Arnold Family Emergency
Donation protected
Please help!
Hello family friends & neighbors. The holidays are upon us and hopefully you & your family are getting ready to gear up for gift giving and the holiday spirit.
It is not often I ask for help, but this weekend I found out a very dear friend (Barb Arnold) is in need of support. Barb is a friend that has bent over backwards to help people in need and now she needs help. Remember when I asked for a volunteer for a dental cleaning?? Well she is the person who was scared to death of the Dentist, but sat through exams and cleanings to help a college kid pass their state boards because I said my daughter was in need. This is a woman who has donated to people in need, with the mindset of “you never know when you might need help”. This is a woman who is desperate for help, but doesn’t want to ask anyone in order to not burden anyone else during the hectic holiday season.
Now imagine this. You are an active family with 3 boys, twins age 11 and a 4 year old. The boys are growing like weeds and seem to outgrow their clothes overnight. Band and chorus rehearsals requires dress clothes, but your 11 year old has had another growth spurt and fits into nothing in the closet. You have to go buy him clothes for his rehearsal, but it seems there are not enough hours in a day. Mom works days, Dad works nights to ensure someone is always home with the kids. Days are crazy, kids are active in school, work is draining, and your 11 year old comes down with a fever and the flu. Dad had a scratch on his elbow.
On a Thursday night, Dad says my elbow really hurts and has a fever. You both “write it off” as he is coming down with the FLU bug your son has.
Friday morning, Dad still has a fever but now his arm is red, sore and has blisters. You call the Doctor insisting your husband needs to be seen today and make an appointment. You have that “feeling in your gut” something isn’t right. Doctor sends you to the hospital and life begins to swirl into a nightmare. Doctor says Dad has necrotizing fasciitis (aka flesh eating disease) and needs to be put in isolation. Your heart stops and you can’t believe what you are hearing. Doctor says surgery is needed asap to stop the infection, but you have the kids in school and are out of time off at work. How can this be happening?
It is now a week later. Dad has had 4 surgeries to date. Dad is out of isolation, but still in a touch & go status. The last surgery was from wrist to armpit to open up the arm and leave the wound open to try and stop the infection from spreading. Dad is in pain, but putting on a strong face. The Doctors have scheduled yet another surgery to put in a drain for Wednesday. Dad is now in the hospital almost 2 weeks and there is no talk of a release date.
Mom is trying to remain positive. There is no time for breaking down when your kids are looking at you in fear. Mom knows it is time to figure out what is happening today. Keep a smile on, stay calm and positive everything will work out, but will there be an urgent call from the hospital saying your husband needs another surgery? Can the Doctors save your husband’s right arm? Do you go to work trying to save time for when you “really” need to be home? Do you keep the kids going to school for a distraction? How do you answer the boys questions and ease their fears when you don’t have any real answers? Now throw in what to cook for dinner, when is there time to clean, do the laundry (remember those darn growth spurts?? The boys only fit into certain clothes in the closet), figure out daycare and how to get the older boys on and off the school bus, homework, the boys wanting to visit Dad at the hospital, praying another call is not received saying her husband needs another emergency surgery, wondering how to keep a happy face and plan the holidays. There is too much to do, no time to stop moving, now throw in Thanksgiving is weeks away, and then there is Christmas – how do they keep life “normal” for 3 boys who still believe in Santa?
My head is spinning and I am not living this nightmare. I can only think that the best way to help my friend, Barb, and her family that is in desperate need, is financially. Insurance only covers 80% of the hospital stay, and they are already on day 9 with no talk of a release date. Who knows how much the surgeries are going to wind up costing. There will be medicine and rehab after he is finally released. A two income family is immediately down to a one income family and no one knows for how long. I know this is much bigger than a simple donation from me.
Normally I try to donate during this time of year to strangers who are in need. I have sent gifts to kids from the Walmart tree before. I have been an angel for a child on a church tree. This year my focus will be on my girlfriend and her boys. I have set this “go fund me” up to ask my family, friends and neighbors to join with me and please consider donating to Barb and her family - to give her a little piece of PEACE during this trying time. The battle is going to be a long hard road that won't be over after the holidays, but maybe as a community we can help a family get through these days with a tiny bit less stress.
Any donation will help, as Barb has said in the past, you never know when you might need help yourself.
Wishing everyone the best during this holiday season.
Remember - be a change in this world.
