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GoFundMe Account for Tim Stromer

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An update regarding Tim Stromer . . .

A Debilitating Stroke .   The Paradise California Fire.    A Noticeable Decline.

In November of 2017, Tim suffered a stroke which left him unable to care for himself.  His wife Carla has been his full-time care provider . . .  7 days a week for the past sixteen months.  Tim’s insurance does not pay for home health assistance nor the cost of staying in a care facility.  

Carla and Tim’s home was spared in the Paradise fire.   Several homes were lost on their street.  They stayed with family (in another community) until they were able to return home a few weeks ago (after vital services such as phone had been restored).  

Tim has been much weaker following two surgeries for kidney stones and a seizure.  There are times when Carla needs another person to help her with Tim; she is just not physically able to do everything alone.  Tim and Carla need assistance in paying for this help. 

Your donations will go directly into Carla and Tim’s checking account. 

Thank you for your help.

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Tim Stromer, retired Captain/Chaplain of the Los Angeles County Fire Department,  proudly served with the department from 1981 through 2007.    The fire department knows Tim's wife Carla as Carly….Tim’s nickname for her.

Last NovemberTim suffered a massive stroke.  The stroke left Tim paralyzed on his entire right side; he was unable to speak.  

Tim has made progress but is unable to care for himself.  

Although Tim is able to speak, he can only find the words he wants to say about 20% of the time.  For example, he can say "I need sleep." and “I need bed.”.   He can also gesture when he wants to go down the hall and can say “bathroom” after the word is said to him.  This means that 80% of the time, he cannot tell someone what he wants or needs.  He cannot write so communicating with him is a challenge especially when he uses the wrong words to describe what he wants.    

While Tim can take a few steps in physical therapy, he is currently confined to life in bed and in a wheelchair.

Sometimes, even when we have made good financial plans, life can bring surprises that decimate the best of our plans.  This has happened to Tim and Carla.   

Following the housing crash of 2008, Tim and Carla had very limited assets.  The reserve that Tim and Carla had managed to rebuild since then is now gone...having been spent on the non-reimbursed expenses incurred in Tim's care to date.  Their insurance does not cover the cost of Tim staying in a facility nor the cost of an aide visiting their home.   This means that Carla must provide his daily care.     

Just months prior to Tim's stroke, Tim and Carla purchased a house that needed work.  Tim excelled at making household repairs and improvements.   Their thinking was that this would be an excellent opportunity to help them to continue to rebuild their assets.  Tim's stroke has left them in a house in need of improvements without the resources to pay for them.

The funds raised would be used to hire an aide to come in one day a week to give Carla one day to rest and complete errands outside of home.  It appears that this type of help will be needed for quite some time to come.

Funds would be used to purchase a new electric wheelchair.  Tim's insurance allows for a purchase of a wheelchair every 3 years.   Carla was not given the best recommendation when making the initial wheelchair purchase.   Tim's current wheelchair is very heavy making it difficult for Carla to lift the chair in and out of the car.  An electric wheelchair would give Tim an opportunity to self-navigate when he is out of the house.   This "independence" would give Tim’s spirits a boost and Carla a break in the physical demands of her care duties. 

Funds will be used to pay for non-reimbursed expenses that will continue to accumulate.  This includes medical expenses as well as supplies for his care at home. Keep in mind that Tim will need long term care.

This account has been set up so that all funds go directly to Tim and Carla.

The goal of the fund is to raise $20,000.  That sounds like a lot of money.  However, anyone who has endured a catastrophic illness will tell you that it will only go partway to providing the help that is needed.  The average American just does not have the financial wherewithal to pay for everything associated with this type of event.  

Thank you for your help.
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Donations 

  • Gary Davis
    • $50 
    • 5 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Sandy Jimenez
Organizer
Paradise, CA
Carla Stromer
Beneficiary

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