Retired Teacher/Librarian, Ana Pilgrim, Needs Help

     I introduce to you the love of my life, my best friend, my angel… Ana Maria Pilgrim. I am her husband, Larry. We have been inseparable since 1969… Married since 1972.

     Ana retired in 2010, after 38 years of teaching in various Catholic schools, including Central Catholic High School. Eventually, by 1980, she was absorbed into the San Antonio Independent School District, where she taught 6th grade math at Irving Middle School. After her stint at Irving, Ana taught elementary education at various schools through out SAISD. 

     With her love of literature beating deep within her, she attended Our Lady of the Lake University, achieving a Masters in Library Science and became a librarian at various elementary schools throughout the district. Her final stop was Madison Elementary at Woodlawn and Bandera roads.
   
     In 2010, Ana, wanted to sneak out the back door, before anyone noticed, but, to her chagrin, she failed.  Her principal contacted her peers in the schools Ana had taught at, and conspired to throw her a wing ding of a celebration to commemorate her service to all of the children she had “Touched”, the community she served, and the district she loved. It was very moving to say the least. 

     A year later, I retired from Harlandale ISD, and we took numerous road trips across the country, with our four-legged baby Dutch by our side. That lasted five years. 

     In 2016, The “C bomb” was dropped. Ana was diagnosed with breast cancer (left lateral). Like a trooper she is, she weathered that storm. On November 27, 2017, Dr. Gurwitz removed her left breast. After numerous follow-up visits with her doctors, it was determined that she was cancer free.  Subsequent tests to determine whether the cancer had gone to the bones came back negative. SHE IS A SURVIVOR!!! Recovery from the surgery went smoothly… Easily returning to daily routines, etc. 

     Forgot to say that she has been a dialysis patient since 2015. 18 months of PD, then moved to hemodialysis. After dialysis she is usually extremely weak and her blood pressure gets really low.

     All was well until 2/12/18. Then, the second attack to her fragile body occurred.  At that time, Ana was mobile. She walked around her home unassisted… cooked her meals… washed her clothes, etc.  On that Tuesday, after completing her dialysis treatment, she was allowed to get up from chair and go to the restroom, wherein she fell and broke her left hip. The fracture was not confirmed until 2/21/18. My feeling is she should have been escorted. 

     Never the less, that began the decline in her health and our pocketbook. After the partial hip replacement failed, she had a full hip replacement. All in all, Ana was hospitalized from February 21 to June 27.  Due to the poor rehabilitation she had received, we were forced to pay an enormous sum to a home healthcare provider to assist her sixteen hours a day from June 28 to August 11. Which depleted all our savings.  Over the next four months, her needs were met with my full-time attention.

     Then came the stroke… February 5, 2019. 

     Ana is currently at the Main Methodist Hospital awaiting discharge to the skilled facility Inspiration Hills Rehab. Which means, they only require the patient, when feasible, to commit to three hours of therapy per day.  Based on Medicare guidelines, she is certified for X number of days. If there is an extension beyond Medicare guidelines, all costs will be out-of-pocket, at a rate of $2 thousand a week.  If Ana has some amazing recovery, she will be moved to another facility, wherein Medicare will be reset. 

     The next step up, is to send her to Methodist Specialty Transplant Hospital, wherein Ana will receive a more aggressive approach to therapy. 

     Please note, Ana has great insurance through TRS/Humana/Medicare. The problem lies in the unwillingness of some agencies to cover EXTENDED CARE which she will need for a protracted period. At that point, the thousands of dollars that will be required to pay the out-of-pocket co-pays will likely leave us unable to afford the necessary support required for her to fully recover… Whatever “Fully” will look like.  

      The goal for this GoFundMe account is $100,000. All funds received will go to pay all co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses related to Ana’s recovery for one  year. 

     We hope you will find it in your heart to contribute to this fund. If you are unable to monetarily contribute, your prayers will be graciously  received. Thank you. Any funds remaining will go to St. Jude.

God Bless all of you!

Sincerely,

Larry K. Pilgrim