Elisa's Medical Needs & Aftercare
Donation protected
Just about the time you think things will be OK, life has a tendency to deal you a card that you didn't plan for. There is nothing more humbling than to have to ask for this support.
My wife, Elisa, is someone who is an incredible mother, loving wife, and deeply concerned about the welfare of others. She has had a difficult life at times, particularly before we got together. She has chronicled much of that on her blog. Needless to say, she has been victimized in her life to the point where multiple surgeries have been necessary to try to repair damage on her insides. She has endured pain everyday for a very long time.
After Elisa received an ileostomy (the last of her 24 lifetime surgeries), it relieved some of the pain, but it left her unable to work while she healed, and left her with a bag that collects her waste. The appliance itself causes skin breakdown, and pain. As a young, vibrant, individual, we searched for a solution to this problem. We thought we found one with a surgery called BCIR. It is a surgery that would create a pouch within Elisa that could be drained without needing an external bag. It is a surgery that would essentially help Elisa get her life back.
We knew after getting the ileostomy, Elisa would have to wait a minimum of 6 months for her surgery. Approximately a week after Elisa got home from the hospital, I found out that I was being laid off from my work at a local nonprofit. My health insurance would and did end before Elisa could even get on the calendar.
Elisa and I had hope that I would find work soon, so we scheduled the surgery, a surgery only done in Florida and California. To this date, I have been unable to find a job.
We need help. Elisa's surgery date is coming up in a month and without insurance, she may need to postpone it.
Donations made to this fundraiser will go to support our efforts to get Elisa's surgery and to ensure that she is cared for before and after the surgery. Even if we cannot get the BCIR surgery as outlined above, Elisa will likely need a surgery to permanently remove her colon to relieve the remaining pain she has been experiencing, and repair the fistula created during the ileostomy surgery. There are long term cost associated with that as well if we went that route.
Honesty, the $100,000 goal is probably not enough to cover BCIR without insurance as Elisa would need to remain in the hospital for a month after surgery, but I can't even imagine typing the amount that is really needed.
Thank you for your help and support.
My wife, Elisa, is someone who is an incredible mother, loving wife, and deeply concerned about the welfare of others. She has had a difficult life at times, particularly before we got together. She has chronicled much of that on her blog. Needless to say, she has been victimized in her life to the point where multiple surgeries have been necessary to try to repair damage on her insides. She has endured pain everyday for a very long time.
After Elisa received an ileostomy (the last of her 24 lifetime surgeries), it relieved some of the pain, but it left her unable to work while she healed, and left her with a bag that collects her waste. The appliance itself causes skin breakdown, and pain. As a young, vibrant, individual, we searched for a solution to this problem. We thought we found one with a surgery called BCIR. It is a surgery that would create a pouch within Elisa that could be drained without needing an external bag. It is a surgery that would essentially help Elisa get her life back.
We knew after getting the ileostomy, Elisa would have to wait a minimum of 6 months for her surgery. Approximately a week after Elisa got home from the hospital, I found out that I was being laid off from my work at a local nonprofit. My health insurance would and did end before Elisa could even get on the calendar.
Elisa and I had hope that I would find work soon, so we scheduled the surgery, a surgery only done in Florida and California. To this date, I have been unable to find a job.
We need help. Elisa's surgery date is coming up in a month and without insurance, she may need to postpone it.
Donations made to this fundraiser will go to support our efforts to get Elisa's surgery and to ensure that she is cared for before and after the surgery. Even if we cannot get the BCIR surgery as outlined above, Elisa will likely need a surgery to permanently remove her colon to relieve the remaining pain she has been experiencing, and repair the fistula created during the ileostomy surgery. There are long term cost associated with that as well if we went that route.
Honesty, the $100,000 goal is probably not enough to cover BCIR without insurance as Elisa would need to remain in the hospital for a month after surgery, but I can't even imagine typing the amount that is really needed.
Thank you for your help and support.
Organizer and beneficiary
Joe Calabrese
Organizer
Fairport, NY
Elisa Calabrese
Beneficiary
