Richard's Medical Relief Fund
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On May 17, 2015, in the blink of an eye my beautiful brother Richard’s life was changed forever. He slipped and fell at home. It was his already disabled leg that he stumbled with when he totally shattered his hip and fractured his pelvis into several pieces. The femoral head was driven up into the hip socket and pelvis area. He was transported by ambulance to the local hospital. His problems were compounded when it was realized after an excruciating 24 hours of waiting that this hospital was not equipped to handle his devastating injury. A surgical procedure to stabilize his leg in order to transport him by ambulance to a Trauma Hospital in Bradenton was performed. It was nothing short of a miracle that there was surgeon on staff at Blake Trauma Hospital that was able to sort out and put a plan into place to help save this man’s life and limb. His next surgery was to stabilize the fractured pelvis with plates. This surgery was performed and Richard now will wait 6 months for the pelvis to strengthen and heal in order to support a total hip replacement. Until then he is in a wheel chair with minimal ambulatory ability with a walker.
Richard was in Blake for 4 weeks with his wife Robin by his side night and day. An infection set in on his knee where the first hospital had surgically stabilized his leg with external pins for transport. An “Infectious Disease Doctor” was called in and Rich was put on IV antibiotics. Once his fever subsided he was released from Blake to go home where he continues IV antibiotic therapy with a co pay of $114 per day. This treatment will continue for 4 weeks. Upfront payment is mandatory with no payment plan offered or available. This charge is just the tip of the iceberg. The co-pay for just this one drug! Medical bills cannot even be estimated at this point as his treatment is ongoing until he recieves a total hip replacement. He is sleeping in his recliner. A hospital bed is $125 per month. Robin has had to miss work and they are on a shoe string budget. It was when she told me that the mounting medical bills are overwhelming but Richard would receive his medication no matter what the cost. This is when we as a family decided to put pride aside and ask for help.
My brother Richard is a strong willed man with a heart filled with love, joy, compassion and generosity. He is a faithful husband, devoted father of two and grandfather to one beautiful little girl.
This is the story of Richard Ouellette, blue collar, hardworking, never looking for a handout and in spite of more adversity in one man’s life than imaginable, he succeeded.
Early on in his marriage, Richard suffered a construction accident while working in Boston, MA crippling his left foot permanently. He had numerous surgeries to save his foot. He was only 23 years old. In spite of this devastating disability, with his incredible positive attitude and strong will he was not only going to survive but live a full life. He packed up his wife and infant son Brian and moved to the quiet and peace of Madison, NH in the White Mountains. It is here that he and Robin, worked hard and carved out a living for themselves by opening a pizza shop and latter on an auto rack store.
Since Richard’s accident he has suffered with chronic pain daily. He chose the road less traveled by not using prescription medications but through his intense daily work outs he has been kept otherwise fit and ambulatory. Through nothing but sheer love of family and life, hard work and perseverance he and Robin were able to sustain a lifestyle for 22 years until he no longer could endure the long cold winters of the White Mountains of NH that exacerbated his chronic pain. Robin saw the writing on the wall and she being no stranger to hard work went back to school nights and graduated with a teacher’s degree from the University of NH at the age of 50.
In an effort to improve Richard’s quality of life with his disability they moved to Bradenton, Florida eight years ago. Richard’s new job was detailing and showing “Catamarans” at the Marina. New to the area the Ouellette’s rented a condo where Richard incurred yet another disabling injury. Unbeknown to him, the back porch to the condo they rented had rotted underneath and while exiting using the back stairway Richard fell through the rotted stairs and injured his back and neck and was deemed unemployable. This has not stopped him from once again picking up the shattered pieces and in spite of his chronic pain from both old and new injuries he dealt with it as only Richard can, with intense daily work outs that have kept him ambulatory until now.
Robin works as an elementary school Special Ed teacher and to make ends meet she has always worked long days at an after school program. Richard and Robin smile, struggle, do not complain and have always been generous with what they have and their time. They are the first to help a neighbor, friend or family member.
