John, his wife Lucia, and their children live here in Bend, Oregon. John is the sole provider for his family. John works in construction doing home repairs and remodeling for a manufactured home company. A hard worker, John has a huge heart for his family and spends much of his time and money ensuring that they are cared for and supported.

Approximately four weeks ago, John injured his right foot while attempting to kick-start a motorcycle. Initially, it seemed like a minor bruise, and he continued his usual routine with some ointment and bandages.

However, nearly two weeks later, on February 19th, he began experiencing severe groin pain in his left leg that wasn't alleviated by painkillers. By February 21st, the pain had intensified, and his right foot had worsened. Concerned, John's wife scheduled a doctor's appointment for him on February 25th. Due to escalating pain, the appointment was accelerated to the 21st.

Upon arrival, the doctor immediately sent him to the ER due to his dangerously low blood pressure and severe pain, suspecting an infection. In the ER, they administered antibiotics, blood pressure medication, and anticoagulants. However, the antibiotics weren't effective, and the doctors couldn't identify the type of infection or its cause.

The infection was causing kidney damage, which alarmed the doctors. He was rushed into emergency surgery to open the groin area and investigate, suspecting dead tissue or muscle that the antibiotics couldn't reach. However, they found no such issue, and they attempted to surgically remove the infected area, leaving him with two wounds on each side of his left leg. Unfortunately, the infection persisted.

A day after surgery, a specialist conducted a new test that came back positive for MRSA, a bacteria resistant to many antibiotics. With this knowledge, they switched his antibiotics, and finally, the infection began to subside, and his vitals improved. He had been struggling with high blood pressure, minor heart issues, and breathing difficulties, which kept the medical staff alert of possible other conditions.

Finally, John was able to return home to recover. He has at least 8 weeks of recovery due to the significant wounds in his groin areas, which prevents him from working. Life, as we all know, does not pause. The Smith family is strong and they will persevere, but it is not going to be easy. As bills continue to come in, they are in need of relief. Please help out if you can.