Love to all - Therese
Hello family friends & neighbors. The holidays are upon us and hopefully you & your family are getting ready to gear up for gift giving and the holiday spirit.
It is not often I ask for help, but this weekend I found out a very dear friend (Barb Arnold) is in need of support. Barb is a friend that has bent over backwards to help people in need and now she needs help. Remember when I asked for a volunteer for a dental cleaning?? Well she is the person who was scared to death of the Dentist, but sat through exams and cleanings to help a college kid pass their state boards because I said my daughter was in need. This is a woman who has donated to people in need, with the mindset of “you never know when you might need help”. This is a woman who is desperate for help, but doesn’t want to ask anyone in order to not burden anyone else during the hectic holiday season.
Now imagine this. You are an active family with 3 boys, twins age 11 and a 4 year old. The boys are growing like weeds and seem to outgrow their clothes overnight. Band and chorus rehearsals requires dress clothes, but your 11 year old has had another growth spurt and fits into nothing in the closet. You have to go buy him clothes for his rehearsal, but it seems there are not enough hours in a day. Mom works days, Dad works nights to ensure someone is always home with the kids. Days are crazy, kids are active in school, work is draining, and your 11 year old comes down with a fever and the flu. Dad had a scratch on his elbow.
On a Thursday night, Dad says my elbow really hurts and has a fever. You both “write it off” as he is coming down with the FLU bug your son has.
Friday morning, Dad still has a fever but now his arm is red, sore and has blisters. You call the Doctor insisting your husband needs to be seen today and make an appointment. You have that “feeling in your gut” something isn’t right. Doctor sends you to the hospital and life begins to swirl into a nightmare. Doctor says Dad has necrotizing fasciitis (aka flesh eating disease) and needs to be put in isolation. Your heart stops and you can’t believe what you are hearing. Doctor says surgery is needed asap to stop the infection, but you have the kids in school and are out of time off at work. How can this be happening?
It is now a week later. Dad has had 4 surgeries to date. Dad is out of isolation, but still in a touch & go status. The last surgery was from wrist to armpit to open up the arm and leave the wound open to try and stop the infection from spreading. Dad is in pain, but putting on a strong face. The Doctors have scheduled yet another surgery to put in a drain for Wednesday. Dad is now in the hospital almost 2 weeks and there is no talk of a release date.
Mom is trying to remain positive. There is no time for breaking down when your kids are looking at you in fear. Mom knows it is time to figure out what is happening today. Keep a smile on, stay calm and positive everything will work out, but will there be an urgent call from the hospital saying your husband needs another surgery? Can the Doctors save your husband’s right arm? Do you go to work trying to save time for when you “really” need to be home? Do you keep the kids going to school for a distraction? How do you answer the boys questions and ease their fears when you don’t have any real answers? Now throw in what to cook for dinner, when is there time to clean, do the laundry (remember those darn growth spurts?? The boys only fit into certain clothes in the closet), figure out daycare and how to get the older boys on and off the school bus, homework, the boys wanting to visit Dad at the hospital, praying another call is not received saying her husband needs another emergency surgery, wondering how to keep a happy face and plan the holidays. There is too much to do, no time to stop moving, now throw in Thanksgiving is weeks away, and then there is Christmas – how do they keep life “normal” for 3 boys who still believe in Santa?
My head is spinning and I am not living this nightmare. I can only think that the best way to help my friend, Barb, and her family that is in desperate need, is financially. Insurance only covers 80% of the hospital stay, and they are already on day 9 with no talk of a release date. Who knows how much the surgeries are going to wind up costing. There will be medicine and rehab after he is finally released. A two income family is immediately down to a one income family and no one knows for how long. I know this is much bigger than a simple donation from me.
Normally I try to donate during this time of year to strangers who are in need. I have sent gifts to kids from the Walmart tree before. I have been an angel for a child on a church tree. This year my focus will be on my girlfriend and her boys. I have set this “go fund me” up to ask my family, friends and neighbors to join with me and please consider donating to Barb and her family - to give her a little piece of PEACE during this trying time. The battle is going to be a long hard road that won't be over after the holidays, but maybe as a community we can help a family get through these days with a tiny bit less stress.
Any donation will help, as Barb has said in the past, you never know when you might need help yourself.
Wishing everyone the best during this holiday season.
Remember - be a change in this world.
Love to all - Therese
Organizer and beneficiary
Therese Murphy-Takach
Organizer
South Elgin, IL
Barbie Ann
Beneficiary
