Ricks Medical Funds

Please meet my stepdad, Rick Parker and my mom, Ida Parker from Beals, Maine. They have been married for 28 years and have been the most kind, giving, and caring parents and friends anyone could ask for. They have known true sacrifice and have always pushed through tough times, and even in their most challenged moments in life, they kept going to help others and offer whatever they had to those people more in need. In 2007, my stepdad became very ill and was diagnosed with sclerosis of the liver. He sickened very quickly, and was listed on the liver transplant list where he waited, getting sicker and sicker each day. On August 7, 2007 we thought we were going to lose him in the night. The doctors prepared us that he wouldn’t make it. By the grace of God, a donation came in from a family who just lost their young child. They donated the liver to my stepdad and he was rushed into surgery. The family’s donation saved him, and for that we will always be blessed! The transplant surgery was a success and for the last several years Rick was able to enjoy a healthy life with his children and grandchildren.
Then on September 14, 2010, tragedy struck our family again. During a heavy rain storm, my sister Rachelle age 23, niece McKenzie age 4, and my brother in law Carlos, age 32 were killed instantly in a car accident. We lost them all in one second. This truly broke everyone’s hearts, including my stepdad and mom the most. They lost their daughter and granddaughter, something that has left them in pain every day. My heart breaks for them as I watch them struggle to move on each day and try to be strong for everyone else. I can’t even imagine how hard this is for them, but they are so strong and they continue on to be there for the rest of our family. I have seen them offer help, advice, financial support, guidance to people and I know they would give the shirt off their back to help a stranger. They would go without just to help someone else. People always tell me how inspired they are by their strength to carry on, and how it inspires them to do the same.
So where does that put us today and why am I reaching out to you all? Because a few months ago, Rick started to receive some negative reports from the doctors about his liver functions. The doctors told him that the hepatitis C he has is starting to deteriorate his liver. They offered and advised Rick to take a new medicine that they thought would help stop this process. Rick started to take this medicine a few weeks back and started to have unusual symptoms. It turns out that the new medicine caused an aggressive reaction and caused his liver to have serious inflammation and caused his kidneys to also deteriorate. He has been in the hospital for the last week, and his condition gets worse each day. The doctors told him that unless he is listed for a transplant, he will die. My mom is working closely with his Medicare to get the surgery covered but unfortunately they do not have the prescription drug coverage to cover the cost of the drugs he needs for the surgery and after. If they cannot get this fixed, then sadly he will not be listed on the transplant list. Our hopes and prayers are that mountains can get moved and that somehow they will approve the prescription coverage and can get him listed. The doctors have said that if they can get him listed then he will be priority on the transplant list and could receive a transplant in days or weeks. That is good news, but every day that goes by he gets worse and his outcome is not looking good unless he gets this surgery. He is only 56 years old, too young and still has the fight in him to continue on.
My parents worked on the road doing expediting services for Fed Ex and have now had to suddenly stop working due to his health condition and her needing to be by his side. My mom is trying to be strong, but this is emotionally and physically tough on her. They now have no income. On top of all that, just this last Friday she called Obama Care to tell them her situation and ask for any suggestions now that they cannot work and they dropped her from Obama Care right then and there because she told them she does not have any income right now. My mom, who also has Hepatitis C and her own serious medical conditions is now left without any health insurance in a time when she is at her worst. She needs a lot of healthcare including a much needed blood transfusion that will now be hampered by the loss of insurance. The hits just keep coming for them, and they are both weak and worried of the unknown. They are facing losing my stepdad, no income to get by with the basics of everyday living, and very little medical insurance help. She will need to keep her cell phone account going to be able to be in contact with the doctors, insurance company, and family. My mom cries every time I call her on the phone. She is so sad and it just hurts to hear them struggle so much. She does have great faith in God and I know this helps her through, as well her own angels she has in heaven looking down on them every day. I’m asking you to please donate to my parents with anything you might possibly have. Even if its $1.00, $5.00, or $20.00. No amount is too small and I can tell you that your donation would be forever remembered in their hearts. Thank you for your time to read this and please continue to pray for our family and that they can get the medical and financial help they need. If you would like to send a letter of encouragement, he is at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville Florida in the transplant wing at the address below. God Bless.
Richard Parker
Mayo Clinic
4500 San Pablo Rd.
Jacksonville, FL 32224
Mayo Building, Room 327