Help Us Stay By Mom/Wife @ Hopkins
Donation protected
I'm not sure where to start, I've never done this before and swore I never would but life throws some fast ones sometimes and and I guess its officially time to say my Dad, Steve, and I need help. It was a thought, suggested many times, but just still hard to swallow your pride and do.
I'm not sure where to start. I'm going to put a detailed update (and keep to date) of my Mom's condition below, but for now, who don't quite know what were in need of, I'll get into that. There is also a long update on my Facebook that my dad is tagged in so can be seen from his page as well. (I'm trying to copy and paste after this but hasn't worked yet). Anyways, we live in Hagerstown, MD now a days and last Sunday my Mom was taken to our local hospital but was then life flighted out to John Hopkins in Baltimore. What our hospital found I guess they couldn't handle and though shes in amazing hands there, weve gotten mostly bad news since. I'll put all her details in the note below for whoevers interested, just trying to keep this short (never can ha) But I can say there is A LOT going on and as the doctors said yesterday shes "definately very sick".
The main issue for us is distance. It takes us about an hour and a half to get there on a good day with NO traffic (but the city is always a mess anyways) so planning around our own schedules, our pets, her proceudures, and rush hour, its been pretty taxing physically, mentally and emotionally to do once a day let alone two or three when she was just 10 minutes from home this last 73 day stay months ago. The doctors told us a minimum of weeks she"ll be at Hopkins, and that's with her status NOW, though realistically she cant just magically get better and once this research phase is over I'm assuming something(s) will need to be done, thus adding more recovery time....or god forbid more strokes and it could be catastrophic. Anything else...so on edge. . Luckily this is the 2nd night we'be stayed at a friends house who is closer, but with pets and just feeling like you're intruding we're thinking into looking into rates down in Baltimore or right outside is a smart option, for an extended stay type hotel. Not to mention its also the the anxiety of being almost 2 hours away if she took a turn for the worst, or was rushed to surgery....we couldnt even get there in time from home. Every goodbye could be our last, we don't know, and every conversation could be the last with recognition...no idea...but we do know its a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach being so far away, helpless and that we do need to be closer somehow. Does anyone have any ideas or know of specials on extendeds or where takes pets? Can anyone help us?
So, here's the catch, you knew it was coming, lol but the issue is with this plan or God I hopeeee plan, my Dad hasn't worked all week and definitely not this coming week as it stands. Its a constant repeat of wake up, fall apart, make the trek, visit, fall apart the whole trek home, try and eat, go to sleep, wake up and do it again. Exhausting, even if It wasn't life threatening :( If this wasnt as serious he"d stay and work PT but if these are her last days, weeks, months, God Forbid, we want to be close. I know I'd never forgive myself and I have a feeling he'd heavily carry that too., he's very anxious when we go back home being so far I know it makes him feel both nervous and guilty. This is linked to his bank account. Though he'd kill me if he knew I'd done this but sometimes you have to ask for help and if he won't I will. Sure it's my mom but he's a total wreck too, been married 45 years, together 10 before that....his life partner. My mom. It's devestating but the last thing I want on his mind is how were going to afford this chapter, about money to live and money for this mess. If weeks is the least she'll be here, we just cant keep doing this drive for our own sanity let alone gas and the parking garage daily is killing us like $18+ daily :( I guess food too, so much you dont think of....especially when you can hardly think period. But yeah we'd do the drive a million times over and not complain it's the more being so serious and being so far :( I'm sorry if this is scattered and hard to comprehend, such is life right now.
SOOO the go fund me is for if ANYONE that can or is willing to donate ANY amount to help us be able to temporarily "move", stay, whatever, down here to be close to my Mom that'd be amazing. Beyond amazing! We want to be able to be by her side any time of day and at a moments notice, it breaks my heart to think of how scared and lonely she must be when we leave and its just her, especially if she hallucinates at night....I just have to be there, I'm so scared for her. Especially as I said God Forbid this is it...the last thing we need to be doing is 6+ hours driving a day :( Thank you sooo much in advance anyone who is able to help, ANY HELPS, and if not, we thank you for your continued prayers and love and at the very least could you please please share this so it may just reach or fall into the right hands! Even just more hands! Something tells me there's plenty of kind people could needs to reach, and that miracles do happen and that we can make this through. I LOVE you all so much and pray pray pray! Thanks for that are going up and the love care and $$ although embarrassing every little bit makes a difference (even to get outta the darn parking garage!)
LOVE YOU!!!