Richard has a long road to go before he can walk again. The goal is seek funds to get him the immediate medical treatment he needs and to help him to literally get back on his feet both medically and financially and please God don’t let them lose their home. I thank you for anything you can do to help Richard. If you are unable to donate please remember Richard and Robin in your prayers. Thank you!
Richard’s Sister,
Danielle
Richard was in Blake for 4 weeks with his wife Robin by his side night and day. An infection set in on his knee where the first hospital had surgically stabilized his leg with external pins for transport. An “Infectious Disease Doctor” was called in and Rich was put on IV antibiotics. Once his fever subsided he was released from Blake to go home where he continues IV antibiotic therapy with a co pay of $114 per day. This treatment will continue for 4 weeks. Upfront payment is mandatory with no payment plan offered or available. This charge is just the tip of the iceberg. The co-pay for just this one drug! Medical bills cannot even be estimated at this point as his treatment is ongoing until he recieves a total hip replacement. He is sleeping in his recliner. A hospital bed is $125 per month. Robin has had to miss work and they are on a shoe string budget. It was when she told me that the mounting medical bills are overwhelming but Richard would receive his medication no matter what the cost. This is when we as a family decided to put pride aside and ask for help.
My brother Richard is a strong willed man with a heart filled with love, joy, compassion and generosity. He is a faithful husband, devoted father of two and grandfather to one beautiful little girl.
This is the story of Richard Ouellette, blue collar, hardworking, never looking for a handout and in spite of more adversity in one man’s life than imaginable, he succeeded.
Early on in his marriage, Richard suffered a construction accident while working in Boston, MA crippling his left foot permanently. He had numerous surgeries to save his foot. He was only 23 years old. In spite of this devastating disability, with his incredible positive attitude and strong will he was not only going to survive but live a full life. He packed up his wife and infant son Brian and moved to the quiet and peace of Madison, NH in the White Mountains. It is here that he and Robin, worked hard and carved out a living for themselves by opening a pizza shop and latter on an auto rack store.
Since Richard’s accident he has suffered with chronic pain daily. He chose the road less traveled by not using prescription medications but through his intense daily work outs he has been kept otherwise fit and ambulatory. Through nothing but sheer love of family and life, hard work and perseverance he and Robin were able to sustain a lifestyle for 22 years until he no longer could endure the long cold winters of the White Mountains of NH that exacerbated his chronic pain. Robin saw the writing on the wall and she being no stranger to hard work went back to school nights and graduated with a teacher’s degree from the University of NH at the age of 50.
In an effort to improve Richard’s quality of life with his disability they moved to Bradenton, Florida eight years ago. Richard’s new job was detailing and showing “Catamarans” at the Marina. New to the area the Ouellette’s rented a condo where Richard incurred yet another disabling injury. Unbeknown to him, the back porch to the condo they rented had rotted underneath and while exiting using the back stairway Richard fell through the rotted stairs and injured his back and neck and was deemed unemployable. This has not stopped him from once again picking up the shattered pieces and in spite of his chronic pain from both old and new injuries he dealt with it as only Richard can, with intense daily work outs that have kept him ambulatory until now.
Robin works as an elementary school Special Ed teacher and to make ends meet she has always worked long days at an after school program. Richard and Robin smile, struggle, do not complain and have always been generous with what they have and their time. They are the first to help a neighbor, friend or family member.
Richard has a long road to go before he can walk again. The goal is seek funds to get him the immediate medical treatment he needs and to help him to literally get back on his feet both medically and financially and please God don’t let them lose their home. I thank you for anything you can do to help Richard. If you are unable to donate please remember Richard and Robin in your prayers. Thank you!
Richard’s Sister,
Danielle
Organizer and beneficiary
Danielle Renee
Organizer
Haverhill, MA
Richard Ouellette
Beneficiary
