JR Murphy, Joy & Reflect
Donation protected
Our Bee Man, the King Bee JR Murphy suffered a stroke at home on September 4, 2021. He was transported by ambulance to Grady Hospital that night thanks to a concerned friend (MiMi), who had stopped by to check in on JR since he wasn't returning any phone calls. Once JR arrived to the hospital emergency room area (trauma section), doctors concluded not only had he suffered from a severe stroke impairing his entire left side, and the stroke also causing fluid build-up as edema in the brain. JR was then placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Marcus Stroke & Neuroscience Center for a couple of weeks, until the swelling/edema in his brain no longer presented a danger to his life.
Finally, JR received some good news from the doctors stating that the swelling from the fluid in his brain had decreased tremendously. However, he isn't out of the woods yet, because the stroke affected his speech including cognitive and physical impairments primarily to the left side of his body. JR has a speech therapist who comes weekly to assist him with his cognitive thinking and speech impairment.
The team of doctors working with JR are wonderful and have been very supportive in this whole process towards his recovery. Although he's still being cared for at Grady Hospital, there are some stumbling blocks which he will need removed before his post-acute rehabilitative care can begin.
Currently, JR is in jeopardy of receiving insufficient rehabilitation and being placed over 2 hours away from his family and community. This is in part due to reasons from structural barriers that have prevented a 68 year-old man with an almost 40 year-old conviction, from eligibility at most if not all rehab facilities.
Before the stroke, JR has enjoyed being a bee-keeper for many years (years#). He is well-known in his community as a master bee-keeper and an organic farmer. JR teaches bee-keeping classes regularly to those young and old about the important role bees play in our society. He also volunteers his time and expertise of organic farming at the Aluma Farm in Atlanta, Georgia. JR knows that his recovery and health is a gradual process and wants everyone to know he will be back in the saddle on the farm and bee-keeping again. JR is most appreciative of those who have come to visit him in the hospital and also have sent an encouraging word, flowers and letters. Please continue to pray for his full recovery and support him in anyway you can during this difficult time in his life. Thank you.
As you might expect, JR’s spirits have been high and every nurse on the floor knows who he is and the benefits of propolis and honey. He has virtually no mobility with his left extremities, and will need both in-facility care and rehabilitation.
There is a small support team that’s been doing things like engaging with medicaid and medicare to understand the benefits JR is eligible for, researching rehab and care facilities, and navigating pathways to challenge the structural barriers. Click here to stay connected with up dates through Caring Bridge.
This is what we need to help JR:
1. We are raising $75,000 (an audacious goal, but he is an audacious man) to support the estimated cost for 18 months of care and rehabilitation staying at a quality licensed facility
2. Go visit. He’s at Grady until the situation is resolved about what facility he will get transferred. Details on how to visit a sign-up for one visitor per day can be found HERE
3. If you have experience supporting someone rehabilitating from a stroke, adapting farming, beekeeping and other urban agriculture activities to people with different abilities, navigating health care bureaucracy please reach out to Mimi ([email redacted] )
4. Buy JR's honey and propolis at the Aluma Farm Stand
Finally, JR received some good news from the doctors stating that the swelling from the fluid in his brain had decreased tremendously. However, he isn't out of the woods yet, because the stroke affected his speech including cognitive and physical impairments primarily to the left side of his body. JR has a speech therapist who comes weekly to assist him with his cognitive thinking and speech impairment.
The team of doctors working with JR are wonderful and have been very supportive in this whole process towards his recovery. Although he's still being cared for at Grady Hospital, there are some stumbling blocks which he will need removed before his post-acute rehabilitative care can begin.
Currently, JR is in jeopardy of receiving insufficient rehabilitation and being placed over 2 hours away from his family and community. This is in part due to reasons from structural barriers that have prevented a 68 year-old man with an almost 40 year-old conviction, from eligibility at most if not all rehab facilities.
Before the stroke, JR has enjoyed being a bee-keeper for many years (years#). He is well-known in his community as a master bee-keeper and an organic farmer. JR teaches bee-keeping classes regularly to those young and old about the important role bees play in our society. He also volunteers his time and expertise of organic farming at the Aluma Farm in Atlanta, Georgia. JR knows that his recovery and health is a gradual process and wants everyone to know he will be back in the saddle on the farm and bee-keeping again. JR is most appreciative of those who have come to visit him in the hospital and also have sent an encouraging word, flowers and letters. Please continue to pray for his full recovery and support him in anyway you can during this difficult time in his life. Thank you.
As you might expect, JR’s spirits have been high and every nurse on the floor knows who he is and the benefits of propolis and honey. He has virtually no mobility with his left extremities, and will need both in-facility care and rehabilitation.
There is a small support team that’s been doing things like engaging with medicaid and medicare to understand the benefits JR is eligible for, researching rehab and care facilities, and navigating pathways to challenge the structural barriers. Click here to stay connected with up dates through Caring Bridge.
This is what we need to help JR:
1. We are raising $75,000 (an audacious goal, but he is an audacious man) to support the estimated cost for 18 months of care and rehabilitation staying at a quality licensed facility
2. Go visit. He’s at Grady until the situation is resolved about what facility he will get transferred. Details on how to visit a sign-up for one visitor per day can be found HERE
3. If you have experience supporting someone rehabilitating from a stroke, adapting farming, beekeeping and other urban agriculture activities to people with different abilities, navigating health care bureaucracy please reach out to Mimi ([email redacted] )
4. Buy JR's honey and propolis at the Aluma Farm Stand
Organizer and beneficiary
Jonathan Tescher
Organizer
Atlanta, GA
Cora Peavy
Beneficiary
