Help Jean recover from back surgery.
Donation protected
If you know my sister Jean, you know she’s fiercely independent. My whole life I have known her as the one to do whatever is needed to provide for herself, those around her and of course her ‘unemployed roomies’ aka the many cats she has rescued and loved through the years.
Jean joined the US Army in the early 1990’s and served her time in the First Calvary proudly. She also served on the Texas National Guard. It saddens me extra that a US Military vet is going through what she continues to go through.
Jean has spent her life giving back to the community, dressing as Hello Kitty to lift the spirits of sick children, lending her photography skills to Atlanta Pride , to local musicians, knitting scarves and giving them away and more.
She has never been one to ask for help. In fact she suffered for nearly a year before most of us had any idea something was wrong.
My strong independent big sister is currently at home outside Atlanta recovering from back surgery. She has been out of work for months due to unrelenting sciatic pain which started in October 2022. She navigated the world through the pain for over a year. During that time she visited urgent care many times as well as many doctor’s visits. She managed..pushed through.. stayed working despite the pain.
10 months of that and one morning in August she woke up unable to walk. She sought out more medical help, which was not easy. She soon needed a cane and then a walker to help her walk around and despite all of this, she stayed working.
Jean got caught in the trap that is the medical business. Er trips, appointments with doctors that insurance wouldn’t cover. Financial aid that was denied. Doctors that were astonished she could function at all with her pain level.
She changed doctors and this one listened to her and finally an MRi was ordered. Due to pain and mobility issues she didn’t make it to that appointment but instead had an MRI in the emergency room in September, this revealed herniated discs.
It took entirely too long to fight insurance. To get referrals for the right type of surgeon and get to the point of having the needed back surgery to relieve her pain. She had that on Nov 13, 2023.
My sister has been out of work since Oct 18th. She was denied Short Term Disability due to diabetes.
Her support network in and around Atlanta has been amazing but she needs more.
Due to the nature of her surgery she cant be cleared to work until potentially Feb. This means she will be 4 months out of work minimum.
My sister needs help. She needs the pay it forward to come her way.
Mortgage, utilities, food and health insurance ( that she must pay herself due to not being cleared for work) costs are astronomical as I know we are all aware.
If you can find it in your heart to help my sister we will be forever grateful.
Alison M Ponder
Direct to Venmo donations can go to her. Her PayPal is magenta_dragonfly at yahoo dot com
Denial letter-which she still hasn’t heard back from her appeal…
Organizer and beneficiary
Alison Ponder
Organizer
Pittsfield, MA
Jean Bartlett
Beneficiary