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Elderly Disabled Down East woman in medical need

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I have been assisting this elderly woman for the past 10 years. Mere words cannot say enough about this woman's compassion and caring for others. She has spent her life in the medical field and has, on many occasions, gone above and beyond to assist anyone in need and now finds herself many states away from what she once called home to live in our great state and community. For numerous years she has been dealing with many medical problems. She has pins and screws in her shoulder and has limited use of that arm. She needs 2 total knee replacements, she is currently unable to walk more than 7 or 8 steps on her own. On top of all that, she has a difficult time with type II diabetes. Recently she has been having very frequent issues with falling. She weighs 340 lbs. and with a bad shoulder and no weight can be placed on her knees, so lifting her back up requires a call to the EMT's. She would never admit it, but you can see the embarrassment on her face. This issue, along with the amount of time it takes to get her up and close to the bathroom, it has been too late. Again embarrassing her. Just 2 days ago we were visiting my Son as he was home for the holidays from the Army. She had a dizzy spell that caused her to fall for the 12th time. Only this time she broke 2 ribs and punctured a lung. Upon arriving at the local hospital, they were able to get a chest tube in her and transfer her to a better-equipped medical center, 2 hrs. away. It looks as if she will get to come home on Christmas Day. Her new needs are far out of her Social Security income ability. I have been doing many things to help her. I have purchased an electric wheelchair for her and will take her anywhere she needs to go. Her immediate problem is carrying it around. We determined her best option would be a 4 x 6 enclosed trailer with a rear ramp door. This way she can house the chair out of the elements (can't get in the house with it) and be able to pull it with even a small vehicle. I have shopped around and the most economical one I have found is right at $1850.00. I will help her with tags, registration, and installing the necessary equipment to be able to charge the batteries while it's in the trailer. To assist with her being able to be returned to a position, there is a company that makes a portable unit to safely and securely lift her off the ground. The price on this unit is $700.00. Finally, the only non-invasive method to assist with her incontinence problem, there is a new product the hospitals now use in place of a catheter. The unit is completely external with disposable parts. Of course, Medicare does not cover any of these expenses. The unit itself is $399.00 plus $199.00 per month for consumables.  I can help her with the ongoing consumables cost, but cannot do anymore with what I am already providing. Of the total costs, she needs $3000.00 more than what she has available, to get these badly needed items. If you can please help in any way, it would make this woman's quality of life be much more tolerable. Even if you are unable to assist her in these ways, we always accept the gift of prayers, with open hearts. And just as assistance is needed all across America due to the COVID-19, she as well is in need of immediate help.

Thank you and God Bless!

Organizer

Tommy Howell
Organizer
Gloucester, NC

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