Caring for Mom--Struggling to Stay Afloat, Anything Helps

This isn’t easy to write, but I’m doing it out of love—for my mom, my sister, and my grandmother.

What started out as a short visit from Florida turned into a five-year stay that changed our lives. My mom and sister came to help fix up my grandma’s home, expecting to return to Florida shortly after. But then… Mom got sick—really sick—and they’ve been here ever since.

If you know my mom, you know she’s known as “Mami” to just about everyone. She’s always been the one who loves hard, helps without hesitation, and opens her doors to anyone in need. Even while she was sick, she found ways to show up for others. That’s just who she is.

On January 3, 2024, everything turned upside down. Mom was rushed to the hospital, intubated, sedated, and put on a ventilator. Doctors gave up on her and urged us to let her go. But we knew her strength, and we knew God wasn’t done. We asked for time—and on the very last day they gave us, she took her first tiny breath on her own. She was fighting.

Since then, it's been a long, painful road of recovery. She was moved to what we thought was a rehab center but turned out to be a long-term nursing home far from home. We’ve battled insurance issues, Medicaid cuts, and more system failures than we can count. To make it worse, the nursing home recently became her rep payee, cutting off the last bit of income we had access to.

My sister is with her 24/7 providing the care Mom needs. But they’ve lost everything—income, food assistance, and peace of mind. Credit cards and loans are maxed out just trying to keep up with groceries and bills. Now, they’re facing overdue mortgage payments, back taxes, and a $11,562 medical bill due to an error we’re still trying to fix. We’ve tried everything. But we can’t do it alone anymore.

We are humbly asking for help. Whether it’s $5, $50, or just a share—every little bit makes a difference. We’re not trying to raise it all. But getting this medical debt off our backs and catching up on essentials would be a blessing beyond words.

Out of respect for Mom’s privacy, we’ve chosen not to share recent photos of her. Please know she is still the loving, beautiful, and strong woman so many of you know and love.

Thank you for reading this. Thank you for your prayers, your kindness, and your generosity.

Please share if you can’t give. Every voice matters.

With all our hearts,

— Santiago Family

Standing by Our Mom — While Fighting to Stay Above Water.