Dawn & Steve Graham
P.S. Though its on my facebook, if it gets shared far enough (I hope) then I'm going to copy my Moms condition to an "update" here :)
I'm not sure where to start. I'm going to put a detailed update (and keep to date) of my Mom's condition below, but for now, who don't quite know what were in need of, I'll get into that. There is also a long update on my Facebook that my dad is tagged in so can be seen from his page as well. (I'm trying to copy and paste after this but hasn't worked yet). Anyways, we live in Hagerstown, MD now a days and last Sunday my Mom was taken to our local hospital but was then life flighted out to John Hopkins in Baltimore. What our hospital found I guess they couldn't handle and though shes in amazing hands there, weve gotten mostly bad news since. I'll put all her details in the note below for whoevers interested, just trying to keep this short (never can ha) But I can say there is A LOT going on and as the doctors said yesterday shes "definately very sick".
The main issue for us is distance. It takes us about an hour and a half to get there on a good day with NO traffic (but the city is always a mess anyways) so planning around our own schedules, our pets, her proceudures, and rush hour, its been pretty taxing physically, mentally and emotionally to do once a day let alone two or three when she was just 10 minutes from home this last 73 day stay months ago. The doctors told us a minimum of weeks she"ll be at Hopkins, and that's with her status NOW, though realistically she cant just magically get better and once this research phase is over I'm assuming something(s) will need to be done, thus adding more recovery time....or god forbid more strokes and it could be catastrophic. Anything else...so on edge. . Luckily this is the 2nd night we'be stayed at a friends house who is closer, but with pets and just feeling like you're intruding we're thinking into looking into rates down in Baltimore or right outside is a smart option, for an extended stay type hotel. Not to mention its also the the anxiety of being almost 2 hours away if she took a turn for the worst, or was rushed to surgery....we couldnt even get there in time from home. Every goodbye could be our last, we don't know, and every conversation could be the last with recognition...no idea...but we do know its a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach being so far away, helpless and that we do need to be closer somehow. Does anyone have any ideas or know of specials on extendeds or where takes pets? Can anyone help us?
So, here's the catch, you knew it was coming, lol but the issue is with this plan or God I hopeeee plan, my Dad hasn't worked all week and definitely not this coming week as it stands. Its a constant repeat of wake up, fall apart, make the trek, visit, fall apart the whole trek home, try and eat, go to sleep, wake up and do it again. Exhausting, even if It wasn't life threatening :( If this wasnt as serious he"d stay and work PT but if these are her last days, weeks, months, God Forbid, we want to be close. I know I'd never forgive myself and I have a feeling he'd heavily carry that too., he's very anxious when we go back home being so far I know it makes him feel both nervous and guilty. This is linked to his bank account. Though he'd kill me if he knew I'd done this but sometimes you have to ask for help and if he won't I will. Sure it's my mom but he's a total wreck too, been married 45 years, together 10 before that....his life partner. My mom. It's devestating but the last thing I want on his mind is how were going to afford this chapter, about money to live and money for this mess. If weeks is the least she'll be here, we just cant keep doing this drive for our own sanity let alone gas and the parking garage daily is killing us like $18+ daily :( I guess food too, so much you dont think of....especially when you can hardly think period. But yeah we'd do the drive a million times over and not complain it's the more being so serious and being so far :( I'm sorry if this is scattered and hard to comprehend, such is life right now.
SOOO the go fund me is for if ANYONE that can or is willing to donate ANY amount to help us be able to temporarily "move", stay, whatever, down here to be close to my Mom that'd be amazing. Beyond amazing! We want to be able to be by her side any time of day and at a moments notice, it breaks my heart to think of how scared and lonely she must be when we leave and its just her, especially if she hallucinates at night....I just have to be there, I'm so scared for her. Especially as I said God Forbid this is it...the last thing we need to be doing is 6+ hours driving a day :( Thank you sooo much in advance anyone who is able to help, ANY HELPS, and if not, we thank you for your continued prayers and love and at the very least could you please please share this so it may just reach or fall into the right hands! Even just more hands! Something tells me there's plenty of kind people could needs to reach, and that miracles do happen and that we can make this through. I LOVE you all so much and pray pray pray! Thanks for that are going up and the love care and $$ although embarrassing every little bit makes a difference (even to get outta the darn parking garage!)
LOVE YOU!!!
Dawn & Steve Graham
P.S. Though its on my facebook, if it gets shared far enough (I hope) then I'm going to copy my Moms condition to an "update" here :)
Organizer and beneficiary
Dawn Graham
Organizer
Hagerstown, MD
Steve Graham
Beneficiary
