A Bathroom & Medical Essentials for Rick Schneider
In 2018, my dad, Rick Schneider, started experiencing mysterious symptoms of muscle weakness which have kept progressing. By March of this year, he could barely use his arms and hands and is now unable to walk more than two or three feet.
We are praying for healing and are continuing to approach medical professionals and explore treatments, including those for chronic Lyme disease and the more frightening possibility, ALS.
We know God is in control and that He could choose to heal my dad at any moment, but in the meantime, we need to do quite a few things to the house to make my dad's living situation possible and pleasant. The most urgent thing is to put in a handicap-access bathroom on the ground floor of our house, as stairs are no longer an option.
So many of you have loved us, prayed for us, and supported us in so many ways, and you've also asked what else you can do to help. This would certainly be one of those ways if you feel so moved!
Here are some of the specific costs we're facing:
Ground floor handicap-access bathroom with shower: $28,000*
(*the total cost is $33,000 but $5000 had already been received)
Front porch platform with wheel chair ramp: $3600
Counter-depth Refrigerator: $2000 (current fridge is too wide, blocking a door and access to planned bathroom)
Home health care at night: $180/day ($33,000 for the next 6 months)
Software for eye-controlled computer: $800
Extra-long hospital bed: $1200
Specialized non-motorised wheelchair: $3000
Future needs may include a motorized wheelchair and other special equipment. Thankfully, friends have donated a pre-owned wheelchair and a van. We are waiting for an appointment with trained therapists to ascertain if they will work for Rick.
As new information comes in, we will update this page. Also, go to our page on the Caring Bridge website (see link below) for regular updates on how Rick and Soozie are doing and other practical ways to help such as grocery store runs, filling the car up, moving furniture, household cleaning, household maintenance, etc. Thank you, thank you, thank you!