David Fluke - Recovering from Life

As many of you know, the Fluke's, much like many other families this year, have suffered tremendous loss and hardship. While we are fortunate to have had relatively stable times, at least to what I'm accustomed too, we will be facing a long, emotional exhausting and financially exhausting road ahead. I'm not even sure how things will proceed, but I do know it will not be easy.

My mother passed away 5/1/2020 after a month and half battle to try and survive, with my dad, myself, and my brother at her side nearly every minute of the whole journey til her last breath. She was the one of anchored the family together in a very special way, my best friend, and pretty much the boss and decision maker who kept us afloat all these years. My father abruptly had to step into this role unexpectedly, and was still facing his learning curve with this. On July 4th, he suffered a massive stroke to which he is still hospitalized and is making very slow progress, which I know is normal, but lends itself to the possibility of him having to have long term care, possibly 24/7, which as much as I would like to provide by myself and with the assistance of my family, it would be pretty impossible with additional professional help.

As of now, due to my fathers mental and physical impairment and inability to make thoughtful decisions to his benefit, I have been appointed his trustee and DPOA. Let's put it this way, I have a very full life, but have never had to deal with the kind of hardships this year has presented and it will be hard to step into the role of what my parents have done all these years to keep my family housed, and safe, and supported mentally physically spiritually and emotionally.

My family has sacrificed anything they needed to in order to help me, my brothers and sisters, and many many friends who have faced hardships themselves. I know they would have given their life for us if it meant a better future and happiness, that's the kind of parents they were for me.

We are very fortunate to have so many friends and family members who care, and as I walk into this with much humility and am simply following the suggestions of those who have been in this similar position before, I have been encouraged to drop my pride and ask for help in all sorts of ways which I have been pursuing.

I noticed people had been making contributions to this page financially, which I hadn't even considered to ask for, but those contributions go directly to Caring Bridge it seems, and I don't know if the intention was to go to my family to help with all the ancillary expenses involved in this process.

So...while my family has never been very good at asking for help, especially not in the form of receiving charity...I need help. Not necessarily financially, but with peoples time, and care, and advice etc.

But with the bills already coming in, that aren't covered, and unfortunately many bills my father had inadvertently left in arrears, I'm doing my best to get caught up and make prudent financial decisions with the funds I have available in my own savings, and in the liquid finances my parents have. Which, with COVID19 are significantly lower due to my parents generosity and flexibility in their agreements with tenants that go beyond what the law even required during the Pandemic.

If you feel so inclined, this money can help my dad in ways I alone cannot.  

Thank you so much for any kind of support you are able to offer, be it financial or otherwise.

With a humbled, hopeful, yet fearful heart,
Will