Marcia's journey as a double amputee

This is so tough. I never imagined in a million years that I would create a GoFundMe page. I also never imagined that my mom would suddenly need to have both of her legs amputated to save her life. It is something that has been impossible to fathom or prepare for.

On New Year’s Eve 2022, instead of watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV, I was attempting to ease my mom’s pain in her feet. She’s stubborn and refused to let me take her to the ER. The next day, though, I knew that something was seriously wrong. Her feet had turned purple and were covered in huge blisters. Her mental capacity had also drastically changed. I immediately called 911. We discovered she had a severe case of sepsis, which caused her to lose circulation to her lower legs and feet. This meant that she would have to have both of her legs amputated in order to save her life. Even now, it is difficult for me to talk about.

A few days after her surgery, physical therapy started working with my mom on the basics. I finally understand how parents must feel watching their children do something for the first time. I cried watching her conquer every new obstacle—I’m just so proud of her! Instead of being defeated by this tremendous loss, which would be totally understandable, she has decided to fight and not give up. Here are a few of her first impressive accomplishments:

1. First time getting out of the bed and sitting in a recliner

2. First time sitting in a wheelchair and wheeling herself down the hall

3. First time sitting up on the side of the bed without the support of her legs

After three weeks in the hospital, she moved to a rehabilitation center, where she would begin her hardest journey: learning to live without her legs. She has been crushing every benchmark they have set for her. She is my hero and my best friend. I want nothing more than to help her have the best possible life that she can. She wants to walk again, and I believe... no, I know she can!

One obvious downside to all of this is that everything is so expensive. Frankly, we need help. Please know that asking for help is extremely difficult for me! I am the helper ─ I find joy from helping others. But, right now, I am asking for your help. It starts with this GoFundMe page.

I am humbly asking for contributions to help pay for our new necessities: medical bills, home renovations for accessibility (such as a ramp to get inside our house), a car that will allow for easy transfer from a wheelchair to the passenger seat (which she cannot do in her current SUV), prosthetic legs, occasional in-home care... the list is truly endless.

We deeply appreciate donations of any amount; it is more than we could ever dream of! Even if you are not able to donate, it would be wonderful if you might consider sharing our campaign by:

• Posting to social media, using #support4marcia, and/or

• Emailing this page—Marcia's journey—to your family and friends.

Thank you for taking the time to read and share my mom’s story. Your support means the world to us!