Miracles Do Happen-Caring for Dad
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Miracles Do Happen - Taking Care of our Dad Richard Harris
On November 23, 2017, our Dad was preparing Thanksgiving dinner for the family when he mysteriously passed out while standing at the stove, he’s never had any medical issues. Our dad a 71 year old man was as healthy as a 20 year old. Thank God his oldest grandson was home when the incident occurred. He acted swiftly by calling 911 and contacting immediate family. He was pleading with our dad to stay with him, help is on the way. The paramedics arrived and shortly after, two of dad’s children arrived. His oldest son observed the EMT’s perform CPR to resuscitate dad, they used a defibrillator to jump start dads heart to no avail. At this time the lead EMT coded dad and called it in to the hospital that dad would be D.O.A. People who know Richard Harris and his family know that we are a praying family that believes God is able to do anything but fail. When the family arrived at the hospital they already had the comfort room and a Chaplain prepared to deliver us the bad news. But when the ER doctor came in he told us our father arrived breathing on his own, heart beating on it’s own and his blood pressure is like yours and mine. We were told many things by several different doctors: two being, dad had sustained a heart attack and had insufficient oxygen to the brain. We were told he would have little to no cognitivity and zero mobility. We were even told to allow them to give him morphine to end his life because they had counted him out even though we had just experienced a miracle.
We opted to care for our dad despite the odds stacked against us. Their suggestion was to put him in a nursing home but there’s no way we could stand to see that happen, plus we wanted him to be surrounded by people who truly love him and have his best interest at heart. Our sister quit her job so she could take care of dad even though she has children of her own to care for as well. We all work hard around the clock providing dad with one on one care. Now that dad is in our care he is doing many things the doctors said he would never be able to do. He recognizes people, he started moving his arms and his legs and he follows commands. Dad is slowly recovering, however he has a trachea in his neck, a feeding tube in his stomach and he needs 24hr care. There are many machines and medical equipment that are in use to aid us in his care. Our dad has a long road ahead but with your help I know we can arrive safely at recovered.
My dad has Medicare and because he has a trach, he has to travel with a suction machine and oxygen. Regular transport does not have this equipment on board so if he were to be transported it would have to be in an ambulance. Medicare does not pay for transportation in an ambulance, to and from doctors appointments.
Medicare does not pay for incontinence supplies we pay out of pocket for this and it is one of the biggest expenses.
The food the hospital sent him home with had no nutritional value and it locked up his bowels so we switched to an all natural tube feeding called Kate Farms. This is the second biggest expense. We have been paying for this out of pocket and we have been trying to get medicare to pick up some of the cost with no success yet because it’s not your average tube feeding.
Since Thanksgiving till now my father‘s health has improved greatly where they said he would have no cognitivity he’s coherent and understands and is able to follow commands. where they said he would have no mobility he has range of motion in all of his limbs. Medicare paid for four weeks of physical therapy, we believe he needs more so that he could continue to get stronger. In order to get more we would have to pay out-of-pocket. At least that’s what we’re being told by medical professionals.
We are also being told by medical professionals that we are doing an excellent job taking care of dad and his health and vitals have all improved and we should keep up the good work.
We are asking for donations to help us give our dad a fighting chance though the doctors say he would have no chance, and to ease the financial burden of running all this equipment 24 hours. To help with incontinence supplies, food for tube feedings, medical expenses, transportation to and from appointments, and also to help with any financial burden our sister may incur due to her sacrifice of love and dedication to care for our dad.
All donations are greatly appreciated and will be put to good use. We also accept your Prayers and well wishes. Thanks in advance from the Harris Family!
On November 23, 2017, our Dad was preparing Thanksgiving dinner for the family when he mysteriously passed out while standing at the stove, he’s never had any medical issues. Our dad a 71 year old man was as healthy as a 20 year old. Thank God his oldest grandson was home when the incident occurred. He acted swiftly by calling 911 and contacting immediate family. He was pleading with our dad to stay with him, help is on the way. The paramedics arrived and shortly after, two of dad’s children arrived. His oldest son observed the EMT’s perform CPR to resuscitate dad, they used a defibrillator to jump start dads heart to no avail. At this time the lead EMT coded dad and called it in to the hospital that dad would be D.O.A. People who know Richard Harris and his family know that we are a praying family that believes God is able to do anything but fail. When the family arrived at the hospital they already had the comfort room and a Chaplain prepared to deliver us the bad news. But when the ER doctor came in he told us our father arrived breathing on his own, heart beating on it’s own and his blood pressure is like yours and mine. We were told many things by several different doctors: two being, dad had sustained a heart attack and had insufficient oxygen to the brain. We were told he would have little to no cognitivity and zero mobility. We were even told to allow them to give him morphine to end his life because they had counted him out even though we had just experienced a miracle.
We opted to care for our dad despite the odds stacked against us. Their suggestion was to put him in a nursing home but there’s no way we could stand to see that happen, plus we wanted him to be surrounded by people who truly love him and have his best interest at heart. Our sister quit her job so she could take care of dad even though she has children of her own to care for as well. We all work hard around the clock providing dad with one on one care. Now that dad is in our care he is doing many things the doctors said he would never be able to do. He recognizes people, he started moving his arms and his legs and he follows commands. Dad is slowly recovering, however he has a trachea in his neck, a feeding tube in his stomach and he needs 24hr care. There are many machines and medical equipment that are in use to aid us in his care. Our dad has a long road ahead but with your help I know we can arrive safely at recovered.
My dad has Medicare and because he has a trach, he has to travel with a suction machine and oxygen. Regular transport does not have this equipment on board so if he were to be transported it would have to be in an ambulance. Medicare does not pay for transportation in an ambulance, to and from doctors appointments.
Medicare does not pay for incontinence supplies we pay out of pocket for this and it is one of the biggest expenses.
The food the hospital sent him home with had no nutritional value and it locked up his bowels so we switched to an all natural tube feeding called Kate Farms. This is the second biggest expense. We have been paying for this out of pocket and we have been trying to get medicare to pick up some of the cost with no success yet because it’s not your average tube feeding.
Since Thanksgiving till now my father‘s health has improved greatly where they said he would have no cognitivity he’s coherent and understands and is able to follow commands. where they said he would have no mobility he has range of motion in all of his limbs. Medicare paid for four weeks of physical therapy, we believe he needs more so that he could continue to get stronger. In order to get more we would have to pay out-of-pocket. At least that’s what we’re being told by medical professionals.
We are also being told by medical professionals that we are doing an excellent job taking care of dad and his health and vitals have all improved and we should keep up the good work.
We are asking for donations to help us give our dad a fighting chance though the doctors say he would have no chance, and to ease the financial burden of running all this equipment 24 hours. To help with incontinence supplies, food for tube feedings, medical expenses, transportation to and from appointments, and also to help with any financial burden our sister may incur due to her sacrifice of love and dedication to care for our dad.
All donations are greatly appreciated and will be put to good use. We also accept your Prayers and well wishes. Thanks in advance from the Harris Family!
Organizer and beneficiary
Tremaine Harris
Organizer
Country Club Hills, IL
Anissa Harris
Beneficiary
