Support Lee & Bonnie in Their Time of Need

Lib Sargent is organizing this fundraiser.

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Good Day,

My name is Lib Sargent and this will introduce Mr. Lee Richards, a 65-year-old male who has just been admitted to Hospice Services for End of Life Care.

Lee &his wife Bonnie ( McMichael )my best friend from WEHS who I met in 1975, just moved to Florida to retire this past November 2023 from Tiverton, Rhode Island.
Less than 2 short months after moving to Florida, Lee suffered a Hemorrhagic and Ischemic stroke. Doctors reported that he was lucky to be alive.
Ever since Lee’s strokes in January, Lee has not been able to eat solid foods as the strokes have caused damage to his taste receptors in his brain. Lee reports that all foods taste like “Rotten Garbage”.
Lee has had multiple consults with numerous specialists who report there is nothing they can do.
Lee has always been a man who “Lived to Eat” and now he is no longer able to essentially “Eat to Live”.
Bonnie, the love of his life for the past 45 years, has gone above and beyond trying everything and anything to get Lee to eat, however, he cannot tolerate any solid foods whatsoever. He has only been able to consume power shakes, yet over the past 2 weeks, Lee has not been able to drink these as they now taste “Rotten” as well.
Lee has been vomiting daily for the past 4 months and is losing all nutrients his body so desperately needs to survive.
Doctors have prescribed Zofran to help with the nausea and vomiting, yet this and other anti-nausea medications have been unsuccessful.
It is devastating to realize that Lee has lost 16 lbs in the past 11 days. He reports that he is “Starving” and so desperately wants to eat, however, the damage to his brain will not allow him to do so.
This brain injury has wreaked havoc on Lee’s body. Neurologist has just additionally diagnosed new Vascular Dementia.
With his inability to eat, his insulin-dependent diabetes is causing unstable blood sugars, New Kidney failure and Gastroparesis (stomach not emptying) Cardiac issues causing severe low blood pressure, Chronic Pain, Neuropathy and poor quality of life, Lee has refused further hospitalization.
At this sad, most unfortunate time, Lee has chosen to be a DNR.
Lee is refusing a feeding tube and which will exacerbate his IBS causing him to lose even more nutrients.
Lee reports that he just cannot take anymore. He is so very weak, he now is sleeping 18 hours a day.
With this being the case, he will soon pass away.
When Lee and Bonnie arrived in Florida, they had great hopes of new beginnings, which has turned into their worst nightmare. With all the endless hospital bills, testing and procedures as well as the cost of medications, they have become financially devastated.
Bonnie, a former Assistant Manager in Retail, has not been able to return to work which she absolutely loves, as she has been a full-time caregiver to Lee.
Lee is a native of Rhode Island and it is his greatest hope and wish that he can have his remains shipped to his home state once he passes away.

Even though times are extremely difficult for everyone right now, it is my greatest hope, prayer, and wish that we can all dig a little deeper into our pockets and help Bonnie and Lee at this sad, difficult and extremely unfortunate time.

Thank you in advance for any contributions you can make. I know times are hard for everyone right now, but if you could find it in your heart to make a donation of any amount, it will help Bonnie pay for funeral costs and pay to ship Lee’s remains home to his native State of Rhode Island.

Blessings to all of you that are able to help Lee and Bonnie at this most difficult and challenging time.

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