Help Kris LeJeune Walk Again and Save Her Home

Kris LeJeune has been living in a nursing facility completely unable to walk for 4 long months. She is currently facing two impossible choices: get on long-term Medicaid at a nursing facility, which would cause her to eventually lose her possessions, or go home alone, completely unable to walk. Kris’ difficulties began on May 7, 2019 when she fell and broke her femur and a 15 year old knee replacement on her left knee. Her retirement from teaching in Rapides Parish (Louisiana) was set to begin May 23rd. After replacing her knee and having a rod, plates, and screws put in her femur, she stayed at a rehab hospital until mid-June when she went home with home health. Though a broken femur can take 4 to 6.5 months to heal and though Kris was still unsteady on her feet, her insurance only covered home health for 6 weeks. Then she was left on her own at home. In September Kris’ walker got away from her while at home, causing her to fall again. She became progressively worse and lost her ability to walk. She was sent to live and receive rehab at a skilled nursing facility and is still there after 4 months. She has been doing ok in therapy, but she is still completely unable to walk. Despite this, her insurance will no longer cover her stay at the nursing facility. She can go home with home health and possibly receive outpatient rehab, but she wouldn’t be able to get out of bed, walk to the bathroom, get food, etc. She’s also not sure how she would get to outpatient rehab. Her only other option is to go on long-term Medicaid as a resident of the nursing home. Each month Medicaid would deduct all money from her bank account except $38. The money they deduct will only go toward medical expenses. It will not cover her car payment, utilities, or other recurring bills. Thirty-eight dollars is all Kris would have left to live on and pay bills with each month. Kris has gotten some bills deferred, but an extended period of only having $38 a month would end up causing her to lose assets like her home and car. She has been desperately missing her fur babies, a dog, Diva, and three cats, Buster, Bosch, and Hank. Diva has been staying at a loving pet resort that has kindly agreed to keep her during this difficult time. The cats stay at home with an auto feeder and are checked on by Kris’ brother. Kris doesn’t want to lose her home, possessions, or pets by becoming a long-term nursing home resident on Medicaid, but she can’t go home unable to walk. She will have to use Medicaid to stay at the nursing facility for now. Her wish is to go home after she is able to stand and walk with a walker. She would need someone to help her at home and drive her to outpatient rehab until she is stronger and more steady, otherwise she risks having another fall. The outpatient rehab has led to excellent progress for her in the past. Kris, or Ms. LeJeune, as I know her, was my English teacher my junior year at Tioga High School. She finished her career at Buckeye High School. Some of her former students would like to help her recover at home and not lose her possessions. We want to raise funds for Kris so that she can pay for a home health aide and be able to return home. Ms. LeJeune was a caring and gifted teacher who invested many years in her students. She is loved by her students still, as well as many friends and family. Consider if you were in this situation with no good options facing you: either stay long-term in a nursing facility and risk losing your possessions or go home alone, completely unable to walk. We want to give her a better option. Please dig deep in your pocketbooks to help give Kris hope and the comfort of recovering in her own home.

-Lydia Leonard