Help Ashley Pay Her Medical Bills
Link to CTV news video and article on Ashley
A letter from her husband:
"Hello, my name is Joel and I am Ashley’s full-time caregiver and husband. Ashley is a 35-year-old permanently disabled RCMP veteran who was injured in the line of duty. From that injury she developed a neurological pain condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). CRPS is the worst chronic pain condition known to humankind, with no known cure. (It ranks 42 out of 50 on the McGill pain scale. By comparison, giving birth to a child without training ranks 40 on the scale.) CRPS has slowly crippled Ashley. Eight years ago she was a very happy and healthy human being. After her injury, the CRPS spread from her right wrist to now, almost her entire body, including her internal organs. She is learning to breathe into her right lung again. She has lost almost all use of her right arm and now most of her left arm. She has numbness and tingling in her feet and up both legs. Doctors have recently limited Ashley to 400-500 steps a day, which requires her to use a wheelchair to get to and from appointments. Ashley also has been diagnosed with multiple other conditions due to her CRPS. A few that she speaks openly about are CRPS, Fibromyalgia, C-PTSD, IBS, Chronic Fatigue, Major Depression, Anxiety and a compromised immune system.
Every day is a challenge for us financially, since I quit my job to give Ashley round-the-clock care. However, this month things have become especially dire. On December 18, coverage for Ashley's required prescriptions were suddenly and unexpectedly denied. These are medications that she cannot miss a dose or she risks serious and possibly fatal complications.
Even if/when coverage is reinstated, the pharmacist warned us that there has been a shortage of these medications since the pandemic began. Canada is now out of some generic versions of some of her medications and others will follow, so we will have to pay more for the brand name versions. (Already the covered generics cost hundreds of dollars a month.)
In addition, CRPS, along with some of the medications she has to take for it (including bone medications), has now affected Ashley’s teeth. She recently learned that she needs roughly $7,000-12,000 depending on if freezing works or if IV sedation is the only option of dental work - virtually none of which is covered by the retired Veteran dental plan. Unfortunately, CRPS can spread with dental work, especially working so close to the nerves so doctors recommended shorter visits to limit the trauma, which adds to the final costs.
I know 2020 has been a terrible year for so many people, so I struggle to even ask this, but please, any help at all would mean the world to us. Ashley's birthday was on Christmas and the gift I've been wanting to give her more than anything in the world is renewed hope for 2021. Thank you for taking the time to read this! Happy holidays and everyone please stay safe! Also, a shout-out to all the first responders and veterans: Thank you for everything you have done and still do for this world!"
With love,
Joel and Ashley
*** Go fund me is managed by her sister and all donations will go directly to her much needed medication, and dental work. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Thank you in advance for any donations and for sharing Ashley's story ****
