Janice & Family

On July 16, 2020, an 18-wheeler fishtailed as I was trying to pass it safely and hit my car, threw it into the left wall then my car hydroplaned across the expressway. My head hit the side panel first, then the steering wheel, before I passed out on the other side. I was taken to the hospital, advised I had suffered a concussion, and released.

For the following two weeks, I experienced extreme post-concussive symptoms: nausea, headache, migraine, and vertigo. I could not get out of bed, shower or care for my family. I was also unable to return to work.

I waited a frustrating 22 months to receive treatment. When I finally started rehab, unfortunately, I got covid but could complete 7 out of the 20 sessions the insurance company scheduled for me. Shortly after my seventh treatment, the rehab center concluded that I was fit for gainful employment, so the insurance company closed my long-term disability file.

During those 22 months, I continued to experience nausea, headache, migraine, and vertigo. I also had difficulty with balance, memory, bending over, and head movement and could not drive until about three months later or so. During that time, my husband underwent colon surgery and shortly after, he suffered a second heart attack. As a result, I had no choice during that time but to put my recovery on hold as I took care of him during his medical leave. I was also let go from my current position.

Three years later, I am still off work, and the long-term disability income with the health insurance has ended; the replacement income from the car insurance has also ended, and the application for government disability had been denied. I have developed anxiety from dealing with headaches as I tried to navigate what could trigger them. Since we now don't have a second paycheck to cover the fixed bills, I have also had to deal with panic attacks and insomnia from the stress I've endured.

Earlier this year, my husband's contract was ended due to tendinitis in his achilles when the doctor advised he needed to stay off of it. As a result, the only income we currently have is his unemployment. Unfortunately, he was also recently hospitalized for unstable angina and had two stents put into his artery which has delayed his start date for work at a new establishment.

We understand everyone is financially tight, so we are grateful for whatever you can donate to help our family.