Zimmerman Medical Expenses
Donation protected
Dad's Story
The Zimmerman family was rocked on July 21, 2019, when our patriarch, Kerry Zimmerman, suffered a double clot major stroke and required emergency surgery to relieve the blockage. Left with severe aphasia (inability to communicate) and right side paralysis, his recovery was very good. He was at the point of lifting is effected leg off the ground about a foot unassisted. He would walk with minimal assistance from his PT, but with the assistance of a custom made leg brace. Our family was a constant presence in his facilities. Like countless other people in our country right now, Covid restrictions stopped our family from visiting him at Bridges of Warwick. Dad was "telling" us that he was giving up by refusing care, not getting out of bed, not eating and not taking his medications. He needed his family and we truly believe would be dead now had nothing been done. After petitioning their corporate office, our mother, Susan Zimmerman, was granted permission to be in Bridges once a day to encourage our father. This was since early June. Since then, he's showed a renewed focus on his recovery. He has been eating and participating in PT but his willingness to take his medication was still an issue.
Kerry suffered another setback on August 22, 2020 when he suffered another "stroke like event" that showed additional brain damage on his MRI. In the days afterwards, we are noticing small shifts in dad's personality. Of course he's very sad now, having just gotten out of Doylestown Hospital and now being transferred to Pine Run under a short-term rehab stay that is covered by insurance. We are investigating other places for my dad to live when insurance is done covering his short term stay. Dad still knows who we are, still responds appropriately with non-verbal cues and will give us a "yeah" or a "no". It was obvious to me when I first saw him in the hospital that he knew who I was. And when i told him I love him and kissed him goodbye through a mask, he nodded and "said" he loves me too.
In addition to what is covered by insurance, dad has been seen in Abington Hospital at least 5 times since his first stroke. He's fallen countless times and because he's on blood thinner, if they find him in Bridges on the floor and cannot determine if he's hit his head, they send him to the Abington trauma unit to make sure he doesn't have any brain bleeding. We've been blessed at this point that he's never had additional bleeding but as you can imagine, the hospital bills and stress are piling up.
Mom's Story
As Kerry's wife for 42 years, mom has been constantly at dad's side. And when she couldn't be at his side during Covid, she fought endlessly for his rights and to make sure her husband had the best care possible.
For starters, mom is a liver transplant survivor of 22 years. Due to the medications she's on, she has suffered tremendous pain in her body for years including arthritis, gout, and needed two knee replacements as the medications caused her knees to become bone-on-bone. This woman is a fighter in her own right. While her road has never been easy, mom knows how much she's blessed by God and sings His praises with every breath she takes.
After dad's stroke in July 2019, my mother suffered a great heartbreak knowing that her fully independent and capable husband would never be the same. She was diagnosed in August 2019 with CHF (congestive heart failure) because she had fluid building up around her heart. She blames this diagnosis directly on a broken heart - mourning for her husband. After some dietary changes and self care, she has been cleared by her cardiologist to no longer have CHF.
That brings us to December 25, 2019. After days of wrapping presents for our family Christmas celebration, mom spent Christmas Day sitting in a chair watching the grand kids open their presents but did not tell us about the excruciating pain she had been suffering for days. Finally after the last present was opened, she agreed to go to the hospital and did not fight us. We rushed her to the hospital. It turns out mom had a hole in her colon that was not healing on its own so on December 31, the surgeons at HUP removed 7-8 inches of her colon. This left her with an colostomy bag. Mom doesn't like to talk about her colostomy bag but the reality is that she wouldn't be alive without it.
In all of this, she's worked constantly to care for my dad in whatever facility he is in. She's made him meals every day, worked on speech therapy exercises with him, taken part in his PT not to mention helped him brush teeth, wash face, shave his face, cut his hair . . .
Which brings us to September 8, 2020. Mom is going to have her colostomy bag reversed. She will be hospitalized at HUP for 5-7 days and then we'll help to care for her when she's home from the hospital. But you know her first thought is going to be dad.
