#TheatreManStrong
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Thank you for visiting this page to hear Jim Hart's story and consider donating! In November of 2020, Jim fell down the stairs at his home and broke his neck. This resulted in paralysis from the chest down. He had been between different hospitals until end of July 2021 when we finally got him home! He has gone back into the hospital a few times since then but each stay has gotten shorter and shorter. Jim has not qualified for an inpatient rehab program due to the pressure sores on his lower back (that are healing, slowly, but healing!). This means we have more work to do at home to help loosen his tight muscles, but we continue to look for ways to accomplish this and hope he will someday have minimal pain. Despite all of the obstacles, God has provided and we are fortunate to be able to get him the care he needs in his own home so we can keep him out of the hospital as much as possible.
Jim has battled many obstacles and secondary health issues due to the paralysis. He has fought so incredibly hard and has kept his faith in our Lord to keep him focused. Our family has been working tirelessly to get all of the pieces in place to make sure he can live at home safely and comfortably. Jim requires 24/7 nursing care in order to make sure he is getting all of his needs cared for and avoiding further health issues and hospital stays.
Now that Jim has had a little more time in the hospital to get even stronger and healthier, we have had time to learn from his time home and understand what we will need going forward. We do have many expenses paid for, but there are some that are not covered. In order to continue making living at home as successful and safe as possible, we are looking to have more funds available for those extra things. Below is a list of what we will use the funds for. If you can't donate, we ALWAYS appreciate prayers, encouragement and love!
What we will use the money for:
- A vehicle that can fit Jim in his wheelchair (his height requires a special type of vehicle size and access for the wheelchair)
- A ceiling lift and labor to install it - this will make it much easier and more comfortable for Jim to get in and out of his wheelchair. With the current lift, Jim is jostled around a lot more which results in a couple days pain afterward. We want him to be able to look forward to getting out of bed, not dread the pain for a couple days.
- Nurses will need extra training on some specific cares (the training is not paid for through the nursing agency and we want to ensure our nurses are being paid for these trainings as well as getting the best training they can)
- Medical supplies - many are paid for, but not enough quantity or not the specific supplies to help him in the best way possible. Gloves for nurses are #1 in this category, we go through 2-4 boxes a week.
- Comfort items - items that we can give him to help him feel as independent and comfortable as possible. This includes technology (some are covered by insurance but not all), bedding, pillows to fit his needs/pain points, special bathing supplies, etc
- Natural healing items - outside help from specialists in the health and wellness field that can add an element of healing not using chemicals/medicine. We have already started incorporating supplements, ointments, and lotions that can help heal some of Jim’s health issues from the inside. These can be expensive over time but the goal is to start eliminating medication because the side effects pile up and it has become a vicious cycle
- Ongoing search for nurses - we search and interview our own nurses to ensure they are the right fit. This involves job postings that have fees attached. We currently pay out of pocket, but have spent quite a bit of money and are continuing our search. This will always come up as we know we will have nurses resign and have the need to fill that position.
- HR fees - we handle our nurses' schedules and the software we use has a monthly fee ($95/month)
- Funds available for unforeseen expenses and increased utility bills. We have learned already that there will always be expenses that pop up that are not budgeted, and we want to ensure we can cover these costs as they come up.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through this and learn about Jim's situation. We are overwhelmed and humbled by the outpouring of love and support over the last year. We would not have been able to get through these times without all of you! Jim is so incredibly lucky to be loved by many and have the countless prayer warriors helping in this battle. If you have any questions for us, please feel free to reach out!
God bless,
The Hart Family
Organizer
Britni Adams
Organizer
Oshkosh, WI