Hospital Bed for Patrick

Patricia Smith's 17 year-old son, Patrick, was born with cerebral palsy and progressive scoliosis. He had limited motor skills, but two years ago, he sustained a major head injury at school. He was found in a pool of blood after four hours. He had emergency major brain surgery. This year he had to have major back surgery to fuse his spine to keep the scoliosis curvature from crushing his lungs. Patrick cannot talk, walk, turn over in bed, or eat food. He wears diapers. He is fed through a tube in his stomach. Pat cannot afford care, and Medicaid provides only part-time care, so Pat can only work, at most, 20 hours a week and makes $10/hour. She grows fresh garden vegetables at a food bank that feeds the hungry on the Gulf Coast. Pat also has two daughters. She's a wonderful gardener, mom, caregiver and person. But she needs help, right now. She paid rent for three years and the landlord didn't pay the bank and she was forced to move in one week. The hospital bed given to her from Medicaid was vandalized and the metal sides stolen, and Medicaid took it back. She found a used hospital bed on Facebook, but it has no sides and Patrick falls off the bed, and Pat is killing her back picking him up. She desperately needs a Total Care Hospital Bed for Patrick immediately.

She also needs a car that can accomodate Patrick's wheelchair. Any funds raised over the cost of an appropriate hospital bed will go towards a suitable vehicle to accommodate her family. Her daughters also need a clothes dresser. Their's is falling apart. Pat's a wonderful cook and hopes to publish a cookbook of her garden fresh recipes, but her stove broke for the fifth time yesterday and she needs a new one. Her spirit is irrepressible and inspiring. She just needs help. Please give generously to a woman that donates her time to the Bee Hive Community Garden in Mobile, as well as grows food for her family in the backyard.

Thanks so much for your generosity. And I know Pat's family will be so very grateful. Every day, Patrick rolls out of bed, or needs to be picked up to be cleaned. Please give generously. Thank you!