Caring for Sally
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Meet Mark and Sally Cheney
Mark and Sally Cheney have been married for 54 years. They have raised six children and are blessed with 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Mark is a retired Title Insurance officer and a published author and writer. Over the years, Sally has taught dance to children, aerobics to adults, and perhaps most importantly, has practiced and taught yoga for over 40 years in various communities, as a mentor to college students, in her home, and as a volunteer to inmates in the county jail. Mark and Sally are active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where they give their love and time to helping others as much as they can. Their children, all those who know them, hold them in the highest regard. Now is their time of need.
A Brief Summary of What Sally Has Been Through
Our dear wife and mother, Sally, unexpectedly suffered a serious hemorrhagic stroke in January. She had to be air-evaced to the hospital for emergency brain surgery. The doctors at Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis, OR did a great job and most definitely saved her life. Sally was left with severe brain damage, resulting in impaired memory, speech and paralysis of the right side of her body. For over three weeks she was in the ICU and then a hospital room as they waited for her to be strong enough to breathe on her own, without a breathing tube. Because her swallowing reflex was so weak, she had to have a gastrostomy – a feeding tube through her abdominal wall that allows nutrition, fluids and medications to be put directly into the stomach, bypassing the mouth and esophagus; this required two surgeries, under full anesthesia. When she was finally stable enough, she was transferred to Avamere Rehabilitation, a care facility in her own town of Newport, OR, where she has stayed for over a month. Sally’s attitude couldn’t be more positive. She has made great strides – verbally, physically, and even with her memory. She has been getting regular speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy. On March 14, the care center had to stop allowing Mark to visit her due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He talks to her on the phone daily, although this is difficult, as her speech can still be hard to decipher.
What’s Coming Next?
So far, a lot of the care Sally has received has been covered by Medicare and supplemental insurance. However, the length of stay at the care facility that Medicare will cover is quickly drawing to a close. Her caregivers believe she will be ready to go home to live with Mark by the end of April. That is great news, as he would much rather have her home by his side, where he can tend to her needs one-on-one and have more control of all the therapy and treatment she receives. Some needs do arise, though, and they aren’t going to be cheap. Medicare will pay most of the cost for a hospital bed and wheelchair, but not all of it. Mark will need to remodel the bathroom to accommodate bathing her. He will also need to purchase a wheelchair accessible van. Mark just finished building a wheelchair ramp on their manufactured home, so she can easily enter and exit the house upon her return. On top of these large expenses, Mark and Sally were just about to have their 25 year old roof and skylights replaced when all this began. The money they had withdrawn from their savings to have that done is now going toward more immediate needs. All these things, plus the co-pay for equipment, continuing therapy, and other treatment, puts their financial need at around $50,000.
Can You Help?
Asking for help is never easy, but so many people have asked since Sally’s stroke how they can help. So many people have been looking for a way to contribute. We are putting this out there to family, friends, and all those whose lives have been touched by these remarkable people. Every contribution will help and be so appreciated, whether large or small. If you can’t afford to give at this time, please consider sharing this on your social media. Of course, as people of faith, Mark and Sally appreciate all the prayers that are lifted up for them daily. Thank you for caring enough to read this far! We will keep updating as things move forward.
Sincerely,
The Cheney Clan
Mark and Sally Cheney have been married for 54 years. They have raised six children and are blessed with 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Mark is a retired Title Insurance officer and a published author and writer. Over the years, Sally has taught dance to children, aerobics to adults, and perhaps most importantly, has practiced and taught yoga for over 40 years in various communities, as a mentor to college students, in her home, and as a volunteer to inmates in the county jail. Mark and Sally are active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where they give their love and time to helping others as much as they can. Their children, all those who know them, hold them in the highest regard. Now is their time of need.
A Brief Summary of What Sally Has Been Through
Our dear wife and mother, Sally, unexpectedly suffered a serious hemorrhagic stroke in January. She had to be air-evaced to the hospital for emergency brain surgery. The doctors at Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis, OR did a great job and most definitely saved her life. Sally was left with severe brain damage, resulting in impaired memory, speech and paralysis of the right side of her body. For over three weeks she was in the ICU and then a hospital room as they waited for her to be strong enough to breathe on her own, without a breathing tube. Because her swallowing reflex was so weak, she had to have a gastrostomy – a feeding tube through her abdominal wall that allows nutrition, fluids and medications to be put directly into the stomach, bypassing the mouth and esophagus; this required two surgeries, under full anesthesia. When she was finally stable enough, she was transferred to Avamere Rehabilitation, a care facility in her own town of Newport, OR, where she has stayed for over a month. Sally’s attitude couldn’t be more positive. She has made great strides – verbally, physically, and even with her memory. She has been getting regular speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy. On March 14, the care center had to stop allowing Mark to visit her due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He talks to her on the phone daily, although this is difficult, as her speech can still be hard to decipher.
What’s Coming Next?
So far, a lot of the care Sally has received has been covered by Medicare and supplemental insurance. However, the length of stay at the care facility that Medicare will cover is quickly drawing to a close. Her caregivers believe she will be ready to go home to live with Mark by the end of April. That is great news, as he would much rather have her home by his side, where he can tend to her needs one-on-one and have more control of all the therapy and treatment she receives. Some needs do arise, though, and they aren’t going to be cheap. Medicare will pay most of the cost for a hospital bed and wheelchair, but not all of it. Mark will need to remodel the bathroom to accommodate bathing her. He will also need to purchase a wheelchair accessible van. Mark just finished building a wheelchair ramp on their manufactured home, so she can easily enter and exit the house upon her return. On top of these large expenses, Mark and Sally were just about to have their 25 year old roof and skylights replaced when all this began. The money they had withdrawn from their savings to have that done is now going toward more immediate needs. All these things, plus the co-pay for equipment, continuing therapy, and other treatment, puts their financial need at around $50,000.
Can You Help?
Asking for help is never easy, but so many people have asked since Sally’s stroke how they can help. So many people have been looking for a way to contribute. We are putting this out there to family, friends, and all those whose lives have been touched by these remarkable people. Every contribution will help and be so appreciated, whether large or small. If you can’t afford to give at this time, please consider sharing this on your social media. Of course, as people of faith, Mark and Sally appreciate all the prayers that are lifted up for them daily. Thank you for caring enough to read this far! We will keep updating as things move forward.
Sincerely,
The Cheney Clan
Organizer and beneficiary
Tasha Nelson
Organizer
Prescott Valley, AZ
Anika Ferguson
Beneficiary