Hello Community, Friends, Family of Estelle.
Since we first reached out a few months ago, SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED.
On June 18, Estelle suffered a stroke, resulting in the loss of mobility of both legs and her left arm. She was admitted into the care of Hospice of Santa Cruz, and they have been absolutely lovely, providing much-needed supplies and support. She is now wheelchair-bound, which has raised her level of care needs exponentially.
Estelle, her kids, and this care team thank you SO MUCH for all of your generous donations. Every last penny was spent on companion care. Although Brookdale Assisted Living does provide so much (including cleaning and changing her along with moving her from bed to wheelchair), the companion shifts help Estelle do all of the tasks that being wheelchair bound 24/7 necessitate: wheeling her outside to breathe fresh air and keep her spiritual practice, pushing her to exercise class, helping her with every single task she herself can no longer do alone–such as gathering her supplies for toothbrushing or washing her face, and just being there to chat or hold space as she pushes her button and waits for someone to come help her.
We are reaching out to all of you to ask you to consider contributing to our fund again. Estelle’s needs are significant and, for the foreseeable future, will not change. She and her family are stretched thin, paying for Brookdale (with the help of insurance) and some extra morning companionship, which Estelle values greatly. However, the amount they can fund themselves does not meet Estelle’s emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs. We want to continue with the evening care, which is approximately $300 per week. We have had great success with wonderful companions who have come to us through strong community connections.
In Estelle’s own words, “I don’t know what I would do without helpers - they keep me connected to the outside world. They give me something to look forward to.”
Remember, no amount is too small. We know many of you have already donated and understand that we all have our lives to take care of. We kindly ask you to consider again any amount that you can, and we assure you that all your effort and energy will be greatly appreciated by Estelle, those of us in her daily life, and her kids.
“Thank you, community, for your caring and continued support!”
- Sabrina and Ariel