Please Help / Leg amputation

My Step Father has been going through some hard times due to health issues.  The last few years have not been easy.  He has been in and out of doctor's appointments daily and nothing has helped him.   After seeing doctors in Monticello, Minnesota, they came to the conclusion they could no longer treat him there and he would need to be transferred to Mercy Hospital in the cities as soon as possible.  The Mercy staff has been wonderful with giving him the proper care and compassion he needs.

He hasn’t seen any signs of improvement over the last year.  He’s had issues with both legs, but was diagnosed with MRSA disease 2 years ago.  It’s been tough mentally and physically on him, as well as the family.  He may be disabled, but he hasn’t given up on us.   He has made the choice to try and live longer, to see his grandchildren grow up and check a few more things off his bucket list.  He’s only 54 years old.  He’s been bed ridden for the last 6 months and has been in unbelievable pain.  It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever witnessed - to watch someone you love suffer slowly with no answers or solutions to the questions or problems.   Please consider donating to help his recovery!

Todays update: 9/13/2018
Dan had a surgery today that lasted 8 hours.  Thankfully I was able to FaceTime him before he went in to give him my love.  However,  the operation ended with him loosing his left leg from the knee down.  They had to amputate it.  The doctors said everything went well, although took a little longer than expected.  He now has a long road to recovery ahead of him and he will have to learn how to walk all over again.  He will have to learn how to move around from the bed to a chair and how to use a prosthetic leg.  Physical therapy will be next, but he still has a couple weeks of recovery time because he is a diabetic.

I’m trying to raise funds to help with his rehabilitation and to purchase a prosthetic leg.  We will need to convert his home to ensure it’s wheelchair accessible and that he has the proper tools to help with the changes and challenges  he will have moving forward.  This will also help with his medical expenses. 

Most importantly I hope this raises awareness!  Hopefully it will be a message to others that it’s important to take care of each other, but most importantly be mindful of our own health.  Life is precious and sometimes we need to see things like this and understand some people have a much harder life than we do.

Thoughts and prayers are welcome for him and the family - Thank you!


 


As of today 11/26 My wound has completely closed up in the incision area where my leg was stitched up from surgery. My prosthetic was casted and molded about 3 1/2 weeks ago but today I actually had gotten to wear it for the first time. (they said I could not wear it until the wound heals 100 percent.) So today I had worn it and walk 30 to 40 feet within the parallel bars. It needs to be reshaped because my lower part of my leg is sloppy in the socket and my leg shifts side to side in it. so they will be coming out to look at it to see what can be done. Meanwhile, I am continuing to work with p/t and o/t in strengthening my leg and arms. My insurance company keeps cutting me off and I had won an earlier appeal they said I could put a ramp in my house. But at that time my wound was not healed to wear it and that it was being made. 2 weeks went by and they denied coverage on the 24th onward I filed an appeal on Wednesday 11/21/18 and on Thursday Thanksgiving day I was called by kepro and told me I lost the appeal, so on Friday The 23 I refilled a reconsideration appeal it can take up to 14 days to get an answer. The wound was still not healed and have not walked in the prosthetic. If I win they will reinstate my insurance and my copay per day will drop from $373.13 per day to $167.50 per day. Humana Medicare supplement insurance is bad to say the least - I have 100 days coverage but can cut you off at any time. A person should not have to appeal the insurance company in receiving needed benefits especially when someone has had a leg amputation.