SAYING GOODBYE—Helping Harold Wojciak

Dear Friends and Colleagues, 

First, I hope that everyone that reads this is staying healthy and safe, wearing masks and helping to slow the spread of Covid-19. 

I am writing today, on behalf of my father, Harold Wojciak, who in May suffered a massive stroke, leaving him currently immobilized on his right side, non-verbal,  has a PEG feeding tube and has been diagnosed with Aphasia, which is a cognitive disability needing specialized therapy.  

ALL OF THIS.... during a global pandemic where Covid-19 is raging, unemployment rates are surging, and our health system is showing it's weaknesses and its limitations on a daily basis. Obviously, we are not the only family dealing with health situations during these unprecedented times, but at this point, I am willing to try anything that may help in assisting my father's care.

My father, otherwise known as "WOJ" to everyone met and married  my mother almost 41 years ago. They worked tirelessly to support our small family of four living a very modest life in Pittsburgh, PA. . Woj was a construction foreman for many years and my mother has been a flight attendant for 20 years. They're fierce love and dedication to each other taught us to grow up and become strong, independent women. To chase our dreams and never take no for an answer. Woj is the type of man who walks into a room and immediately lights it up with laughter. These are the qualities that I pride myself on inheriting. My father is a FIGHTER. Always has been, and will CONTINUE TO DO SO.  As that fierce, warrior daughter, it is now MY JOB to search high and low for that opportunity. To find that aid.  To give my father a fighting chance at recovery.
HE CAN and WILL GET THERE. He's coherent and capable. He just needs TIME and unfortunately our medical system and Covid does not allow for a grace period for this to happen. 

As of Sept. 2nd, my father's treatment will be ending. He is improving, but since receiving about a quarter of treatment (with family not allowed to help) he is only at about 35% right now with no hopes of an extension beyond the 100 days given  via insurance. We are trying to bring him home to take care of him rather than send him to a nursing home where he will have LIMITED rehab and social interactions. By bringing WOJ  home to recover, and ultimately keep him safe from COVID, we have calculated estimated costs. Whether it be a care facility OR in-home care, these costs are still out of pocket. 

Unfortunately,  this will prove a financial burden on the entire family. 

His rehab facility was "kind" and said that we can keep him in there past his 100 days, but they will charge a fee of $500/day. Unless you are a part of the top 1% economic social class, how can families survive and care for their loved ones when  the medical system we have in this country is not designed to help?

I'm not sure how familiar you are with a Stroke victim, but a large portion of the patients recovery within the first THREE months is based on family assistance and interactions alongside the daily PT/OT and Speech therapies. This is when your brain is most actively healing itself. 
Because of the heightened precautions due to Covid the family is currently unable to enter these rehab facilities to be with their loved ones, which greatly prevents improvements to the patient.

With so many families struggling now, we thank you for taking the time to truly consider helping ours. You will be helping to save my father's life and give him a fighting chance in the middle of a pandemic. 

Please feel free to  share this post for others to see outside of our immediate circles. Thank you so much in advance.

I will continue to post updates as we have them.

Love and Light, 
The Wojciak Family