Alicia Wilde Belinsky 911 Needs Our Help!

Hi, my name is Virginia, and my mom, Alicia needs your help!

Anyone that knows my mom knows that she is always helping others. She has always been this way. She started volunteering on the ambulance when she was in high school until she acquired a 25-year paid career as an EMT and CPR instructor. Over the years she became involved as a volunteer in the Oxford/Seymour community including becoming a youth group advisor at Immanuel Lutheran Church as well as a church council member, EMS, and explorer advisor. My mom also held officer positions as an EMT.

Growing up I remember my mom always maintained three to four jobs to ensure we had all the things we needed. She gave me more love and attention as a single mother than most families with two parents ever get to experience. When I was six she injured her lower back and needed surgery. Due to this setback, she was unable to help people in the way she once had and found a new job working at a dispatch center for the New Haven County region, South Central CMED where she made her home for 17 years. My mom loves dispatching! She’s been a dispatcher for three police departments, and up until a year ago, a small town doing what she loved most; police, fire, and EMS.

Being the calm voice of reason on the other end of the phone was not something I ever appreciated until I had to call 911 as an adult. It truly takes a special empathetic person to answer that phone.

In March 2020, my mom had fallen ill with unexplained severe neurological pain, which she explained was like walking on shards of glass. This was accompanied by weakness and cognitive issues. She sought medical help and was out of work for 16 weeks. She continued to see multiple doctors and obtain consultations of different specialties, trying to find answers and relief for the increasing pain, memory loss, and decreased use of her hands, arms, and sometimes legs (among other body functions).

One year ago she left her job as a 911 dispatcher and went out on unpaid family medical leave with the hope that at the end of 12 weeks, she would have answers and be able to return to work feeling better. Unfortunately, during that time she was diagnosed with severe carpal tunnel in both hands, bone spurs, and bone degeneration in her neck, around a pre-existing surgical fusion from an injury she had gotten

while working on the ambulance in 1989. We are certain there will be multiple surgeries in her future to help ease some of the pain in her neck and arms.

In July of 2022, she was finally given answers to the questions to which we had gotten few answers thus far. Her neurologist gave the official diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. Otherwise known as MS. It has been discovered that my mom has multiple lesions on her brain, and on her spinal cord which are causing her symptoms. She started on MS medication in October, and it seems to be helping, but the damage done is irreversible. She has a long road ahead of her, which on most days seems impossible. Some days the pain is so bad that she cannot move or even stand without assistance. A generous gift of an electric wheelchair was given to her recently which will help her to be more independent and get around safely. My mom wants nothing more than to be able

to take my little brother Peter (age 6, almost 7! ) for walks and participate in activities with Peter and her grandson Maverick (age 5). These boys are her whole life and they keep her going every day. As many people know living with a chronic illness that cannot be cured is often as mentally debilitating as it is physically. My hope and prayer are that we can help ease some of the financial burdens which go along with this disease and show her that she is not alone in this fight.

While going on over a year of no work and no pay, car repairs, medical bills, and everyday needs are being struggled with and are continuing to come. This strong, independent, woman and mother who has been on the receiving end of calls during others most desperate times in other people's lives now needs our help. She will never ask for herself so I am asking on her behalf. If you could find it in your heart to please help ease her financial burdens I would be eternally grateful. Even the smallest gift will mean the world to her. My mom is my favorite person in the world. She is strong, smart, kind, honest, loving, generous and the list goes on. She would give you the shirt off her back, and always provides a warm meal or a place to stay for anyone in need who walks into her life.

Thank you for taking the time to read a little bit about our family.

Gift cards for grocery stores or food and gas are also greatly appreciated and welcomed. Thank you all so much, Warm regards- Ginnie (Virginia Wilde-Nimons)