I met Deborah after reading her post on the app Nextdoor: “Need immediate help for my cat while I'm in hospital.” Being a cat person, that caught my eye right away. The wildfires were raging around us in Los Angeles, but we were fortunate in that our evacuation was brief and uneventful. So, in the spirit of helping our neighbors, I called Deborah. She shared that she lived alone and needed help with her cat, as the person who had previously offered to help was now asking her for more money. My husband and I began caring for her precious kitty, Lily Rose, that day – at no cost to Deborah, because it's the least we can do to help a neighbor in need. Two months later, Deborah is still in a nursing rehab facility, and we continue to care for Lily Rose in our home. I am starting this GoFundMe on Deborah’s behalf because she is alone and needs our help. She appears to have no family members to help her navigate this tumultuous and certainly frightening new phase in her life, and that’s something I hope nobody has to endure alone.

Here is Deborah’s story in her own words:

“January 4th I woke up and could not stand. I tried for 14 hours to stand up. I live alone and took my phone to bed with me so I thought my only option was to call the Fire Dept which I did. My condition was severe and they had no alternative but to take me to the emergency. I was admitted to the hospital and treated for a number of days for sepsis and severe leg Cellulitis and infection. I was released to a nursing Rehabilitation later. After about a week there at the rehab. I developed a high fever and breathing problems. I was taken back to the hospital by ambulance. Submitted to isolation for 7 days and another 4 not isolated. After that I was sent to another nursing home rehab for recover for this lung virus COPD and to learn how to walk again. I was sent all the way to Canoga Park from Glendale for Rehabilitation. Four days after I got here the doctor that I was assigned told me that I was going to be discharged soon. I thought what the hell? I just got here, went 25 miles away from Glendale in an ambulance, a horribly bumpy ride! Now you want me to leave? I can’t walk I have no friends or family to help me so what do you expect me to do? Scan tells me that I have 100 days in a skilled Nursing home, I have used less than 40 days so why do they continue to give me discharge dates? … They want me to discharge to a bed and board facility which I am required to pay for myself.”

Deborah will now be expected to cover the cost for this yet-to-be-determined ‘bed and board’ facility, and eventually, face the expensive reality of long-term, round-the-clock, in-home health care. Thank you for considering our GoFundMe and helping Deborah and Lily Rose get the care and help they desperately need.