to get enough money for Grandma Linda’s cost of living for 4 months. This would include her recovery time and a couple weeks for her to find a new job. She is collecting Social Security which comes less than her cost of rent.
Monthly Cost of Living: $1500 x 4 months= $6000 for cost of living for 4 months
Bills/Things to pay for monthly: Care Giving, Car Insurance, Medical Bills, Rent, Power, Food, Gas, Cable, & Phone.
WHY THIS CAUSE MEANS SO MUCH TO ME
My grandmother has been a huge influence on the man I have become. She is one of the most humble people I know and is a great lover of nature and her family. She passed on her love for the outdoors to me and I can’t thank her enough for that. It hurts me tremendously to see that she is unable to enjoy nature as she would be able to if not for her knee. And it also hurts to see her as stressed out as she is about getting by until her surgery. She has already helped me through some personal hardships that I would have been stuck in if it wasn’t for her guidance and wisdom.
I personally believe that there is much grandparents can offer their grandchildren and I’m sad to see that today’s young generation is starting to devalue their elders. There is much wisdom and love grandparents can pass on to their grandchildren. They are able give perspective on how the world once was and how they have seen the world change in front of them.
Overall, I’m doing this because I care very deeply for Grandma Linda and I know that she is worth it! With your donation, you could help her get back on her feet and by doing so help her to help others who are in her same situation.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
We appreciate every donation no matter how small! This is our first time setting up a fundraiser so we really would be grateful for any donation. We will do our best to keep everyone updated on how Grandma Linda is doing and how her recovery process goes. To help spread the word, we would love it if you could share Grandma Linda’s story with your friends and family, through any social media platform (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
It’s about time that our healthcare system takes a stance against insurance companies whose motives are not for the people who need the most help! Help Grandma Linda get on her feet again, so she can become an advocate for injustices of medical insurance protocol and be one of many that could spark change!
Organizer
Linda Marrom
Organizer
Bellingham, WA