Help Tom find an answer
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I have struggled with this decision for quite a while. I’m not usually one that asks for help, but there comes a point in time where the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be diminishing faster. It seems rather difficult to be able to accomplish things – important things, life and death kind of things – without help. It’s a high wall and I don’t know how to climb it.
On the morning of December 9th, I found Tom in the bed, unresponsive, and hardly breathing. When paramedics arrived, they told me that he was in respiratory arrest. He was rushed to the emergency room and immediately put in intensive care. Tom could not breathe on his own. He had a team of 10 different doctors working with him the entire time. They did test after test and cannot find a reason for his situation. Every test is coming back with a negative result. Tom breathes in but does not have the muscle strength to breathe out, thus causing his body to fill up with carbon dioxide. As a carpenter by trade, he can no longer work in the industry, because of the sawdust. He has scarring tissue in his lungs which are aggravated with the sawdust. He has also lost all of his upper body strength. He is the doctors Medical Mystery!
Our deductible was met last year and most of the bills have been paid, but we start a new year with a new deductible. As luck would have it, the deductible was raised to $6500.00 per person for the year. The doctors are wanting Tom to get an MRI to find out why he is slowly suffocating, but he isn’t able to do the standard one. Because of his breathing, he is unable to lay flat. There is a company in town, which is separate from the hospital that can do an MRI sitting upright. The problem there is the cost. The cost for that is $3500.00, which would have to be paid upfront. Because of my health problem, I am unable to work a full time job. My job is currently only 25 hours a week at $10 an hour. And Tom has not been able to work since the end of November last year. Our savings is depleted at this time and my income is all we have left to work with. What is hard, is the state claims I make “too much” money for any assistance.
My second concern is we live in Tornado Alley – Oklahoma! Tom is now required to be on oxygen for life and he must sleep with a CPAP machine. Both are workable, however, if we have power outages, which happens frequently during the spring season, which is coming up fast, he will be without both machines. I am looking to purchase a generator to be able to sustain him the necessary machines for life.
All of this has taken quite a toll on me. My health is gradually getting worse, and I cannot go to a doctor now, as I put Tom’s needs before mine. Tom is a very hard working man. He never asked for handouts in his life. He did what was necessary to support his family. He is old school where a handshake was his word.
All I can say is, Thank you for reading this far. Our pride makes it hard to say these words, but if you are able to donate even one dollar, every bit will help us. It will be appreciated beyond words. Go Fund Me has a requirement that each “cause” must meet a $500 goal before they will post my request publically. I am hoping we can get there together. If you cannot donate, certainly your prayers are welcome. They have helped us get this far. Thank you again, and all the best to you for the coming year.
On the morning of December 9th, I found Tom in the bed, unresponsive, and hardly breathing. When paramedics arrived, they told me that he was in respiratory arrest. He was rushed to the emergency room and immediately put in intensive care. Tom could not breathe on his own. He had a team of 10 different doctors working with him the entire time. They did test after test and cannot find a reason for his situation. Every test is coming back with a negative result. Tom breathes in but does not have the muscle strength to breathe out, thus causing his body to fill up with carbon dioxide. As a carpenter by trade, he can no longer work in the industry, because of the sawdust. He has scarring tissue in his lungs which are aggravated with the sawdust. He has also lost all of his upper body strength. He is the doctors Medical Mystery!
Our deductible was met last year and most of the bills have been paid, but we start a new year with a new deductible. As luck would have it, the deductible was raised to $6500.00 per person for the year. The doctors are wanting Tom to get an MRI to find out why he is slowly suffocating, but he isn’t able to do the standard one. Because of his breathing, he is unable to lay flat. There is a company in town, which is separate from the hospital that can do an MRI sitting upright. The problem there is the cost. The cost for that is $3500.00, which would have to be paid upfront. Because of my health problem, I am unable to work a full time job. My job is currently only 25 hours a week at $10 an hour. And Tom has not been able to work since the end of November last year. Our savings is depleted at this time and my income is all we have left to work with. What is hard, is the state claims I make “too much” money for any assistance.
My second concern is we live in Tornado Alley – Oklahoma! Tom is now required to be on oxygen for life and he must sleep with a CPAP machine. Both are workable, however, if we have power outages, which happens frequently during the spring season, which is coming up fast, he will be without both machines. I am looking to purchase a generator to be able to sustain him the necessary machines for life.
All of this has taken quite a toll on me. My health is gradually getting worse, and I cannot go to a doctor now, as I put Tom’s needs before mine. Tom is a very hard working man. He never asked for handouts in his life. He did what was necessary to support his family. He is old school where a handshake was his word.
All I can say is, Thank you for reading this far. Our pride makes it hard to say these words, but if you are able to donate even one dollar, every bit will help us. It will be appreciated beyond words. Go Fund Me has a requirement that each “cause” must meet a $500 goal before they will post my request publically. I am hoping we can get there together. If you cannot donate, certainly your prayers are welcome. They have helped us get this far. Thank you again, and all the best to you for the coming year.
Organizer
Patti Jervis
Organizer
Edmond, OK
