Lost a Limb, Help Regain a Life
My father, John Kim was always an active man. He played football and baseball from a young age at All Saints and then continued in high school at Moeller. He went on to play for Marshall University, until he decided to be closer to home and finished his last year of undergrad at The Ohio State University. "Kim" used to run 5-15 miles everyday, usually accompanied by his first true baby, our German Shepherd Soosie. He grew up working in construction and continued that throughout his entire life. Once he married Brenda, they started their own company, AMS Construction, which is a major success today. Kim has had some setbacks the past few years: he has had both hips replaced due to wear and tear, learned he suffers from heart failure and had to have a defribrillator installed, and countless others.
Flashforward: September 27, 2013 my dad had surgery to replace his fake hip that he had originally replaced right before the new millenia (1999-2000). He was in a car accident and fractured his pelvis, and in doing so his hip became out of line. He went to a nursing home to heal faster, yet the hip "slipped" and he was cut back open so they could fix it. Back to the nursing home he went. During this time he kept developing severe infections. We tried every type of medication but they would just not go away. Eventually on December 17, 2013 the doctors 
, in hope that the infection would soon also leave.
My dad did not come home from September 27 until February 13. He spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in a nursing facility and/or a hospital. On New Years Eve his defribrillator went off 27 times and so he woke up in the ICU on the first day of 2014. So far the rest of this year hasn't been much better. He still has the infection. He is now living at home, although it's not like it used to be. He stays in the kitchen in a hospital bed so that he can watch tv and be around people. He has several wheelchairs (one electric) so that he can get around, yet he cannot even get himself out of bed, get a drink, or make himself a sandwhich. He has a constant catheter which irritates him and he is usually in severe pain. My family had to hire a live in nurse to stay with him during the day while my mom works. With my sister and I gone, it's been rough. We have also had to purchase a mobility van to try and cart my father around to his various medical appointments, which there are many of.
With the new year approaching, we are finally learning to accept the fact that he may never get a new hip. This nasty infection just doesn't seem to want to go away despite everything. Even if he does, it will be quite some time before my father will receive a new hip. My family has suffered enough with the emotional turmoil and stress of this whole situation, not to mention the financial burden it places. I am asking for help to pay for some of my father's expenses and to further his abilities to become more independent like he used to be. He is the strongest man I know and has not given up, even on the worst of nights, but it's so hard to seem him be so helpless. His oldest daughter is getting married in the spring and we would love to have him be there, pain-free. Any amount would be appreciated! Thank you.
