Stroke victim in desperate need of help...

My name is Cindy Leaf. I am reaching out to ask for help for my dear friend, Jill Cookman.

In June of 2021, Jill had a massive stroke, which left her with significant deficits. Her left side is paralyzed, her eyesight is affected, her ability to concentrate is severely limited, and she continues to have seizures. Tasks that require focus or are stressful leave her with debilitating headaches, exhaustion, and unable to work. She went from being a vibrant, active, independent, and financially stable woman to being disabled, dependent on others, and flat broke in the blink of an eye.

Jill’s recovery has been an uphill battle from day one. When she entered the hospital, she was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke, but then later, she had a hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding into the brain due to a ruptured blood vessel). She required multiple surgeries, and her chance of survival didn’t look good. It is suspected that a doctor's error may have caused the bleed that nearly claimed her life. She has received substandard care from the beginning, and several neglect injuries need to be addressed; however, at this point, Jill needs to focus on healing before taking on those battles.

While her health insurance covers in-home physical and occupational therapy, her treatment was delayed for over eight months because she was too sick to fight for her rights. Consequently, she has made little progress with her recovery and has no idea when or if she will return to the workforce. It is important to note that most of a stroke victim’s recovery happens in the first three months of the event. After that three-month mark, it is possible to regain movement, but it comes at a much slower pace, if at all. A year later, Jill still needs help standing, dressing, eating, and attending to her personal hygiene (all the things most of us take for granted). She has had to pay a home health assistant out of her own pocket to assist with her daily care. This expense would have ended months ago if she had received the proper care from her medical insurance provider. In addition to delaying her OT and PT, the insurance company has provided the necessary medical equipment. Sh e still doesn't have a standing walker or a wheelchair. Ultimately, Jill’s friends took up a collection to get her a motorized chair, but she shouldn’t have to rely on donations for equipment her insurance is responsible for covering.

Jill’s health insurance provider hasn’t been the only insurance company derelict in its responsibilities. She is on long-term disability (LTD) through her employer. Despite being qualified and approved for LTD, it took over six months for her to see her first check. As a result of this delay, her car was repossessed, and she was facing foreclosure. Thankfully, she received her disability payment (only 60% of her regular income) just in time to stop the bank from auctioning off her home. However, until she received her LTD payment, she was forced to rely on her savings to pay for her health care assistant and put food on the table.

On top of everything else, unbeknownst to Jill, her water heater was leaking, which caused extensive damage to her home and astronomical electricity bills. Since she hasn’t been in her bedroom for a year, the huge jump in the electricity bill alerted her to the problem. At first, the increase was minimal and gradual, so it went unnoticed. Then suddenly, it jumped from around $200 per month to over $2,400 in a single month! The water heater was heating the water 24/7. Her electricity was disconnected because she didn’t have the money to pay this bill. Luckily, the power company was willing to restore her electricity and put her on a payment plan for the balance. The leak ruined two bathrooms, the closet in her bedroom, and the flooring in those areas. Currently, her bedroom doesn’t even have electricity. Of course, the damages caused by the leak are not covered by her homeowner’s insurance and will cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair. In addition to the costly repairs, her house will also need modifications to make it handicapped-accessible.

Thankfully, her LTD will cover the mortgage, food, and utilities. Still, at this point, Jill has exhausted all of her savings and has no idea how she will pay for the home repairs and modifications or the continuation of her home health assistant services. While it could be suggested that she move into an assisted living situation, Jill has provided a home and financial assistance to her older disabled brother. Since this arrangement has been going on for over twenty years, Jill is deeply concerned about uprooting him. However, she is also hopeful that she will eventually recover and regain at least some of her independence. With the proper modifications, she should be able to stay in her home and regain at least some of the normalcy she had before her illness.

Before the stroke, Jill had a successful career with Verizon. While Jill wasn’t wealthy, she was financially stable and paid her bills on time. Because Jill is a single woman with little family, she didn’t have anyone to manage her financial affairs or advocate for her treatment plan. The insurance companies (both health and LTD) clearly took advantage of the fact that she was too sick to fight for her rights. That is why she is in this mess, and why I am asking for your help. I cannot even image the frustration and stress she has experienced throughout this ordeal. Anyone with these conditions should only have to worry about getting better not fighting insurance companies for what they are owed!

If at all possible, please consider donating what you can to help Jill. If you are unable to help financially, please keep Jill and her brother in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you and God bless!