Rally for Randy

Thank you for taking time to read, “Rally for Randy,” our medical GoFundMe Campaign. As Christians, Randy and I have always tried to be the first to extend a helping hand to anyone in need. Up until recently, the thought of our having to ask others for assistance would never have crossed our minds. However, the time has now come to ask for your support in the form of financial donations. This funding will help provide essential transportation for Randy and assistance with mounting medical expenses as well as other financial obligations occurring from my loss of income while attending to his medical needs.

Randy’s background is one of a Godly man, a wonderful husband of thirty-eight years, and a loving father to our amazing daughter, Emily. His career began at the age of fifteen when he started working in his family’s business. After leaving it, Randy continued working in physically demanding environments such as heavy construction, truck driving, and finally a diesel mechanic. His ability to work and provide for his family ended abruptly in 2001, at the age forty-two, when he was diagnosed with severe degenerative disc disease. Eighteen inches of Randy’s spinal column were severely compromised by this disease and would need to be pinned and rodded. However, due to the severity of his damaged spinal column the procedure was deemed inoperable by multiple surgeons who felt that he would not survive the surgery.

While living with the effects of severe degenerative disc disease over the past sixteen years, Randy has undergone many other surgeries. A morphine pump, as well as a spinal stimulator were implanted for severe nerve pain in his back. Both knees were totally replaced at different times with one having to be redone. Surgery on his left hand resulted in having a fused wrist and a bout of MRSA. After failed rotator cuff surgery a complete shoulder replacement was necessary. Along with continuing deterioration of his spinal column, these surgeries led up to Randy having to using an electric wheelchair for mobility. Early on, he could transfer himself into and out of his bed and vehicle. Eventually, he began to lose the use of both legs which then made these transfers difficult.

Over the past three months, Randy’s ongoing condition has been challenging due to bouts of cellulitis, increasing nerve pain in his back, and falls. These falls have resulted in a fractured vertebrae causing him to have limited use of his arms and hands, and leaving him unable to even feed himself. He has since lost the ability to transfer himself from his hospital bed to a wheelchair. Randy has been back and forth between hospitals and rehabilitation. Due to the inoperable condition of his back and the severe nerve pain that he is frequently in, he is now a patient at Hospice of Charleston under their palliative care plan for pain management.

When the time comes for Randy to return home, Hospice of Charleston will transport him via ambulance. We will need a special vehicle to transport Randy to and from doctor's appointments and church. The vehicle that will help us meet these transportation needs is a Brunn Mobility Van through the Ilderton Conversion Company at a currently estimated cost of between $37,000 and $40,000. With the use of the Hoyer lift that we have at home, Randy will be able to be placed into his electric wheelchair where he will then ride up into the van and lock it in for his transportation needs. In addition to assisting with purchasing this necessary transportation, additional funding will enable us to provide caregivers for Randy while I am at work as well as cover other ongoing expenses.

Please consider donating any dollar amount to Rally for Randy. Your support will be greatly appreciated.