Help L.A.R.S.

Hi, I'm James Peterson. I live in Merrill, WI. I am 56 years old and love my girl Lori Reed endlessly; she is my second half. I love my dog Cooper, my mother Sharon, where I live, my country, and the outdoors. I am a simple man, I get along with others, and worked very hard until a year ago. I have osteoarthritis, and my wrists are fusing together. I can't use my hands much; my range of motion is 6% after years of hard work as a maintenance mechanic and fabricator, so I had to file for disability. I have had no income since last August. Lori and I live with and take care of my 84-year-old mother Sharon, and the three of us scratch by month to month on one income, but it doesn't take away from the good, giving people we are. Lori has had asthma and COPD. She is 54 and the most giving lady with a wonderful heart.

On Thursday, March 4th, an unsuspected tragic and traumatizing event happened. Lori was laughing after a joke her friend had told her. Lori felt short of breath, reached for her inhaler, tried to release her medicine, and the inhaler was clogged, defective, or out. Lori has lived with an inhaler most of her life and always prepared a spare or made sure she wasn't empty. This made Lori panic; she hyperventilated, and the COPD would not let her expel air, sending her into cardiac arrest when I was taking her to the ER. I thought I lost my Lori. I was driving beyond my skill and knew I had to get there fast. Lori was DOA; they got her resuscitated after a few minutes, but she went anoxic, or without oxygen, for over 5 minutes. They loaded her in the flight for life and brought her to Green Bay St. Mary's hospital, where she came out of a medically induced coma after 4 days. Lori is in the fight for her life, and I am totally decimated with grief. I have been here 5 weeks, slept, and stayed in the waiting room for 12 days. I didn't want her to wake up and be terrified, not knowing where she was. I love her immensely.

I do not have the money to afford a place to stay here, and the fuel is terrible. I live 105 miles from Green Bay. I have to run back and forth because my 84-year-old mother needs me too. I am overwhelmed and need help. Please, if you have compassion, help me out. And Lori, it does wonders knowing I'm there. Please and thank you.

Sincerely, James Peterson.