Hi!

My name is Laurie, and I’m posting to help my family recover from a sudden and devastating series of events. About a month ago, my grandmother fell at home and was rushed into emergency surgery to have her femur operated on due to the severity of the break. After a few weeks of physical therapy, they released her, still unhealed, to go back to her home, and insurance does not assist with home health care. As my grandmother cannot use her house without going up stairs, she has needed to stay with my mother at this time. She is also actively fighting lung cancer and COPD and needs regular treatments for both. This has been a challenge for my mother to help with due to her needing to work a full-time job as a teacher. She has had to miss days of work to take her in for follow-ups as well as the ER multiple times in the last few months. My mother also struggles with lupus, and her own health has prevented her from being able to do tasks like driving and working during severe flare-ups. Still, she manages to work through the pain most days.

This Tuesday, my grandmother ended up in the ER again. Our family is crossing our fingers for better news in the future but it has been a struggle for my mom and stepfather to make sure everything is taken care of. My stepfather is hard-working and has dedicated himself to his job as a long-haul trucker for almost 40 years- despite needing to be gone for long hauls for several days, helps immensely with home care when he is able to be off the road. In a horrible turn of events, he suffered from a stroke about two weeks ago, and the ER refused to give him a proper assessment or adequate care. He was misdiagnosed due to having to wait for weeks for an MRI. The healthcare system in West Virginia is lacking, to say the least, with hospitals 2-3 hours from each other and specialists hard to find. While he has been recovering a little bit, he is still experiencing several symptoms from the stroke and was fired for being disabled on Wednesday of this week. As an independent contractor, he was not provided with company disability or accommodations, and while he is actively looking for a new job, it may be some time given his ongoing recovery.

This situation now means that three people living with very limiting disabilities are currently forced to get by on a teacher’s salary with minimal coverage and assistance from insurance companies, doctors, and their employers. The more time my mother misses from work as she is in a caretaking role means the less income they have to pay for general expenses like bills and groceries. Between health issues and the loss of the main income, our family is stressed beyond belief. I have spoken with my mother, and while my family members do not want to feel like a burden, the situation has escalated quickly due to these recent events. We have been borrowing money as needed, but I am also hoping as a community we may be able to help my family out with some relief during this time. Any donations, no matter how small or large, are deeply appreciated! If you are unable to donate, please feel free to share. Thank you so much for your help. ❤️