Accepting Help
Susan Zimmerman has never been one to accept help. If you ask her today, she will tell you that there are people in this world who need so much more help than she does. She only gives - she has no idea how to receive. So many of you have asked since July 21, 2019 how you can help and she always puts you off, saying she'll let you know but then she never does. Well, her daughters are here to tell you how.
The hospital bills are piling up for these two. If we can take just one burden away from my mother right now, it would be financial assistance with these hospital bills. I know my mother will forever be indebted to you for donating. She will cry endless tears, being overwhelmed by your generosity.
We have made a mantra this past year - Once a Zimmerman, always a Zimmerman. This doesn't mean you have to actually have the Zimmerman name to be a part of the Zimmerman family. If you love us and feel moved to donate to help us in this time, you are a Zimmerman. If you've been praying without ceasing for our family, you are a Zimmerman. If you have just been a shoulder to cry on for any of us this past year, you are a Zimmerman. We Zimmerman's stick together.
Our Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are such an amazing and awesome God. You can do all things. You can part the Red Sea. You can heal the lepers.
Lord, I bring to you nothing but gratitude knowing that there are so many people who love our family. I can feel their love. It's holding all four of us. Lord I ask You for healing for our two loving and wonderful parents. I ask that their suffering go away and that they are overwhelmed by the love that is surrounding them. Lord, bless every person who has read this, even if they are unable to donate. They are a Zimmerman too. We pray for blessings and love to be poured upon every Zimmerman - whether they are a real Zimmerman or an honorary Zimmerman. We are forever grateful for all of the gifts we've been given, Heavenly Father, starting with our lives. We know that You can do all things.
We pray for safety and healing for my mother on September 8. Guide the surgeons hands to make the best decisions for her care. Be with our father on that day too, Lord. Please use me to comfort my dad in my mom's absence. Keep dad strong and motivated even if he can only talk to his bride through FaceTime.
We trust in You, Lord. Here is our hearts, laid down before You. Use us to do Your will, no matter what it may be.
Amen
Written by Chelsea Rounds
With Support from Abby Foster
The Zimmerman family was rocked on July 21, 2019, when our patriarch, Kerry Zimmerman, suffered a double clot major stroke and required emergency surgery to relieve the blockage. Left with severe aphasia (inability to communicate) and right side paralysis, his recovery was very good. He was at the point of lifting is effected leg off the ground about a foot unassisted. He would walk with minimal assistance from his PT, but with the assistance of a custom made leg brace. Our family was a constant presence in his facilities. Like countless other people in our country right now, Covid restrictions stopped our family from visiting him at Bridges of Warwick. Dad was "telling" us that he was giving up by refusing care, not getting out of bed, not eating and not taking his medications. He needed his family and we truly believe would be dead now had nothing been done. After petitioning their corporate office, our mother, Susan Zimmerman, was granted permission to be in Bridges once a day to encourage our father. This was since early June. Since then, he's showed a renewed focus on his recovery. He has been eating and participating in PT but his willingness to take his medication was still an issue.
Kerry suffered another setback on August 22, 2020 when he suffered another "stroke like event" that showed additional brain damage on his MRI. In the days afterwards, we are noticing small shifts in dad's personality. Of course he's very sad now, having just gotten out of Doylestown Hospital and now being transferred to Pine Run under a short-term rehab stay that is covered by insurance. We are investigating other places for my dad to live when insurance is done covering his short term stay. Dad still knows who we are, still responds appropriately with non-verbal cues and will give us a "yeah" or a "no". It was obvious to me when I first saw him in the hospital that he knew who I was. And when i told him I love him and kissed him goodbye through a mask, he nodded and "said" he loves me too.
In addition to what is covered by insurance, dad has been seen in Abington Hospital at least 5 times since his first stroke. He's fallen countless times and because he's on blood thinner, if they find him in Bridges on the floor and cannot determine if he's hit his head, they send him to the Abington trauma unit to make sure he doesn't have any brain bleeding. We've been blessed at this point that he's never had additional bleeding but as you can imagine, the hospital bills and stress are piling up.
Mom's Story
As Kerry's wife for 42 years, mom has been constantly at dad's side. And when she couldn't be at his side during Covid, she fought endlessly for his rights and to make sure her husband had the best care possible.
