For Peace Love and Joy

This is a short story about how we all need each other.

Her name is Joy. That's right, Joy. Looking at her picture, you can only imagine why her parents gave her such a name. Anyone who knows her knows she's one of the hardest-working women they know. She's a daughter, mother, co-worker, teammate...friend.

On Sunday morning, November 20, Joy was on her way to work and decided to take the side streets instead of the more direct interstate route on her way to one of her three jobs. This proved to be one of the things that possibly saved her life. She was in a car accident impacting the other vehicle at 40 miles per hour. Fortunately, the safety features in her car deployed. A police officer was driving by, as well as a nurse, at the time of the accident.

The paramedics arrived shortly after transporting Joy to a nearby hospital that was not a trauma hospital. Joy arrived at the hospital emergency room and underwent X-rays. The doctors realized by the x-ray images that she had a broken sternum, which was directly over her heart. Due to the risk of puncturing this vital organ, the emergency team requested immediate transport by Life Flight to a trauma center that could take her. Most recently, on October 14, Atlanta Medical Center, one of the leading Trauma Center hospitals for metro Atlanta, closed its emergency room doors as one of the steps in the process of the hospital being closed entirely due to financial instability. This meant the emergency team needed to find a hospital with a trauma center that could accommodate Joy. Several hospitals were already at capacity but one, WellStar North Fulton Hospital. The emergency team and Joy eagerly waited for the Life Flight helicopter en route from Alabama on another emergency.

Joy arrived at North Fulton Hospital and was met by a team of doctors and nurses ready to address her injuries. The team reviewed the x-rays, revealing that Joy had a broken sternum, two broken ribs on the right side, and a broken thumb. The doctors awaited hearing from the surgeons whether they would need to proceed with surgery. Luckily, Joy's sternum was not displaced, and the break in the thumb was located in an area that could heal on its own with a cast. Joy has spent several days in the hospital trying to regain mobility so that the hospital can release her to recover at home for at least two months.

Two months may not seem like a long time, but financially, being unable to work to provide for your family for any length of time sets you back far longer. Joy is a mother to three very active children ages 5, 14 and 16. She also recently had to move to a new area because her apartment had mold and mildew for two years, and the complex would not make immediate repairs or move her to a different unit. With rental rates sky-high and availability low, Joy had to move where she could, which is not the safest environment for this single mother and her children.

We are raising funds to help pay for medical expenses, monthly living expenses and any care that she or her children might need while she is recovering. Joy's car is also a complete loss, and she does not have alternate transportation.

Joy is a highly competitive athlete, playing various sports since she was a child. In the last seven years, Joy has developed a love for tennis, playing singles, doubles and mixed. Most recently, she was a member of the team that represented Atlanta on the State, Sectional and National levels for the USTA, as coached by Coach Terry. She is looking forward to a healthy and speedy recovery so that she can get back to enjoying time and activities with her children and being on the tennis court to vie for another try for a National Championship title. Thank you for your continued prayers and your contributions.