Russ Family Medical Fund

Hi, my name is Kate and I am fundraising for my family members who are going through a rough patch. My sweet and hilarious Aunt Sheryl is in the midst of a difficult medical crisis, while her family (husband, son, and daughters) rallies to support her. Thankfully she has had the expertise and support of her daughters Brittany and Sherree (social worker and nurse) as they fiercely advocate for her while caring for their own young children. Help is needed to lift them all up and support them through this.

Sheryl was on a trip to Oregon in July to visit her children and grandchildren when she started experiencing some unusual symptoms. Her daughter Sherree rushed her to the hospital where they found Sheryl had a carotid dissection and a stroke. Sheryl spent 3 weeks in the ICU where things were very challenging. She has experienced many stroke symptoms including left-sided paralysis, swallowing difficulties, and cognitive challenges. At the beginning of August, she transitioned to a skilled nursing facility where she’s receiving daily therapies and though she is making progress, still has a long road ahead of her. She is not yet able to walk independently or get in and out of bed on her own. Her family is hoping to get her to Legacy Rehabilitation Institute of Oregon, which is acute rehab but she has to be able to tolerate 3 hours of therapy per day before they will accept her. The skilled nursing facility she is at right now has her on the path to that (she’s up to 1.5 hours), but her insurance has a cap on how many days are covered. She can continue at the skilled nursing facility but will have to pay $200 per day to do so. This is her only bridge to the inpatient rehab program. As healthcare access is more challenging in Oregon, Sheryl is a bit behind in her care. She has yet to see a neurologist and will need to wait until later this month to do so.

When Sheryl moves home, she will need an ADA-compliant space and assistive equipment. Brittany is currently in the process of moving in order to provide that space. Sheryl will stay there until it is determined if she will need to stay with family or return home to Arizona. There has been progress with movement of the left leg, but she is not able to take weight through it yet. She has lost almost all movement in her left arm. To make matters even more challenging, Sheryl’s husband Pat is currently in the hospital himself, due to cardiac issues.

The whole family has been rallying to help, and it is really taking a toll. They have to travel to remote areas due to limited healthcare resources in Oregon. They often drive 60-80 miles round trip for visits and care coordination. They have to pay for medical transportation to and from specialists, as Sheryl cannot ride in a car just yet. Her husband has had to travel to and from Phoenix. There have been lost wages as well, which just compounds the stressors. The list is long, and unfortunately, the road ahead is long as well. Please consider giving if you can.

All donations to this fundraiser will go directly to the family.