Help Trudy With Medical Bills From Brain Damage.
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IT PAINS ME TO WRITE THIS STORY.
My wife Trudy is doing so much better. Her rehab. is doing fine and she goes to three classes a week plus home care by me and my son David.
She can now do the dishes, laundry, making the bed, going through the mail, food shopping, baking and some small dinners. Trudy has come a long was that's for sure.
Her speech has improved immensely, her balance is much better and her overall outlook is so positive. We discuss how we are spend the rest of out live together—enjoying the smaller things like just sitting in the yard and having ice cream or discussing a movie we watched together.
Thank you all for the kind words and generous gifts. It has helped a lot.
Sincerely, Sal Caradonna
This is my wife of more than 20 years and my inspiration to be creative. She inspired me to draw my cartoons for magazines and often picked out the ones that would sell. Now I have stopped drawing. On March 18th at 3:50 am, Trudy Caradonna, fell down a flight of stairs in our home in Mt Olive, NJ. due to a high Covid - 19 fever— she fainted as she took the stairs down to the kitchen. She was taken to Morristown Hospital, the best in New Jersey for trauma patients.
March, 18th, I was sleeping in a separate bed when I heard a crash in our dining room; thinking it was a piece of furniture falling to the ground. It wasn't, it was my wife Trudy, head first down the stairs, arms at her side and splitting her head open. I rushed down the stairs and began coaching her to breath while applying pressure to her large head wound that was bleeding all over the both of us. I screamed, '"Why God!..Why Her!"
I yelled for my son, " David, David, David, call 911!" He looked down at me and my wife and screamed, "Mom!" He dialed frantically and the 911 operator came on, he placed the phone near me as I told them the address. The 911 operator was asking me questions and I tried to answer her. I screamed at her to tell EMS that she is having trouble breathing. "Please someone quickly." Finally, EMS came and asked me more questions. I just screamed, "Take her to the hospital now!" I cried all the way to the hospital and so did my son. We went the wrong way and had to double back in the right direction. When we finally got here, we were told that she is in the emergency wing of the hospital. We ran to the entrance and had to wait, then we were allowed in. I saw someone in a hospital bed completely still, I knew it was my wife. I tried to console her but was not allowed. Doctors were working on her, all I could see was her stomach rising and falling rapidly. This did not look good. Me and my son had to wait, we were in shock and paced frantically in the room.
How could an ordinary night have change so fast—from watching TV and going to bed early, to this? Trudy had a fever on Monday of that week, but said it was not that bad. By Tuesday it had gotten worse, Wednesday it hit 100.6. I told her she might have a covid fever what should we do? I went out and got her Tylenol. I think she decided to get up at night to get it when her fever worsened. She slept in the spare bedroom and I slept in the master. Just in case to not spread the virus. I heard her walking, but she was dragging her feet so I yelled out her name, "Trudy!" I heard no response then I heard loud crash. I jumped out bed and headed toward the hallway. I was there in seconds; from the top the the staircase looking down at my injured wife. She did not move at all. It seemed like major head trauma was apparent which; unknown to me at the time lead to a stroke in the middle of the brain in a matter of seconds. At the hospital we were told she had a high Covid - 19 fever and had to leave. Before I left I took her engagement ring off without any interference. I kissed her goodbye and so did my son David. Tears ran down our faces as we exited the hospital.
Now, my wife Trudy was in a medically induced coma for the next three weeks, then a vegetated star for another three. She was in bad shape, storming one arm and two legs without any reason to move in that manner. Her left arm was in bad shape, never moving, not a finger. Five weeks later she got worse, because she started to vomit and got some in her lungs—another set back.
The only interaction was on ZOOM to talk to her. It was cold and distant, I needed to kiss my wife and hold her hand. She needed to know that she was not alone in this terrible journey. It was all we had for 30 days. My son was torn apart by this event and we decided to sleep in the TV room until things got a little better, parallel to one another on separate couches. Sleep, we did not get much of. Waking up every night replaying the terrible scene at our home kept us up for almost five days. The next five were just as bad.
All our bills had been payed by her, I had no clue where all the check books were or the passwords. I was on the accounts but did not know the balances as the bills came pouring in. I became frantic, "Was this paid automatically, by phone or online?" I had to go back in time and find everything. I could not eat or sleep, my son either. I cried several rivers and prayed to God to please take me instead. I would die for my wife and son. I screamed in the yard as I feel to my knees, "God take years off my life to help her gain hers back!"
She finally did wake a little and did say my name, then my sons, but is was on rare occasions. She had a Trach and a Feeding tube that was very uncomfortable for her. She tore at them relentlessly. I began moving her limbs myself to create blood flow, it worked. She started to comply without me helping her. Her once lifeless left arm began to move and It happened overnight. I was trilled.
Financially, I had to put the mortgage on freeze for three months, pay the minimum amounts on the credit cards and pay ridiculous property taxes that are the norm in New Jersey. Her place of work help me a lot with information about about her salary, insurance coverage and investment plan contacts. Now, she was not working for some time and was not getting a paycheck anymore. Her investment plan could not be cashed in by me because we never had a Power Of Attorney written up. We had the Will, but never followed through with the POA. I was told that the policy stated, that no one could cash out the plan but my wife Trudy. I was devastated. What if I needed a full-time nurse at home to care for her as I worked my shift, how could I pay her with the limited funds at the time? There are two banks I am not on because I kept saying, "Don't worry, what could possible happen that I would need to get to it." It happened. Doctors are telling me she will need long term care.
Trudy had another set back, she had a infection in her bladder and had to brought back to the ICU. I fell to my knees again praying to God to stop this, " Why is this happening? " After several days with nurses watching like hawks, she prevailed and was sent back up the her room. She was different now, more sleepy. I was being selfish and tried to wake her up. Not a good idea. Infections are serious with patients struggling with brain trauma. I backed off, I had to, so I did.
Currently, when I visit my wife, she has anxiety, anger issues, uncontrolled moments and major memory loss.
Doctors tell me that it will be a year or more before she can be anything like she was—If we are lucky. He also said I saved her life— If not reacting so quick she would have bled to death. Any man would have done the same for his wife.
What's the money for, Sal? I'll be needing a Nurse 40 hours per week for one year—that's not cheap. Safety Equipment installed, Portable toilets, Outside Rehab Visits , Medication not covered by insurance and a Therapist for her mindset. She may never work again in a high paying field of Dentistry as a Hygienist or, any other field.
She is currently at Kessler Rehab in Chester New Jersey. Her legs and arms are starting to move much better. Her mind is not quite there yet. She is confused and has short term memory loss. Her sentences are hard to understand at times. She sleeps often, even when I visit. I created flash cards for her to read with simple words, but lately, she is very tired from all the activities she is given at Kessler. Not a bad thing at all for her. I am glad she is kept active. I just worry about her having to be away from home. What can I say, I just miss my wife and I cherish her so much.
I have never asked for money in my life, until now, and I am ashamed by it. But, unfortunately, I have no choice, I need keep my residence, pay bills and keep my wife safe and healthy. God, please give her a second chance. Thank you all.
Sincerely, Salvatore Caradonna Jr.
Organizer
Sal Caradonna
Organizer
Mount Olive, NJ
