Help Penny Ohm Stay Afloat Amongst Many Health Challenges

Hello, Family and Friends,

As most of you know, I’ve been struggling with health issues since January. It began with me falling in my living room and being taken by ambulance to Sanford.

In February, after a few ER and urgent care visits, I moved over to Essentia and we discovered that I had a carotid dissection. That's a torn main artery in my neck, which they attributed to weeks of violent vomiting. That’s also what they figured was causing my left side issues (tingling and numbness) and my shortness of breath.

In March, they discovered that I had two TIA (mini strokes).

In April, as we were preparing for a trip to Mexico to witness one of our daughters get married, I went into the Emergency Room to be checked as I thought I had pneumonia (shortness of breath and inability to walk without frequent stopping), but instead learned that I was in congestive heart failure and further testing revealed that I was “beyond stents” and needed an emergency open heart surgery. Needless to say, I missed the wedding and had a quadruple heart bypass. That put me off from work for 12 weeks.

Later in April/May, they discovered that I had additional strokes (at least two more). They also located a birth defect - I was apparently born with a hole in the top of my heart. I also have stenosis (narrowing of the artery) in the right side of my neck. This may be attributing to the left side issues.

Recovery has taken me beyond the 12 weeks, because in April, May, and June my vision drastically changed and I am working with both an ophthalmologist and occupational therapy (at Essentia) to continue to function properly.

Also, in June I was hospitalized yet again because I had fibroids the size of golf balls blocking view to my ovaries. They refused to perform a hysterectomy because my cardiac surgery is considered recent and therefore risky. Instead, they did a procedure called an “ablation”, whereby they cauterized my uterus to prevent blood flow and oxygen from feeding the fibroids. This will cause them to quit growing and start dying. They said this process takes weeks and I’m still going through that process which causes great cramping discomfort.

I'm also still experiencing left side issues - the tingling and numbness. I have several more appointments the next two weeks to continue to try and figure out if I’ve had any more TIA (mini strokes) or any new developments.

All this said, I am asking for assistance to keep myself financially afloat. I have borrowed thus far, from my family, but I honestly cannot afford to borrow any more as none of this was planned and money borrowed has to be paid back. This is what has brought me here. I am asking for financial help.

I appreciate your consideration and request that you please share, if able.

Thank you,

Penny Ohm