The short story is my parents desperately need a new mattress.
The long story follows. I promise, it's worth reading...
My dad is disabled and confined to a wheelchair. He is in constant pain, every day and every night.
He has COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder) and asbestos damage on his lungs. He uses oxygen from a tank 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He's been finding it harder to breathe as of late - especially at night, while he's trying to sleep - and we're trying to do everything possible to relieve his symptoms. He also coughs constantly when he's lying down because he suffers from a SEVERE case of acid reflux, and the acid works its way up his esophagus and into his throat when he's horizontal.
My dad has also lived with a severe case of diabetes for decades, and as a result, he endures diabetic neuropathy (he has very little to no feeling in his limbs /hands /feet). Other major illnesses include: congestive heart failure, spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal), crushed vertebraes in his spine, and severe arthritis in his back, neck, knees, and other joints. He has had hip surgeries. He has broken his shoulder, he has been in traction for months because his pelvis was displaced, and he suffered a broken tibia and fibula, he's broken all kinds of other bones, and has suffered a subdural hematoma after a fall, for which he needed a procedure to drain the pooling blood from his brain. He is in constant, intense pain in his neck and shoulders, as well.
My mom has severe osteoarthritis in many joints, has spinal stenosis, has had two hip replacements, suffers from fibromyalgia, and possibly rheumatoid arthritis or another autoimmune issue (tests are in progress). She has suffered from a severe case of acid reflux, and is recovering from Barrett's Esophagus. She is in constant body pain, and continues to suffer from severe digestive and stomach pain. She takes care of my dad 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
My parents have not been able to buy a new mattress for over TWENTY years. Their current mattress has deep depressions. A healthy, normal, young body isn't supposed to sleep on a mattress this damaged, yet my parents have been using it for decades. My dad can't move his body, and he doesn't walk, so he sleeps in one position all night - on his back. He's not able to change his position. I can't imagine such agony. I can't think of anyone who needs a good mattress more than my parents.
They need a California King (my dad is super tall!), and it needs to be adjustable so that they can adjust any part of the mattress for their specific needs.
My parents live on a fixed income, provided by social security benefits. It's barely enough to survive, let alone put away thousands for a new mattress.
They are also having massive car trouble, and were unsuccessful when they recently attempted to trade in their car for a better one, because the trade-in value is simply not enough for a better car. They need to fix the issues on their current vehicle, so any money left over from the mattress would be used for this purpose.
I hope my parents' story has touched your heart. The members of our family wish we had enough money to supply a new mattress and a fix on their car issues, but we're all just trying to make it ourselves! My brother and I help my parents every time we can, but this need is greater than our ability to help.
Thank you for considering, and God bless you all!
The long story follows. I promise, it's worth reading...
My dad is disabled and confined to a wheelchair. He is in constant pain, every day and every night.
He has COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder) and asbestos damage on his lungs. He uses oxygen from a tank 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He's been finding it harder to breathe as of late - especially at night, while he's trying to sleep - and we're trying to do everything possible to relieve his symptoms. He also coughs constantly when he's lying down because he suffers from a SEVERE case of acid reflux, and the acid works its way up his esophagus and into his throat when he's horizontal.
My dad has also lived with a severe case of diabetes for decades, and as a result, he endures diabetic neuropathy (he has very little to no feeling in his limbs /hands /feet). Other major illnesses include: congestive heart failure, spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal), crushed vertebraes in his spine, and severe arthritis in his back, neck, knees, and other joints. He has had hip surgeries. He has broken his shoulder, he has been in traction for months because his pelvis was displaced, and he suffered a broken tibia and fibula, he's broken all kinds of other bones, and has suffered a subdural hematoma after a fall, for which he needed a procedure to drain the pooling blood from his brain. He is in constant, intense pain in his neck and shoulders, as well.
My mom has severe osteoarthritis in many joints, has spinal stenosis, has had two hip replacements, suffers from fibromyalgia, and possibly rheumatoid arthritis or another autoimmune issue (tests are in progress). She has suffered from a severe case of acid reflux, and is recovering from Barrett's Esophagus. She is in constant body pain, and continues to suffer from severe digestive and stomach pain. She takes care of my dad 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
My parents have not been able to buy a new mattress for over TWENTY years. Their current mattress has deep depressions. A healthy, normal, young body isn't supposed to sleep on a mattress this damaged, yet my parents have been using it for decades. My dad can't move his body, and he doesn't walk, so he sleeps in one position all night - on his back. He's not able to change his position. I can't imagine such agony. I can't think of anyone who needs a good mattress more than my parents.
They need a California King (my dad is super tall!), and it needs to be adjustable so that they can adjust any part of the mattress for their specific needs.
My parents live on a fixed income, provided by social security benefits. It's barely enough to survive, let alone put away thousands for a new mattress.
They are also having massive car trouble, and were unsuccessful when they recently attempted to trade in their car for a better one, because the trade-in value is simply not enough for a better car. They need to fix the issues on their current vehicle, so any money left over from the mattress would be used for this purpose.
I hope my parents' story has touched your heart. The members of our family wish we had enough money to supply a new mattress and a fix on their car issues, but we're all just trying to make it ourselves! My brother and I help my parents every time we can, but this need is greater than our ability to help.
Thank you for considering, and God bless you all!