Today my family and I come together to ask for donations towards my moms medical bills, as well as other bills to keep my brother and I afloat, as she fights for her life against COVID-19 and viral pneumonia. She is now one of many healthcare workers who has run into this abhorrent illness and become critically ill. As of today, September 2, my mom has been in the COVID ICU unit at Roper Hospital for 51 days. She first took an ambulance on July 14th and still hasn’t come home. She is currently on a ventilator and has been since July 27, 2020. We still have a very long road to recovery and she will not be home for at least another month, maybe two. She is still unable to breathe completely on her own, and soon will be undergoing physical and occupational therapy as she has been in a coma and sedated for over a month. Many obstacles lay ahead. Our hope is that when she does finally come back home, after putting up the fight of her life, she will not have the added stress of worrying about how to make ends meet.
I wanted to also use this time to speak on the gift on Earth that my mom is. Toni Lee Fisher DeShazo is not only the most loving and doting mother, but a dedicated nurse who is passionate about helping others both in her professional life and in her personal. Many people have met my mom through one of her many acts of kindness. She is the definition of “gives the shirt off her back”.
I am 22 years old and am the legal guardian of my 17 year old brother during this time and am the only one of us who is employed. Unfortunately I do not make enough money on my own. All money raised and donated will go towards groceries and bills for my brother and I and anything left over will of course go directly towards her medical bills.
Please stay safe and continue to wear masks and protective equipment while you are venturing out. COVID is killing healthcare workers who are treating you and many others; let’s do our best to keep them safe so they can come home to their families.