To all our Community Members, Friends, Family, and Generous Donors

Kingswood Lake Owners Association, located in Kunkletown, PA, started this GoFundMe program to generate medical & living financial assistance for a long-standing community friend – Jeff Altemose.

Background

On Tuesday, November 15th, Jeff suffered a debilitating stroke. At 48 years old, this was an unexpected event in his life. A surprise medical emergency, especially a stroke, is not easy to comprehend at a young age. Jeff was working at his home preparing winter season equipment for his business when he sensed something significant was happening to his body. One side of his body began to weaken, and he felt mentally and physically uneasy. Luckily, his wife, Roxanne, was nearby and together, they made a quick decision not to guess the situation second but to seek their doctor’s advice immediately.

He soon found himself at the Lehigh Valley Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with a Thalamic Stroke, a type of stroke in a deep part of the brain that affects the Hypothalamus, which acts as your body’s “smart control” coordinating center.

The quick-acting medical team stabilized him with blood-thinning medications and began a series of CAT scan tests to determine the extent of his stroke. Among several contributing factors, they discovered his high blood pressure benefitted him. The problematic blood vessel was partially blocked, but vital blood flow was still passing to his brain because of his high blood pressure. If the blood vessel only 3 millimeters away had been affected, it would have paralyzed the entire right side of his body. In this case, Jeff lost the use of his right arm and leg only, yet the stroke still tossed his life and daily activities into uncertain limbo.

As a lifelong Pocono Mountains West End Community resident, Jeff and his wife, Roxanne, have built a business supporting multiple labor-intensive needs. They provide landscaping, lawn care, property/road maintenance, and snow plowing services throughout the community. More importantly, they both share in the day-to-day delivery of the services. So, with Jeff’s future participation in a state of uncertainty, the burden of fulfilling their many contracts now falls upon his wife, Roxanne, along with their son Austin’s limited assistance outside his work commitments.

As a middle-aged couple in good health, their health insurance coverage isn’t as extensive as those in later years, especially given the cost of today's self-insured. And in Jeff’s case, he spent close to a week in the hospital and is now facing several medical follow-ups and daily medications, along with a rehabilitation program that will require three (3) visits a week over three (3) plus months.

Current Situation

Jeff is currently at home under the care of his wife. If you know Jeff, you know being confined to his house and not outdoors working goes against every aspect of his life. He is making slow progress, having regained some movement of his arm and further strength of his leg. However, his doctors paint an extended recovery period that requires multiple check-ups, tests, and medications to stabilize his recovery and diagnose the cause of his stroke. Over time, these recovery stages will dictate Jeff’s ability to resume his daily work schedule.

How can you support Jeff’s recovery?

Undoubtedly, the cost of medical and rehabilitation services in today’s market is extensive. It is uncertain how far Jeff's health insurance will cover these growing services. With that in mind, we created this GoFundMe program to call on the Kingswood Lake Community and the Pocono West End Community to reach out and "help their fellow neighbor" get through this medical need. Many in our combined communities know Jeff & Roxanne and have also depended upon their services over the years. We are sure all will want to support this effort wholeheartedly.

Any donation, no matter how small, will help lift Jeff and Roxanne’s financial burden, install a positive spirit for a full recovery, and solidify an even stronger bond between Jeff and the local communities he and Roxanne have supported for so many years.

We welcome your support and comments.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Kingswood Lake Owners Association