Crisis Relief for My Disabled Mother

In August 2020, I flew to Pennsylvania to be at the hospital bedside of my mom, Stacey. I thought she was physically dying from the grief of losing my older brother, BJ, at the hands of the Inglewood Police Department in 2019.

Without question, the grief has wrecked her and (somehow) it was not killing her.

Instead, I held her hand for over a week as she was nearly mute, unable to eat (or keep the food down she ate) or stand, experienced repeated testing (one of which was a spinal tap) and finally got the diagnosis of Wernicke’s Encephalopathy—a degenerative brain disorder caused by the lack of thiamine. Despite nearly three years of consistent thiamine treatments, physical therapy, and continuous doctor visits, the side effects have disabled her.

She needs daily support to perform basic functions and is unable to work due to constant nystagmus, dizziness, and nausea. To date, her doctors do not expect her to recover due to the late-stage diagnosis of the disorder.

As if the grief of losing her firstborn child and her unmanageable Wernicke’s side effects weren’t enough to break her spirit, she’s now in a financial crisis.

This Christmas Eve, pipes in her apartment burst due to the freezing temperatures, leaving her with holes in the ceiling from the flooding. Most of her belongings are ruined from water damage and she’s left with little to no dry/clean clothing (as she used most of her clothes to soak up the water). My youngest brother and sister were home from Hershey Milton and they all spent the holiday weekend without water and limited heat in 7° weather.

While she receives a monthly disability check and has a partner who earns minimum wage ($7.25), these combined incomes do not make enough to pay their rent, replace items lost in the flooding, repair the damages, and maintain daily living costs.

I’m unsure how many years left my mom has. My hope with this ask is to give her an opportunity to suffer less during these last years in her home (safely and supported) despite how loss challenges her capacity for hope.

I thank you sincerely for spending the time and hope you might do any of the below.

1. Pass along this link to your loved ones

2. Donate any amount

3. Share nonprofits/resources that may assist with support in Steelton, PA (or nearby cities)

Your generosity goes a long, long way<3