Donald Amos & Family Support

Hi Friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I am reactivating this campaign.  As many of you know, Donald has been struggling with several health issues for decades.  His health has deteriorated for the last few years to the point that I cannot work AND make sure he is safe.  It has been physically and emotionally draining for all of us, including Margie.  

I don't want to rehash all of his medical issues, there are some details in the historical posts which you're welcome to read.  I'll provide a quick summary for our newer friends:

1. Don was born with a congenital back defect.  This caused paralysis as a child.  As he's aged, the symptoms and the diagnoses have increased - degenerative disc disease, spondelolesthesis, spondelosis, spinal stenosis, and neuropathy.  He is unstable on his feet on a good day.  He falls repeatedly on bad days.  Bad days constitute more than 50% of his time now. 
2. Gastric Bypass surgery that has caused recurrent ulcers causing him to be severely anemic and changes the absorption of medications.  Also causes nausea and vomiting which throws off his delicate medication balance.
3. Traumatic Brain Injury with several subsequent diagnoses including Bi-Polar Disorder, Seizure Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Narcolepsy, and Frontal Lobe Damage (Executive Processing Issues).  The most severe of these are the bi-polar and seizure disorders.  Don has been losing vocabulary at a steady pace with every seizure.  Margie and I walk on eggshells daily because we don't know who will be living in the house with us. 
4. COPD caused by injury and subsequent lung infection due to falling.

Our home has become an unsafe place for Don.  We have too many steps, which he has fallen down repeatedly.  He won't eat unless reminded.  He's fallen in the shower and he's fallen off the shower chair onto the bathroom floor.  These falls continue to do damage to his brain and his back.  We've worked through social services to get assistance to move him to a safer location with skilled nurses and techs who are more equipped to assist him and HOPEFULLY slow his rapid health decline.  

We learned today that the approval he received is NOT what we expected.  It will provide for his needs but there are more delays and more costs in the meantime.  As I haven't worked in over a year and we've been living on his social security and help from family, we have nothing left for these additional expenses.  Further, Margie REALLY has to return to psychotherapy.  She has insurance that will pay, but like everything else, she's on a waitlist.  

As always, I'm just trying to keep our heads above water.  I've applied for several part-time jobs so I have flexibility for my family but am making money.  I also started back to school so I can return to work full time in an occupation that isn't commission based.  

We all just need some support and financial help right now to be able to continue down the paths that have become so promising.  I've mentioned that I feel like this has been a two steps forward, one step back process.  Today we received a major blow that seems to have put a wall and a bridge in our path.  I don't see how we'll be able to climb the wall and cross the bridge within the required timeline without major help.  

Thanks for reading.  We appreciate the support you've provided and continue to provide.  If you cannot donate, please share our story and keep a good thought for us.

Much Love,
Mary-Rose