Amanda Strobel (Coleman)
Donation protected
On the morning of November 6, 2017 my sister, Amanda checked into her local hospital to have her gallbladder removed. It was supposed to be a simple procedure with her going home the same day and returning to work within a few days.
There were complications during the procedure and her surgeon decided she needed an emergency repair procedure that would be better handled at a larger hospital over an hour away. She was transported by ambulance to Rochester, NY where she waited for her second surgery of the day.
The repair surgery was a little more complicated than expected, but it was successful and she was able to return home to her husband and two young sons after 7 days.
My mother warned the rest of the family that complications from Amanda's surgery could pop up at any time throughout the rest of her life. Despite that news we all enjoyed Thanksgiving and then Christmas a little more than usual because Amanda was there, and smiling, and reveling in her family. Personally, I was reminded of something I often hear older and much wiser people say; "If you have your health, you have everything."
After a few weeks of recovering at home, Amanda was out of paid time off from her job as a social worker at the local Veteran's Affairs hospital. She returned to work because she needed the money, not because she thought she was ready.
Toward the end of January Amanda was feeling terrible at work, so she had blood tests run. Her blood work results were critical, so she was readmitted to the hospital. There she found out scar tissue had closed off the tube that was repaired in November and bile was backing up in her liver and causing damage. Since then there have been multiple procedures performed on my sister in an attempt to get through the scar tissue; all unsuccessful.
Amanda has endured excruciating pain and severe nausea on almost a daily basis since the end of January. She has lost 35 pounds and has two drain tubes; one draining bile from her liver and another draining a liver abscess that developed.
The road ahead is unclear. If the doctors can't open the tube back up, then they will need to operate; an operation that will likely involve Amanda's liver. At this point, she is looking at months off from work, not weeks.
Amanda has spent a lot of weeks in the hospital, away from her boys, and unsure of the future. Despite the incredible generosity of many of her coworkers at the VA donating some of their paid time off, the paychecks have stopped; the bills are looming. She has medical insurance that covers some of the costs, but no short term or long term disability.
Amanda and her family could use help covering what insurance doesn't and paying the numerous bills required to keep a household afloat. Because, as many of us are aware in this world, not only do you need your health, you need a little money as well.
Any amount will be very much appreciated.
There were complications during the procedure and her surgeon decided she needed an emergency repair procedure that would be better handled at a larger hospital over an hour away. She was transported by ambulance to Rochester, NY where she waited for her second surgery of the day.
The repair surgery was a little more complicated than expected, but it was successful and she was able to return home to her husband and two young sons after 7 days.
My mother warned the rest of the family that complications from Amanda's surgery could pop up at any time throughout the rest of her life. Despite that news we all enjoyed Thanksgiving and then Christmas a little more than usual because Amanda was there, and smiling, and reveling in her family. Personally, I was reminded of something I often hear older and much wiser people say; "If you have your health, you have everything."
After a few weeks of recovering at home, Amanda was out of paid time off from her job as a social worker at the local Veteran's Affairs hospital. She returned to work because she needed the money, not because she thought she was ready.
Toward the end of January Amanda was feeling terrible at work, so she had blood tests run. Her blood work results were critical, so she was readmitted to the hospital. There she found out scar tissue had closed off the tube that was repaired in November and bile was backing up in her liver and causing damage. Since then there have been multiple procedures performed on my sister in an attempt to get through the scar tissue; all unsuccessful.
Amanda has endured excruciating pain and severe nausea on almost a daily basis since the end of January. She has lost 35 pounds and has two drain tubes; one draining bile from her liver and another draining a liver abscess that developed.
The road ahead is unclear. If the doctors can't open the tube back up, then they will need to operate; an operation that will likely involve Amanda's liver. At this point, she is looking at months off from work, not weeks.
Amanda has spent a lot of weeks in the hospital, away from her boys, and unsure of the future. Despite the incredible generosity of many of her coworkers at the VA donating some of their paid time off, the paychecks have stopped; the bills are looming. She has medical insurance that covers some of the costs, but no short term or long term disability.
Amanda and her family could use help covering what insurance doesn't and paying the numerous bills required to keep a household afloat. Because, as many of us are aware in this world, not only do you need your health, you need a little money as well.
Any amount will be very much appreciated.
Organizer and beneficiary
Paul Coleman
Organizer
Almond, NY
Amanda Strobel
Beneficiary
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