Helping Jeff live the best of the rest of his life

Hey there, thanks for taking the time to view our profile. I'm Jerica, Lisa's daughter and Jeff's bonus daughter. I'm helping my Mom with organizing this fundraiser for our Guppy. Please take a moment to read her story below.

My husband of 24 years is living his final days in a memory care facility with frontal temporal dementia. In 2013, I started noticing things were different, but I couldn't figure it out. Because this disease is evil. We almost lost our house because he payed the mortgage late and kept getting late fees. Then he stopped paying it all together. After an emergency loan modification, I was able to save our home.

Fast forward to 2017 and I got the mail when he was not home. We were in deep trouble with the IRS. It took me 4 years and refinancing our home (only 18K left) to resolve those tax issues. There was also the State and County taxes to be paid.

Jeff is a wonderful, kind, caring and strong man. He has stood by me through thick and thin. I would do anything to heal him from this disease. I tried so hard to keep him home, but eventually it was too much for me.

Jeff lost his left leg in an accident over 40 years ago. It never stopped him from doing things. What did stop him was shingles on his left buttock. He was admitted to St. Mary's hospital on September 30, 2023 for what we thought was a stroke or heart issues. It ended up being shingles and because of the location, he was not able to wear his prosthetic leg. Then with the length of time for healing and the Dementia, he forgot how to walk with his prosthetic. He became a fall risk and I wasn't able to care for him at home. The search for a facility that could provide for him began. There was also the cost factor of such a care center. The medical staff suggested a hospice evaluation and he was approved based on his unique medical needs.

Jeff is doing well in the memory care facility. The staff is excellent and they love him. They provide the care that I no longer can by myself. There are sublevels within the levels of his disease. He is in the final stages of the last stage. The body starts to forget the every day functions of life. It's almost like paralysis. He is almost non-verbal; he needs to be fed and assisted with drinking fluids. He has been in a wheelchair since the hospital. Eventually he will be bedridden. When this happens the body begins to shut down. There is no time frame and everyone who has this disease progress through the stages differently. 

I am asking for financial assistance because he wasn't paying our home bills, insurance premiums, taxes and other bills. I have refinanced our home, cashed out my 401k and it's still not enough. There is no life insurance, savings or equity in our home to help me pay for his care. Although he qualified for Medical Assistance, we are still responsible for the state spend down and for the room and board at the facility. I'm all out of options, other than applying for a loan with interest or asking family, friends and strangers for help. This is so heartbreaking and humbling. I wish I could care for him 24/7 but we still have bills and I must work to pay those bills.

When I visit, he holds my hand and closes his eyes. He may not know my name, but he knows my love. He still gives kisses and smiles. He is happy and safe. If you find it in your heart to help us, we would be eternally grateful. Thank you for reading our story. It doesn't cover all the years and love we have for each other, but it gives you a sense of our commitment to one another. God Bless.