PLEASE help "Judy" if you can!

Lent is a great time to help the poor, and my friend “Judy” is very much in need of your help.  I have changed her name because of some dysfunctional family members that she is avoiding.  I am reaching out because she nearly died this week and is currently in the hospital, so there are some immediate needs.  But she has struggled to make ends meet for as long as I’ve known her (over 10 years).  She has always been content with a life of poverty, simplicity, and hard work; right now she needs some time to recover from surgery without worrying about how she will pay her bills.  She is not a drug or alcohol abuser.  Judy dropped out of school at a very early age, and without a high school diploma her job opportunities are limited.  However, in the last few months she has been attending a high school equivalency class – she is doing extremely well as a student and seems surprised to find that she LOVES school.

How I met “Judy”:

                Judy is in her 50’s.  When I met her, she was working as a home-healthcare provider for an elderly widow in my parish.  Since she brought this dear woman to Mass every day, I couldn’t help noticing how kind and gentle she was with her patient.  I got to know Judy then and we have remained friends long after her elderly friend passed away.  Judy still works as a self-employed home-healthcare provider and also does cleaning and some home repair work, but she often is not able to work full-time because of health problems and car problems.  She always seems to find enough local work to barely pay her bills, but never much more than that.  She is making payments on the house she moved into about 12 years ago, and pays for heat, electricity, water, and food.  A friend has given her a microwave and a crock pot but she does not own a stove.

Why she needs help :

                Two days ago, Judy called me.  She was throwing up so constantly and violently that it was hard to make out what she was saying, but she was begging me to help her.  It was obvious that she needed immediate medical attention, especially when she began throwing up blood.  I hung up and called 911, and she was taken by ambulance to the emergency room.

                It turned out that she had a severe intestinal blockage and abdominal adhesions, complicated by severe dehydration that was beginning to affect her kidneys; she needed fluids and surgery.  She responded well to the surgery and is beginning to recover – today she was able to tolerate some clear liquids – and fortunately there is no permanent damage to her kidneys.  She should be released from the hospital in a day or two.

How the donations will be used:

                Because her average monthly income is below the poverty level, and because she is being treated in a Christian hospital, I am very hopeful that most of her hospital expenses will be taken care of by the hospital’s Charitable Foundation.  However, she will still have to pay for the ambulance.  Even more importantly, she will be out of work for a time and risks falling behind in her house payments.  We don’t want her to worry about losing her home on top of everything else.

Sooo….The needs are very specific.  With the $6,000 I hope to raise, my dream is to:

·         Pay the ambulance fee (not sure how much this will be, but   
           probably $1000-2000)

·         Purchase an economical-but-reliable used car for Judy ($2000)

·         Provide 3 months house payment so Judy can resume work
           gradually without worry ($2100)

Please help if you can!

                This is a woman who prays, loves, and serves others to the best of her ability, and who has had many struggles throughout her life.  I know she will be very grateful if we can give her a financial boost as she recovers from this illness and surgery. 

Please pass this on to others!  Thank you!