Support Sarah's Journey to Recovery

As many of you are aware, our precious daughter, Sarah, had to undergo emergency surgery on June 20th to remove a massive amount of blood clots from her lungs. Unfortunately, some of them had been there so long that they were adhered to her lungs and were not able to be removed. She’s now on a blood thinner, probably for life, in hopes that it will thin the remaining clots as well as prevent future ones from forming. Additionally, tests show that because she has had a lack of proper oxygen for some time, it damaged her heart, she has been told she has heart failure.

After several days in the hospital, Sarah was sent home on a Hospital at Home plan. They installed equipment that allows them to monitor her heart and oxygen levels right from home. She now has to use supplemental oxygen 24/7. Additionally, she has a video appointment with a medical clinician three times a day.

Sarah had not been feeling well for some time. She put her fatigue, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and generally feeling ill down to age, stress, hormones, as well as many other things. She kept telling herself that she just needed to try a little harder, to endure no matter what. Even though simply going up and down the stairs made her extremely dizzy, she had no clue what was really going on. Well, now we know it was the blood clots piling up in her lungs, taking away the oxygen her body needed to operate. It’s truly only by the grace of God that she’s still alive!

Mike and I - we’re in Oklahoma and she’s in Indiana - had no idea of how bad it’s been. We have had our own health issues and Sarah has not wanted to bother us with her problems. It’s only since this crisis has happened that we found out the reality of their situation.

Sarah and her twin 22-year-old children live together. Because Sarah has been feeling so unwell, they have each been working a full-time as well as a part-time job to pay for their rent, utilities, food, etc., for some time. They live very sparsely; it’s been a struggle, but they’ve done it.

And now this.

Sarah will need to see several specialists - a Pulmonologist, a Cardiologist, a Hematologist, as well as a Primary Care physician - on an ongoing basis. This creates a big problem in several areas:

** Norah must miss work to go to the appointments with Sarah. She already had to miss a week of work; all of that lost income has only increased their financial need. Because of what we now know is due to her ongoing lack of oxygen, Sarah has found that her memory has become very poor. So Norah needs to be there to relay info to the doctor as well as take notes on home care.

** Her portable oxygen tanks only last about 4 hours. As you and I know, these kinds of appointments take a great deal of time - especially in the first several visits. We are very concerned about her ability to make the trip before running out of oxygen - especially to and from the ones in Indianapolis.

** Sarah needs funds to pay for the extra gas to get to and from the appointments.

** Mike and I are also concerned about the emotional burden - though unintended - that this has put on her children. They do their best to make sure that one of them is with her at all times. On those times that just doesn't work out, they worry about their mom from afar. This financial strain has only made everything worse.

So far, Sarah has not been approved for state aid. She’s hoping to hear something soon and that they will at least cover her hospital bill. We’re praying they cover the cost of her ongoing doctor visits and medication as well. In the meantime, Sarah has to pay for everything up front. It looks like it’s going to be an ongoing issue for at least the next several months.

Mike and I spoke with Sarah last evening. We could tell the reality of her current situation has become quite overwhelming. So many things to be concerned about.

So, first and foremost, please pray for this family!!

And secondly, we do ask that you’d consider making a monetary donation. Please know up front that it is greatly appreciated.

May your kindness and generosity return to you a hundredfold!