Give Jean a Second Chance

If you are in the Philippines you can GCASH Diane Adane at 09157841697. Salamat po!

When I heard that my aunt’s condition progressively worsened shortly after being diagnosed with COVID-19, I was shocked. My aunt (Tita Jean) did not have any comorbidities. She was healthy, happy, and thriving. As her organs started to shut down and her oxygen requirements increased, I prayed to God to save her. The doctors knew she had less than 10 percent chance to make it through her condition. Her family decided to pursue aggressive, and expensive, measures to save her life. However, tita Jean did not want to fight anymore because of the cost. We eventually convinced her to pursue treatment and that God will provide the rest. While her condition slowly improved, the medical bills continued to stack up. How are they able to pay this off? I want to share you a statement from my cousin, Diane, on her experience taking care of her mother:

 

“Hi, I never thought that I would do this, but I am asking everyone to kindly please help me with my mom’s medical bills in any way you can. It started with my dad. My mom came to my room to tell me that my dad was developing a fever. After a few days, I started to develop COVID symptoms and tested positive on August 23rd. Everything happened so quickly. My symptoms progressed rapidly. Some days were tough – all of us could not eat or sleep properly. Despite how tired and overwhelmed she felt, my mom took care of us. She regularly asked the kind of food I wanted to eat that day. Each morning, I would wake up with breakfast on the table. Each time I cried due to the extreme agony I felt as I took in each breath, my mom was ready to comfort me. So when she developed symptoms, I became very concerned. She started to feel short of breath, but when we tried to bring her to the hospital, there weren’t any rooms available, so we had to come back home. She tested positive for COVID-19 on August 30th. Her breathing became more labored, and her symptoms got progressively worse. After being confined at home for 10 days, my mom could not take it anymore and had to be rushed to the hospital. Her oxygen saturation levels were around 70 percent. She had poor mentation on arrival. They performed a chest x-ray and chest CT scan which demonstrated irreversible scarring in her lungs from the viral infection. She had to be admitted for acute hypoxic respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19. After being admitted for almost 2 weeks, her symptoms did not get better. The attending physician told us that there was a possibility that my mom had to be intubated given the severity of her condition or have her trial on hemoperfusion. Each hemoperfusion session cost about 100K pesos. This past month, my sister, dad, and I have not been able to work due to COVID, so we were unsure how to pay off my mom’s hefty medical bills. Any amount you donate will be greatly appreciated.”

 

I know that some (or most of you) do not know my aunt (tita Jean), but she is the most caring, selfless, and God-fearing woman I know. Her family has gone through a lot these past few years. My cousin, Dexter (tita Jean’s son), was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident in the Philippines. My grandmother (tita Jean’s mother) is battling with heart failure. Tita Jean almost lost her life due to COVID-19 complications. I know that everyone has been affected by this pandemic, so I know how difficult it is to solicit donations at this time. Believe me, any amount that you decide to give, whether it is $0.1 to $1,000 will go a long way! My aunt is slowly recovering, and the physicians believe she is stable to go home. The problem is that she is unable to leave the hospital unless her medical bills are paid in full. Currently, her bill is approximately 800K pesos (equivalent to $16,000). That is like a hospital in the US telling you to pay approximately $400,000 for your medical treatment or they will continue to hold your loved-one until the amount has been accounted for. My aunt’s family comes from a humble background. They do not have health insurance due to limited financial resources. And I know this family. They do NOT ask for help unless it is absolutely necessary. Your donation will help this family defray my aunt’s medical costs so she can return to being a productive and loving member of society. May God continue to bless you and your family! Thank you for your prayers, financial assistance, and emotional support during this difficult time.