For starters, mom is a liver transplant survivor of 22 years. Due to the medications she's on, she has suffered tremendous pain in her body for years including arthritis, gout, and needed two knee replacements as the medications caused her knees to become bone-on-bone. This woman is a fighter in her own right. While her road has never been easy, mom knows how much she's blessed by God and sings His praises with every breath she takes.
After dad's stroke in July 2019, my mother suffered a great heartbreak knowing that her fully independent and capable husband would never be the same. She was diagnosed in August 2019 with CHF (congestive heart failure) because she had fluid building up around her heart. She blames this diagnosis directly on a broken heart - mourning for her husband. After some dietary changes and self care, she has been cleared by her cardiologist to no longer have CHF.
That brings us to December 25, 2019. After days of wrapping presents for our family Christmas celebration, mom spent Christmas Day sitting in a chair watching the grand kids open their presents but did not tell us about the excruciating pain she had been suffering for days. Finally after the last present was opened, she agreed to go to the hospital and did not fight us. We rushed her to the hospital. It turns out mom had a hole in her colon that was not healing on its own so on December 31, the surgeons at HUP removed 7-8 inches of her colon. This left her with an colostomy bag. Mom doesn't like to talk about her colostomy bag but the reality is that she wouldn't be alive without it.
In all of this, she's worked constantly to care for my dad in whatever facility he is in. She's made him meals every day, worked on speech therapy exercises with him, taken part in his PT not to mention helped him brush teeth, wash face, shave his face, cut his hair . . .
Which brings us to September 8, 2020. Mom is going to have her colostomy bag reversed. She will be hospitalized at HUP for 5-7 days and then we'll help to care for her when she's home from the hospital. But you know her first thought is going to be dad.
Accepting Help
Susan Zimmerman has never been one to accept help. If you ask her today, she will tell you that there are people in this world who need so much more help than she does. She only gives - she has no idea how to receive. So many of you have asked since July 21, 2019 how you can help and she always puts you off, saying she'll let you know but then she never does. Well, her daughters are here to tell you how.
The hospital bills are piling up for these two. If we can take just one burden away from my mother right now, it would be financial assistance with these hospital bills. I know my mother will forever be indebted to you for donating. She will cry endless tears, being overwhelmed by your generosity.
We have made a mantra this past year - Once a Zimmerman, always a Zimmerman. This doesn't mean you have to actually have the Zimmerman name to be a part of the Zimmerman family. If you love us and feel moved to donate to help us in this time, you are a Zimmerman. If you've been praying without ceasing for our family, you are a Zimmerman. If you have just been a shoulder to cry on for any of us this past year, you are a Zimmerman. We Zimmerman's stick together.
Our Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are such an amazing and awesome God. You can do all things. You can part the Red Sea. You can heal the lepers.
Lord, I bring to you nothing but gratitude knowing that there are so many people who love our family. I can feel their love. It's holding all four of us. Lord I ask You for healing for our two loving and wonderful parents. I ask that their suffering go away and that they are overwhelmed by the love that is surrounding them. Lord, bless every person who has read this, even if they are unable to donate. They are a Zimmerman too. We pray for blessings and love to be poured upon every Zimmerman - whether they are a real Zimmerman or an honorary Zimmerman. We are forever grateful for all of the gifts we've been given, Heavenly Father, starting with our lives. We know that You can do all things.
We pray for safety and healing for my mother on September 8. Guide the surgeons hands to make the best decisions for her care. Be with our father on that day too, Lord. Please use me to comfort my dad in my mom's absence. Keep dad strong and motivated even if he can only talk to his bride through FaceTime.
We trust in You, Lord. Here is our hearts, laid down before You. Use us to do Your will, no matter what it may be.
Amen
Written by Chelsea Rounds
With Support from Abby Foster
Fundraising team: Once a Zimmerman, Always a Zimmerman (3)
Chelsea Rounds
Organizer
Warrington Township, PA
Susan Zimmerman
Beneficiary
Abby Foster
Team member
Susan Zimmerman
Team member