Support and Care for Ms. Pat’s Recovery to Walk Again
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$14,588 raised of
108 donations
Dear friends and family:
I’ve been walking with the assistance of a walker since the spring of last year. Because of neuropathy in my feet, my balance has been poor due to the numbness and tingling in my feet. I also have degenerative arthritis in my knees - both are bone-on-bone with no cartilage. This past November 9, I was walking in the house and lost my balance. In an attempt to avoid hitting my head, I extended my right arm to break my fall. I fell so hard that I ended up fracturing my right (dominant) arm in three places. A couple of days later, I tried to stand up and realized that I could not hold onto my walker with my right arm and I fell to my knees. I was hospitalized for a couple of days and then transferred to a skilled nursing facility where I underwent daily physical therapy. The physical therapist had me use a hemi (one-handed half) walker with my left hand to try to help me walk again, which put a great deal of strain on my right side causing severe pain in my right foot and knee. The first 20 days in the nursing facility were covered by Medicare, but the 10 days following bore an out-of-pocket co-payment. Medicare only provides coverage for 30 days. After the 30 days, I was discharged while still bedridden and unable to walk. Needless to say, the holidays were very different this time around.
Since I still require assistance with toileting, bathing, and other self-care needs, my son Lawrence found a board & care home with 24/7 staff to help me. The cost of round-the-clock care at this home is over $4,000 each month, which is more than my combined income from retirement and social security. Lawrence has been contributing financially from his salary, savings, and even accessing some of his 401k, but I still need financial assistance. Any funds donated will be managed by him as he continues to coordinate my care.
I’ve been in this second facility for a month now and will still need to stay longer until I am strong enough to walk with a regular walker and manage my own basic daily living activities. Since I have been bed-bound for two months, my legs and knees are very weak due to my inability to use them for so long now. I am working with a new physical therapist to help me start walking now that my arm is finally out of the sling and is healed enough for me to begin using the standard walker. I don’t want to be wheelchair-bound and am committed to gaining my strength so that I can use the walker to regain my independence until I can have knee replacement surgery this coming fall.
Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
With much love and appreciation,
-Ms. Pat