Ricky's Stroke Recovery

My step father Ricky Crump recently suffered a severe stroke and shortly after, a second smaller stroke. He has come so far in such a short amount of time in regards to regaining a fair amount of his ability to speak, as well as some of his gross motor skills. (His fine motor skills are still in need of a lot of practice). It's still very difficult at times to decipher some of the information he is attempting to convey, but even though he gets frustrated, we just keep listening patiently until we figure it out. He hasn't given up and has managed to keep a very positive attitude despite these difficult times. He still has a long road ahead to a full recovery and restoring his quality and way of life back to some familiar level of normalcy. He has always been an extremely hard working man. I've had the opportunity to work with him every day and he has taught me so many things that only someone who has had to put in a lifetime of painstaking work, could have the chance to pick up and I have missed working with him and his other Son since. Two things I can't recall him ever missing are a day of work, or Wednesdays and Sundays at church. So this has been a very abrupt and difficult change for him. It was by the grace of God that he had his stroke on Easter Sunday at his church, which is located near the hospital he was initially taken to, which allowed him to be quickly diagnosed and begin his life saving treatments during those critical moments after a stroke. I worked with him Monday through Friday, but I work on Saturday and Sunday at my other job, so there was a significant chance it could have happened while he was at work alone on Saturday. Another blessing that ensured the avoidance of a tragedy. My mother had a subarchnoid hemorrhage a few years back, so she has also had her fair share of compounding medical issues that have been a daily struggle to keep at bay and find answers to, for a long time. But, we adjusted and have always, some how, found a way to make it work and manage it all. Even with her not being able to drive and having difficulty keeping up with her doctors appointments and other errands, house work, etc., Ricky and I, as well as her sisters, have usually been lucky enough to find a way to get what is needed to be done, accomplished. Her being disabled has always put Ricky in the position of having to be the sole provider of the household. He's always stepped up to the task and never complained about working 6 days a week and often, having to work extra/longer and later hours to make sure they get by so mom could get to every doctor visit she has needed over the years. He has sacrificed a lot to be a loving husband and keep my mom and her health as his main priority and be a father to me, even without the genetic obligation to do so. He is an amazingly generous and hard working man. He has donated his carpentry skills, labor, materials and time to many people over the years and always been someone that people have come to when in need of any kind of help. He's always had a very soft and generous heart and this is why he has always helped anyone who needed it. Whether it's a simple leaking roof that needed fixed or a wheelchair ramp built for someone who has a need, but not the means, or house remodeled after storms or other unexpected, life changing, misfortunes; he always made sure that anyone on a budget, still got what they needed to get back on track. Everything has turned around and put him in an unfamiliar and difficult position of having to be the one who needs help now. It's strange to see someone you love go from being so active and independent to being in a vulnerable position. It's been a difficult time, but we have been lucky to be able to scratch by thus far. I'm very lucky to have had some savings to fall back on to help and also find time to be at their house on a daily basis and help as often as I can. I'm also very lucky to have an understanding wife who doesn't blame me for the time required of me over the years, but now that he needs help too, it has increased the load as well as time needed to be there instead of home where I can spend time that could take some stress off of my wife and our relationship. But, even with help from family to share in keeping someone nearby in the event he needs help, still can't solve the monetary responsibilities that need addressed. It has gotten to the point where keeping the bills caught up is no longer sustainable with mom's small disability check and what I, and the rest of the family, are able to afford any longer. The slow, but inevitable compounding of expenses and bills, with him being unable to work, as well as myself and his son Jason trying to pick up where he left off and get some income going again, and piece together what jobs we need to be doing and had some prior knowledge of, that he no longer has any recollection of and that he had lined up to do. Just figuring out all the little things he has forgoetten is amazingly difficult, like voice-mail passwords for calling current and potential customers, credit card PINs so they can be managed, etc. All of this is inflicting a lot of stress during a time that he needs to relax and focus on rehabilitation and recovery. Any help, no matter the size, would be more appreciated than you could ever imagine and would be appropriately utilized to help get Ricky back to himself again and on the way to recovery. I look forward to seeing him better and out doing what he wants again, so he can stop feeling the empty feeling he does while he is confined to the house. I can see the grief in his eyes and hear it in his voice when he is confined to the house or when he needs help with simple tasks. He never gives up and has kept an amazingly positive attitude, but I can still sense that he wants out and wants things back to the way they were. Any help that anyone can provide to get him there, would be an incredible blessing and those who don't have the means to do so, I understand the feeling of wanting to help, but not being financially able to do so, prayers are also a greatly welcomed alternative. Thank you.