Lauren's Medical and Shelter Fund

I have been a hard worker my entire life. As a school teacher, for twenty some odd years, I have helped many students over come learning challenges, and enjoyed every minute of working with them. I never thought I would one day have to go on a website like this and ask for help, but I am desperate. I am a single parent with two wonderful children. My son is autistic and my daughter has been recently diagnosed with depression and a mood disorder. I receive no support from their father. He has left the state and has very little (if any) interactions with them. At the beginning, there was a struggle adapting to the new dynamics of our home, but we managed to get through it all. 

I have to take you all a little back in time to explain how we are in the situation we are in today. Back in 2001, I had a gastric bypass surgery to help me lose weight. Everything was fine and the surgery went very well. In September, 2014, I started hemmorrhaging and required a blood transfusion. I was told by my OB that I would need a hysterectomy. The hysterectomy was done Octorber 7th, 2014, and from that day on, I have had many problems. Two days later I was admitted to the ER with complications, this continued from months. The doctors grasped at straws to determine what was causing all my pain. I was unable to move. I would get debilitating, stabbing, abdominal pain that would leave me parralized until they subsided. I was put through another surgery and many procedures to find out what was causing this problem. I was even told that it might be in my head. 

Thankfully, my Internist refused to give up on me. After more testing, on December 31st, 2014, it was determined that I had intestinal looping and bowel obstruction due to an altered previous bypass surgery. The OB that did my hysterectomy altered the way my stomach and intestines connect. I thought finding out what the problem was should have had an easy solution, but I was wrong. I was told that I would need to see a bariatric surgeon to fix this problem. So I began my search to find a doctor here in Maryland. I sent my all my medical records to the bariatric surgeons affilliated with GBMC, John Hopkins, Franklin Square, Mount Sinai, and Saint Jo's. All of these surgeons refused to take me on as their patient. I was told "No one wants to clean up somebody elses mistake."

During this whole time I was unable to work.  My doctor refused to release me since this condition was more severe than I had thought. I was told I had to be careful since the looping and obstructed bowel could cause my bowels to rupture and I could get peritonitis and die. Fortunately, I had sick days, sick bank, and my tax return to make it through this far. 

The struggles and frustrations to find a surgeon to help me continued on until I met a wonderful man, Terry Wintermoyer. Through his efforts and concern for me, he found me a doctor in Princeton, NJ that would help me. I am going to have the procedure that will, hopefully, fix the damage that has been done on May 4th, 2015. I am excited, yet nervous. 

Here is where I need your help. My savings has been depleted. The state of Maryland has taken their time determining whether or not I am disabled. I was denied SSI. The surgereon, of course, is out of my network and the surgery is going to cost me a small fortune. I am not asking for those bills to be paid, what I need is money to survive until I am able to go back to work in August. At this time I am unable to pay for rent, utilitizes, my car and my insurance. I already have outstanding medical bills and my daughters orthodontist to pay. With your help, I will be able to keep living in my home until I get paid in September. Anything you can give will be most helpful. 

Having a son with autism can be very challenging, at times. He doesn't do well with change and has had many issues to contend with. Please help me keep my home and not have to cause anymore changes in my children's life. God bless all of you!