Fighting for My Mom After a Medical Nightmare

My mother Diane Versten and I are facing the hardest time of our lives. As her caregiver for the last 15 years, I have dedicated myself to mom’s well-being — but we are currently in a crisis we cannot navigate alone.

This has been a heartbreaking journey. Over the last month, she has suffered a stroke and a breakdown in her healthcare at numerous points — late oxygen deliveries, a missed stroke diagnosis, a collapse at home, substandard home care, an infected bedsore, pneumonia, and ICU psychosis. She is now fighting for her life in the Definitive Care Unit. I am so scared of losing her, and this is the hardest thing I have ever been through.

Because of the intensity of her care and these complications, I’ve had to miss several weeks from my job as an art teacher, and I’m unable to claim the hours I normally earn through the IHSS program caring for my mom while my mom is hospitalized. The financial strain is becoming overwhelming, with no clear end in sight.

How your support helps:

Every dollar raised will go directly toward covering rent, utility bills, and medical equipment or supplies that insurance doesn’t cover. Most importantly, it will help bridge the gap in lost income while I focus entirely on my mom’s recovery during this critical window.

I am not comfortable asking for help like this, but I can see that we are heading for serious trouble without it. Anything you can give — donations, prayers, or words of kindness — means the world to us.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for being part of our community. If you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing this link with your network. Thank you so much from my mom and I.

— Love, Paul