On 02/27/25, my dad went in for back surgery. He was released home 24 hours later. A little over a week later, he started to have severe pain. We just thought it was the healing process. My brother was changing his bandages at home, and they were seeing clear discharge. Dad called the doctor, and they told him clear discharge was okay, and the doctor called in more pain medication. He was still going up the stairs at night to his bed, until one morning, he fell on the last step. After that, not only did his back hurt, but his knee and finger now hurt.

On 03/17, I went and stayed on an air mattress (in Dad’s living room). He was in so much pain, I don’t think either of us got more than an hour's sleep.

In checking on him, I noticed his back to be red, inflamed, and leaking discharge that wasn’t clear.

In the early morning of 03/18, I finally convinced him he needed to go to the hospital. He was transported by ambulance to Geisinger Medical Center and admitted for sepsis.

He had infections in his back, knee, and finger. They drained fluid off his knee and tested it.

The following day, he was taken into surgery to clean infection out of his back, knee, and finger. They left his back open and placed a wound vac, which was removed 2 days later.

He had severe pain in all of these areas, that he couldn’t move. They started him on therapy, and he had issues doing basic sit-stand movements.

Every time they’d attempt to discharge him, he’d spike a fever, and they’d have to hold him an additional 48 hours. They attempted discharge twice and were met with fever.

They inserted a PICC line, so eventually, when he was discharged, he could receive IV antibiotics via his PICC line. He will be on antibiotics for at least 6 months.

On 03/31, he was finally discharged to a rehab facility. After speaking with the director of admissions, it was found his insurance would only cover 20 days in rehab.

Before his surgery, he was partially retired and working only a few days a week. I fear that because he had just stopped working, he will not qualify for assistance, leaving the days after day 20 financially unknown.

100 days in a nursing home is just a little over $16,000.

I am trying to call around to area agencies to see how we can receive financial help. In the meantime, some people asked if there was a way to help him out.