Desperate Times, Desperate Measures
Donation protected
On April 15, 2018, our 78-year-old mother fell and broke her hip. After a two-day delay in which she was not allowed to eat or drink anything, she had the surgery. The surgery went well, but unfortunately, we are still dealing with the repercussions of that two-day delay.
Mom spent eight months in the hospital and skilled nursing facility because she developed an esophageal stricture caused by the breathing tube from the surgery, which in turn led to two rounds of pneumonia, the loss of all her lower body strength and her ability to walk (lack of physical therapy and her MS attacking her body), and the loss of her ability to swallow.
Before Mom could gain her strength back, Medicare cut her off and sent her home. This led to her second surgery after she developed an infected pressure sore. She had to have the pins removed from her hip and she spent another two months in a skilled nursing facility so she could be given IV antibiotics.
Two months after Mom got home, she was back in the hospital to have her third surgery. This time for a hip replacement. The ball in her hip had deteriorated and she was in extreme pain and still unable to walk. Unfortunately, they discovered she had a blood clot in her leg and could not proceed any further with the surgery. So, it was back to a skilled nursing facility for three months.
When it came time for her fourth surgery this past March, Mom had developed another infection. The surgeon was extremely concerned because of all the infections. He deemed it unwise to perform a hip replacement. Instead, he removed the ball of her hip. Mom spent another four weeks in the hospital and rehab before she was sent home. She had no more Medicare hospital days or skilled nursing facility days. We had to get her set up with 24/7 care because she could not manage on her own.
Home care is expensive and is not covered by insurance, so Mom has had to pay for the services, using all of her savings. She will run out of money in her savings account at the end of June, but she will still need to have 24/7 care, as she is still not quite ready to be on her own. We are in desperate need because we have no other options to pay for her continued care. The amount we are asking for will give us 15 more days. More would be better, but this would be a start. We are praying this, along with the added therapy she will receive from an outpatient rehab facility her surgeon has referred us to, will give Mom the extra help she needs to be able to manage on her own.
Please, my brother Tod and I are asking you for your support. Our need is urgent, as we have to give the home care agency notice if we are going to have to discontinue their services. We cannot afford to keep them on after June, but we cannot afford not to do so. Our mother has been through so much over these last two years. Please help us to get her the help she needs.
Mom spent eight months in the hospital and skilled nursing facility because she developed an esophageal stricture caused by the breathing tube from the surgery, which in turn led to two rounds of pneumonia, the loss of all her lower body strength and her ability to walk (lack of physical therapy and her MS attacking her body), and the loss of her ability to swallow.
Before Mom could gain her strength back, Medicare cut her off and sent her home. This led to her second surgery after she developed an infected pressure sore. She had to have the pins removed from her hip and she spent another two months in a skilled nursing facility so she could be given IV antibiotics.
Two months after Mom got home, she was back in the hospital to have her third surgery. This time for a hip replacement. The ball in her hip had deteriorated and she was in extreme pain and still unable to walk. Unfortunately, they discovered she had a blood clot in her leg and could not proceed any further with the surgery. So, it was back to a skilled nursing facility for three months.
When it came time for her fourth surgery this past March, Mom had developed another infection. The surgeon was extremely concerned because of all the infections. He deemed it unwise to perform a hip replacement. Instead, he removed the ball of her hip. Mom spent another four weeks in the hospital and rehab before she was sent home. She had no more Medicare hospital days or skilled nursing facility days. We had to get her set up with 24/7 care because she could not manage on her own.
Home care is expensive and is not covered by insurance, so Mom has had to pay for the services, using all of her savings. She will run out of money in her savings account at the end of June, but she will still need to have 24/7 care, as she is still not quite ready to be on her own. We are in desperate need because we have no other options to pay for her continued care. The amount we are asking for will give us 15 more days. More would be better, but this would be a start. We are praying this, along with the added therapy she will receive from an outpatient rehab facility her surgeon has referred us to, will give Mom the extra help she needs to be able to manage on her own.
Please, my brother Tod and I are asking you for your support. Our need is urgent, as we have to give the home care agency notice if we are going to have to discontinue their services. We cannot afford to keep them on after June, but we cannot afford not to do so. Our mother has been through so much over these last two years. Please help us to get her the help she needs.
Fundraising team: Team Lynette (2)
Terri Lawlis
Organizer
Deer Park, TX
Tod Lawlis
Team member