Recover expenses from long term illness
Donation protected
- Hi my name is Nancy and I went in for stomach surgery 7 yrs ago and things seemed fine til a Radiologist tried to put in an NG tube down ,after forcing the tube with no success and much pain I was sent back to my room.After crashing vital signs it was discovered that she had lacerated the esophagus and stomach and lung.I was sent back to surgery for repair put on a ventilator,got septic and was put on ECMO.They put me into an induced coma and that was the beginning of a 7 month struggle til I got home from rehab.Within a year I was taken back to surgery for a full bypass and stomach and esophagus removal.Again another 7 months of hospital and rehab.I was left with 50% of my lung capacity and numerous other digestive and muscular problems.The whole time my lawyer tried to get me on disability,finally after 3 years it was settled.Got a letter from my employer of 27 years that my job was gone and good luck.Since that time I have struggled to get by on Soc sec with past and present bills getting ahead of me and have almost emptied my retirement acct.I need to try to pay every credit card debt to get ahead and start over.This is horrible to have to ask for public help but I’m stuck.The kicker is I worked as a healthcare provider and the system that dedicated myself to left me high and dry after all was said and done.I don’t want to lose my home my animals one of which is blind from birth,who’s going to take him in?I worked so that I had a decent retirement,but when you wake up from surgery and you have 3 years of surgery ventilators and rehab your income is gone soon to be followed by long term disability and God forbid you need Soc sec disability,well it’s a forgone conclusion that your going to need lawyers just for basic benefits you’ve paid into over 40+ years.By the time help comes,your neck deep in financial collapse.So you take from retirement to pay back and make ends meet.And then you start to run out.Not because of extravagant living but to keep up with payback and daily living.This is how I got here.
- The photo was taken from the first surgery that started this journey.
Fundraising team (3)
Nancy Gravalin
Organizer
Eagan, MN
Carol Wagner
Team member
Vern Wagner
Team member