Steph's Transplant Journey
Donation protected
On April 26th, 2018 Stephanie received a call (her 8th since the first of the year) from the Transplant Center at UW Hospital in Madison, WI where she was on the list (on and off since the summer of 2017) to receive a pancreas transplant.
When you’re on the “list” and you receive this call, you go. Her sister Kelly was able to drive her to Madison and after being prepped for surgery, the doctors decided it was an “A” rated pancreas and this was not going to be another “dry run”. This was the real thing, but now all the fearful thoughts enter your head...will my body reject it...will I be able to recover completely...will this end the process of pricking fingers to take blood sugars and giving insulin shots as she's had to do for the past 30+ years?
Stephanie will spend about a week or more at the UW Hospital in Madison before she will be allowed to go home.
With that being said, she will need to be off work for 6-8 weeks but she only has 24 hours of paid leave. This will leave an enormous hole in Steph’s and Mike’s budget.
We are raising $5,500 in order to help Stephanie and Mike get through these first difficult weeks while she is home recovering. The $5,500 will cover her lost wages, home care, and their many out of pocket medical expenses, travel expenses to and from Madison, and lodging in Madison for checkups. The long term costs will likely be much higher, but these funds will go a long way in taking care of their immediate needs and relieve the current financial burden.
If we all pull together and each of us gives whatever God lays on our hearts to give, that allows them to focus on Stephanie’s health and recovery and not have to worry about the stress of not being able to pay bills.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
When you’re on the “list” and you receive this call, you go. Her sister Kelly was able to drive her to Madison and after being prepped for surgery, the doctors decided it was an “A” rated pancreas and this was not going to be another “dry run”. This was the real thing, but now all the fearful thoughts enter your head...will my body reject it...will I be able to recover completely...will this end the process of pricking fingers to take blood sugars and giving insulin shots as she's had to do for the past 30+ years?
Stephanie will spend about a week or more at the UW Hospital in Madison before she will be allowed to go home.
With that being said, she will need to be off work for 6-8 weeks but she only has 24 hours of paid leave. This will leave an enormous hole in Steph’s and Mike’s budget.
We are raising $5,500 in order to help Stephanie and Mike get through these first difficult weeks while she is home recovering. The $5,500 will cover her lost wages, home care, and their many out of pocket medical expenses, travel expenses to and from Madison, and lodging in Madison for checkups. The long term costs will likely be much higher, but these funds will go a long way in taking care of their immediate needs and relieve the current financial burden.
If we all pull together and each of us gives whatever God lays on our hearts to give, that allows them to focus on Stephanie’s health and recovery and not have to worry about the stress of not being able to pay bills.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Organizer and beneficiary
Karen Howell
Organizer
La Crescent, MN
Stephanie Turnipseed
Beneficiary