Help for Dawn & Patience and Paul's recovery fund.
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Paul, Dawn, and their daughter, Patience live in Valdosta, Ga. Dawn and Paul have both worked at Cracker Barrel for several years and are very loved by their regular customers as well as co-workers. Covid took a huge toll on them financially, as their income was hit hard. Once they were finally allowed to return to work, Paul and Dawn were hopeful that their lives would soon return to normal and with every shift worked things began to improve. Unfortunately, things would not be normal for long.
Paul's body began to noticably change around Thanksgiving. He appeared to have gained a little weight, and he didn't feel his best. Nobody thought anything of it. Paul continued to work as best he could to try and catch up from all the wages missed during COVID closures. One day while at work Paul finally just laid flat on the bench in the staff break room. His supervisors knew that something was wrong immediately, because this was something Paul never did. He always stayed busy while at work. His happy disposition, and friendly nature which made him dozens of regular customers, was replaced with unbearable pain that he could not longer work through. Dawn was finally able to get Paul to agree to going to the hospital where he could be checked out. Everyone expected that he would be treated and back on his feet quickly. Nobody expected Paul to quickly go from bad to worse, but unfortunately, that is what happened.
Paul has now been in the hospital over a month and a half. The first several days he spent sedated on a ventilator, with his abdomen left open from a surgical procedure to detach his intestines from his colon. He then became septic, and slowly one part of Paul's young body after another began to fail him. Due to COVID restrictions, Dawn and Paul's family are unable to be by his side. They are called with updates at least once a day from the nurses who care for him. In this last week, Dawn got the call that she never expected, or was prepared to hear. Paul coded during the night. After several minutes of resuscitation, Paul was brought back. The surgeon isn't as hopeful as Paul's family who knows who the Mighty Physician is. Right now Paul is currently on constant dialysis while sedated and on a ventilator. Praise God, Paul is still trying to breathe on his own, and seems to be making some progress as the days go by.
This GoFundMe was created most importantly to share Paul's story and his family's request for fervent prayer for his healing. We pray for strength and comfort for Dawn, Patience and the rest of his family. I have also made this in hopes that anyone who can will help ease the financial burden that this family faces now, and moving forward. When Paul is finally stable and healthy enough to leave the hospital, he will then require 24 hour care and rehabilitation, speech, physical, and occupational therapy to be able to regain a sense of normalcy. The loss of 2 incomes has been exceptionally difficult. As time goes on and Dawn returns to work, there is still no way she can support their family alone. She will need a tremendous amount of help to make it through.
There is still a Christmas tree surrounded by presents in Dawn and Paul's living room, because a sweet little girl doesn't want to open gifts until her daddy comes home. There is a future bride who sits awaiting the return of her fiance, and there is a mother, father and many siblings, nieces and nephews who all pray for the healing and the return of our beloved Paul. While our lives have temporarily been put on pause, the world around us has not. Bills continue to come every month, and needs need to be met. While family and close friends are doing all they can, there is no way we collectively can meet the financial needs that will fall on Paul and Dawn in the future. We appreciate every single prayer and donation big or small, and are thankful for all that has already been done.
Paul's body began to noticably change around Thanksgiving. He appeared to have gained a little weight, and he didn't feel his best. Nobody thought anything of it. Paul continued to work as best he could to try and catch up from all the wages missed during COVID closures. One day while at work Paul finally just laid flat on the bench in the staff break room. His supervisors knew that something was wrong immediately, because this was something Paul never did. He always stayed busy while at work. His happy disposition, and friendly nature which made him dozens of regular customers, was replaced with unbearable pain that he could not longer work through. Dawn was finally able to get Paul to agree to going to the hospital where he could be checked out. Everyone expected that he would be treated and back on his feet quickly. Nobody expected Paul to quickly go from bad to worse, but unfortunately, that is what happened.
Paul has now been in the hospital over a month and a half. The first several days he spent sedated on a ventilator, with his abdomen left open from a surgical procedure to detach his intestines from his colon. He then became septic, and slowly one part of Paul's young body after another began to fail him. Due to COVID restrictions, Dawn and Paul's family are unable to be by his side. They are called with updates at least once a day from the nurses who care for him. In this last week, Dawn got the call that she never expected, or was prepared to hear. Paul coded during the night. After several minutes of resuscitation, Paul was brought back. The surgeon isn't as hopeful as Paul's family who knows who the Mighty Physician is. Right now Paul is currently on constant dialysis while sedated and on a ventilator. Praise God, Paul is still trying to breathe on his own, and seems to be making some progress as the days go by.
This GoFundMe was created most importantly to share Paul's story and his family's request for fervent prayer for his healing. We pray for strength and comfort for Dawn, Patience and the rest of his family. I have also made this in hopes that anyone who can will help ease the financial burden that this family faces now, and moving forward. When Paul is finally stable and healthy enough to leave the hospital, he will then require 24 hour care and rehabilitation, speech, physical, and occupational therapy to be able to regain a sense of normalcy. The loss of 2 incomes has been exceptionally difficult. As time goes on and Dawn returns to work, there is still no way she can support their family alone. She will need a tremendous amount of help to make it through.
There is still a Christmas tree surrounded by presents in Dawn and Paul's living room, because a sweet little girl doesn't want to open gifts until her daddy comes home. There is a future bride who sits awaiting the return of her fiance, and there is a mother, father and many siblings, nieces and nephews who all pray for the healing and the return of our beloved Paul. While our lives have temporarily been put on pause, the world around us has not. Bills continue to come every month, and needs need to be met. While family and close friends are doing all they can, there is no way we collectively can meet the financial needs that will fall on Paul and Dawn in the future. We appreciate every single prayer and donation big or small, and are thankful for all that has already been done.
Co-organizers (2)
Lyndsay Simpson Jacobs
Organizer
Valdosta, GA
Dawn Jacobs
Beneficiary
Ashley Jacobs
Co-organizer