Donation protected
My name is Emma and this GoFundMe has been set up for my mom, Penny Riehl. She is a nurse, working with US veterans. She became a nurse after 30+ years of working in various office roles. She has always been a caregiver by nature. Nursing is truly her calling. She is a single mom, and she wears all the hats... usually several at a time. I’m almost 17 and it’s just the two of us.
On Saturday night, February 15, 2020, in a freak accident at home, she rolled her ankle hard enough to break all the bones in it. They call it a trimalleolar fracture. Surgery to repair and rebuild her ankle happened on February 26. Three weeks later, we learned that some of the metal plates and screws had shifted and would have to be corrected. She had another surgery on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.
The day before the second surgery, they discovered a DVT, a deep vein thrombosis, in her left leg. She is now being treated with blood thinners for the blood clot while healing from two painful bone surgeries. If any of the clot breaks free, it could travel to her brain or lungs and could be fatal.
As my mom was gathering HR information, and filling out forms for FMLA and the Leave Donation Program at the hospital where she works, she learned that her employer, the Federal Government, does not offer short term disability insurance for employees. In a case like my mom’s, she had to deplete her time bank (which covered only one pay period), and then she could apply to the Leave Donation Program.
This program allows leave time to be donated to an employee from other employees, and it’s great if you have a large circle of possible donor friends at work. But my mom has only been there a year, and doesn’t know a lot of people. Her last two-week paycheck was less than $50. This pay period, it’s even less. Without the leave donations, there is nothing to fall back on.
Once she’s been there 18 months, there are a couple of options, but when the accident happened, she had just celebrated her one year anniversary a little over a week prior. So she falls into that “no other options” group.
She wants nothing more than to get back to work to help her fellow caregivers provide care for our nation’s heroes.
I have learned that nurses seldom ask for help. My mom will be zero-weight-bearing and out of work for at least another eight to twelve weeks. In times of such uncertainty, we humbly ask you to consider any measure of help, regardless of how big or small. Your help is tremendously appreciated. Thank you and God bless.
On Saturday night, February 15, 2020, in a freak accident at home, she rolled her ankle hard enough to break all the bones in it. They call it a trimalleolar fracture. Surgery to repair and rebuild her ankle happened on February 26. Three weeks later, we learned that some of the metal plates and screws had shifted and would have to be corrected. She had another surgery on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.
The day before the second surgery, they discovered a DVT, a deep vein thrombosis, in her left leg. She is now being treated with blood thinners for the blood clot while healing from two painful bone surgeries. If any of the clot breaks free, it could travel to her brain or lungs and could be fatal.
As my mom was gathering HR information, and filling out forms for FMLA and the Leave Donation Program at the hospital where she works, she learned that her employer, the Federal Government, does not offer short term disability insurance for employees. In a case like my mom’s, she had to deplete her time bank (which covered only one pay period), and then she could apply to the Leave Donation Program.
This program allows leave time to be donated to an employee from other employees, and it’s great if you have a large circle of possible donor friends at work. But my mom has only been there a year, and doesn’t know a lot of people. Her last two-week paycheck was less than $50. This pay period, it’s even less. Without the leave donations, there is nothing to fall back on.
Once she’s been there 18 months, there are a couple of options, but when the accident happened, she had just celebrated her one year anniversary a little over a week prior. So she falls into that “no other options” group.
She wants nothing more than to get back to work to help her fellow caregivers provide care for our nation’s heroes.
I have learned that nurses seldom ask for help. My mom will be zero-weight-bearing and out of work for at least another eight to twelve weeks. In times of such uncertainty, we humbly ask you to consider any measure of help, regardless of how big or small. Your help is tremendously appreciated. Thank you and God bless.
Organizer and beneficiary
Emma Riehl
Organizer
Rensselaer, NY
Penny Riehl Robinson
Beneficiary