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Exactly one year ago to the day, my granddaughter, Jessica, was discharged from her 1st hospital after being hospitalized and treated for 2 weeks for a staph infection that entered her blood stream. Leading up to her hospitalization she began having fevers going up as high as 105 degrees and was in imense pain. She had a UTI that started in November of 2015 and was treated with antibiotics that we now know her body was resistant to. Due to the resistance she developed an infection that started in her kidneys and continued into her blood stream. By the time she entered the hospital she was septic and we could have easily lost her. Upon her discharge and after being treated with IV antibiotics for 2 weeks, we thought that was the end of it. Little did we know, they had not stopped the infection but rather it continued to move into her bones and skin.
Fast forward to May of 2016, she began having severe breakouts on her face that looked more like grape clusters and even wounds, rather than your typical acne. Also, she had 2 lumps develop on her sternum and rib bone. She began seeing her PCP for these lumps but was never given a formal diagnosis. They assumed that it was either Costochondritis, inflammation of the cartiliage that connects the sternum to the rib, or that her ribs were moving due to the previous infection. She was treated with pain medication and told to wait it out.
She was unable to go back to work and suffered from depression and anxiety due to the unknown medical issues. She did not feel "normal" and was very lathargic and had a constant feeling of sickness. This February, after receiving test results showing she had a sever infection and a very high white blood cell count, she decided to go to the ER with the feeling that something more was going on. Unfortunately, she was correct.
Upon entering the ER and getting CT results, it showed a staph infection that was literally eating her bones and had spread to areas surrounding her heart. She was admitted and treated again with IV antibiotics. She also had a surgery performed where the doctors went in and removed her 5th rib bone and the puss surrounding her heart. The surgery should have been no more than 3 hours however, it lasted over 5 due to the amount of infection the surgeons were able to find once inside her chest. Now she is home on IV antibiotics and hopefully out of the woods but only time will tell.
Her and her husband Matt have been overcome by medical bills for the last year and have more to come thanks to her latest visit and the weekly cost of the IV antibiotics. A couple that was used to a 2 person income, have been living off of 1 for the last year and unfortunately the latest visit is too much to bear. They have over $30,000 worth of medical bills and no way to pay for them. With the necessary home treatment, they are living paycheck to paycheck and can barely afford the necessary medicine to treat her.
I've witnessed the mental toll this has taken on a usually spunky 26 year old. She has been overcome with stress, guilt, and insecurity because she feels like a burden since she is unable to work and contribute to her household necessities. Luckily she has the unwavering support of her husband, Matthew, who has stayed by her side and acted as a nurse, counselor, and overall caregiver. He has had to juggle taking days off of work to care for her and to make sure she makes it to the multiple weekly doctor visits that are needed for her to heal.
I have been praying for her health for the last year and we are hopeful this is the end of her medical issues however, this is just the beginning of her money issues.
If you could find it in your hearts to donate any amount of money, I, her granddmother, along with her family and of course Matthew and Jessica themselves, would be beyond grateful. She doesn't like the idea of handouts but she also has a strong desire to survive and not let these issues ruin her life, both mentally, and financially.
We appreciate any amount you could give.
Thank you in advance, you don't know how much this means to us and how much this will help them. Hopefully if the financial burden is lifted, some stress can be removed and she can focus on what's important, which is GETTING HEALTHY!!!
Thank you,
Gloria and Richard DePaolo, The DePaolo Family, and The Chumley Family.
Fast forward to May of 2016, she began having severe breakouts on her face that looked more like grape clusters and even wounds, rather than your typical acne. Also, she had 2 lumps develop on her sternum and rib bone. She began seeing her PCP for these lumps but was never given a formal diagnosis. They assumed that it was either Costochondritis, inflammation of the cartiliage that connects the sternum to the rib, or that her ribs were moving due to the previous infection. She was treated with pain medication and told to wait it out.
She was unable to go back to work and suffered from depression and anxiety due to the unknown medical issues. She did not feel "normal" and was very lathargic and had a constant feeling of sickness. This February, after receiving test results showing she had a sever infection and a very high white blood cell count, she decided to go to the ER with the feeling that something more was going on. Unfortunately, she was correct.
Upon entering the ER and getting CT results, it showed a staph infection that was literally eating her bones and had spread to areas surrounding her heart. She was admitted and treated again with IV antibiotics. She also had a surgery performed where the doctors went in and removed her 5th rib bone and the puss surrounding her heart. The surgery should have been no more than 3 hours however, it lasted over 5 due to the amount of infection the surgeons were able to find once inside her chest. Now she is home on IV antibiotics and hopefully out of the woods but only time will tell.
Her and her husband Matt have been overcome by medical bills for the last year and have more to come thanks to her latest visit and the weekly cost of the IV antibiotics. A couple that was used to a 2 person income, have been living off of 1 for the last year and unfortunately the latest visit is too much to bear. They have over $30,000 worth of medical bills and no way to pay for them. With the necessary home treatment, they are living paycheck to paycheck and can barely afford the necessary medicine to treat her.
I've witnessed the mental toll this has taken on a usually spunky 26 year old. She has been overcome with stress, guilt, and insecurity because she feels like a burden since she is unable to work and contribute to her household necessities. Luckily she has the unwavering support of her husband, Matthew, who has stayed by her side and acted as a nurse, counselor, and overall caregiver. He has had to juggle taking days off of work to care for her and to make sure she makes it to the multiple weekly doctor visits that are needed for her to heal.
I have been praying for her health for the last year and we are hopeful this is the end of her medical issues however, this is just the beginning of her money issues.
If you could find it in your hearts to donate any amount of money, I, her granddmother, along with her family and of course Matthew and Jessica themselves, would be beyond grateful. She doesn't like the idea of handouts but she also has a strong desire to survive and not let these issues ruin her life, both mentally, and financially.
We appreciate any amount you could give.
Thank you in advance, you don't know how much this means to us and how much this will help them. Hopefully if the financial burden is lifted, some stress can be removed and she can focus on what's important, which is GETTING HEALTHY!!!
Thank you,
Gloria and Richard DePaolo, The DePaolo Family, and The Chumley Family.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jessica Chumley
Beneficiary