Help John Cheraso with Medical Bills & Recovery

Hi, our names are Adriana and Jackie Cheraso we are the twin daughters of John Cheraso. We are hoping to raise money for our dads medical expenses. Growing up he was the best dad we could ask for, always active in our lives and gave us unconditional love. Not only was he an extraordinary dad, but he was also the best friend and neighbor to everyone. In the neighborhood everyone came to him for help… everyone, and he never refused. At the gym he was constantly motivating and helping everyone with their diet and workouts. For those of you that know our dad you know he was one of the healthiest guys around, eats super clean, worked out 6 days a week, was always out in his yard, or taking care of his 4 rescue cats and 3 fish tanks! He just loved life and every living thing.

 

Being that he was so healthy with no preexisting conditions, he opted out of health insurance this year. In May of 2021 he contracted pneumonia, he sought out treatment, but still his infection persisted for months after the initial diagnosis, he went to the doctor again and was told he had bronchitis and then pneumonia again. He was treated for that and still his cough and fatigue never went away. In the end of October, he started coughing up blood. November 4th 2021, our dad went to the the ER to have his continuing symptoms addressed. He thought he would be at the hospital for a few days’ maximum getting treated for his lung issues. The day after he got to the hospital, he started experiencing neurological symptoms: right side facial paralysis, double vision, loss of fine motor skills, loss of hearing and eventually trouble walking. The doctors ordered an MRI and discovered a large brain abscess. The team of doctors think the infection had spread from his lungs to his brain. He had a chest tube placed to drain the fluid from around his lungs. The initial treatment was an aggressive round of antibiotics that the doctors hoped would take care of the infection in both his lungs and brain. When the infection did not respond to the antibiotics and his symptoms got worse the doctors scheduled a craniotomy to drain the infectious material abscesses as it was now considered life threatening. The surgery was so delicate and the abscess by the brain stem so large that the doctor prepared us for the worst. Our dad made it through the surgery and was moved to the ICU to recover.

 

After 3 weeks of touch and go days and us trying to keep him engaged and hopeful he was discharged from the hospital on Thanksgiving Day, very thankful to be alive, after numerous doctors told him he was lucky to be alive. He came home unable to hear, speak well, walk without assistance, or use his right hand efficiently. He has a long road to recovery to return to his pre-illness self. We are so proud of him and his ambitious attitude to get better soon. During the 3 weeks he was at the hospital in the ICU along with the brain surgery he had multiple MRIs, CT scans and extensive lab work done to culture the abscesses found in his brain and lungs. He is now in the process of doing physical therapy, occupational therapy, and 4 weeks of at home IV antibiotics with a home health nurse and needing full time watch.

 

Considering that he didn’t have health insurance we are expecting the hospital bills to be outrageous. Our dad is self-employed as an engineer and is unable to work full time until his motor function returns. We love our dad more than anything in this world. He is a kind and generous person who is always willing to put others before himself. We want to see him return to full health, without having to go bankrupt. It’s so hard to see him struggle with his life while being terrified about the financial impact of this horrible, unexpected event so we are asking any family, friends, strangers, to help in any way that they can, even if it’s just a simple sharing of this fundraiser. Anything contributed to this fund will go towards his hospital bills, at home care and rehab. For those that have already offered to help, checked in, and supported our family, we are so very grateful. Thank you!