Karen's Caring Recovery Fund

My mom was admitted on February 1st to Central Vermont Medical Center in septic shock and acute respiratory failure, due to undetected pneumonia. Her blood pressure was dangerously low due to the sepsis, threatening to shut down her kidneys, and there was no airflow in her right lung. Luckily, the incredible staff was able to catch the sepsis and infection and intervene before it was too late. She spent 4 days in Intensive Care while they stabilized her blood pressure, sepsis, breathing, and the severe infection in her right lung; and another 4 days on med-surg floor for further stabilization. She responded very well to treatment, impressing the ICU staff and earning praise for her strong immune system from her doctors. I brought her home Friday afternoon after over a week in the hospital. She is still on IV antibiotics, medications and home treatments with the help of home health nurses. Though it will be a lengthy recovering, Ma is strong and determined to heal and return to work as soon as she can with the love and support of her wonderful community.

My mom has already been out of work for 3 weeks and is expecting to be at minimal functioning for several weeks at least. So, though she lives simply and doesn't need much to get by, she does not have the kind of padding to compensate for this kind of income loss. She is self employed and has no work benefits to fall back on.

I have been with her since Friday, helping with errands, meals and house chores, however, I need to return to Burlington tomorrow to resume classes. The nurses and I have been nagging at her all weekend to stop doing stuff, but she is a stubborn woman and won't listen to us (are you surprised?). She is very independent and isn't used to having to be cared for. Support in the form of some house work, grocery shopping and errands are welcome and would keep my mom from overdoing it during her recovery period.

We are hoping to be able to use funds as soon as possible for her everyday living expenses and supplemental recovery costs. The goal is to keep her living expenses covered until the end of march, at which point we hope that she will be able to return to work at full capacity.

My mom and I are so grateful for the outpouring of love and support from all of you - please keep the love and good vibes flowing, in whatever way you can.