Support Mark and Lajuana's Journey to Recovery

My name is Patrick and I am starting a GoFundMe for my friends Mark and Lajuana Dorris. Seven months ago they were living their lives and enjoying their children and grandchildren. Mark was retired and Lajuana was an office manager and accountant for a local business.

One morning while they were hosting a grandchild for an overnight visit, Mark found Lajuana in severe medical distress. An ambulance was called and a seven month medical ordeal began that has turned their lives upside down. Lajuana was having a major brain aneurism and rushed into emergency surgery. Over the past 7 months Lajuana has had 3 brain surgeries related to this aneurism and extensive physical therapy which continues. She lost her sight in one eye but regained that vision miraculously at a local church in Claremore as she was being anointed with oil and prayed over by the congregation. She continues to have severe headaches however and gets regular brain scans.

Several generous people helped them during the early days of this ordeal for which they are eternally grateful. If you were one of those thank you from the bottom of our hearts. However, as they have been without her income for seven months, they have lost their home and most of their belongings which Mark sold to be able to get into a smaller rental property. Mark came out of retirement and delivered pizzas while going back and forth from the hospital. When they finally had to leave their Tulsa home, Mark could not find housing they could afford in the Tulsa area and relocated to NE Oklahoma to a rural area. Mark started a job as a driver for Shangri-La Resort which was a blessing. With that job and proceeds from what they sold, he was able to rent a tiny home near there that they could afford. Lajuana has been staying most of the time with her son outside of Tulsa near Saint Francis Hospital in order to continue therapy but will soon join Mark in their new home.

Several weeks ago Mark lost his job when a new management company took over operation of the resort. When they begin staffing the property again they told him he can reapply but for now he has no income. He is in talks with a former employer to do large equipment sales but had his cell phone cut off due to no money to pay the bill. Lajuana's employer who was very supportive finally had to fill her position in order to do year-end accounting and payroll as nobody there knew how to do what she was doing. Her doctors have told her she will likely never be able to work again. She has applied for early social security at a greatly reduced rate and will begin receiving this in mid-January.

The issue for them is getting on their feet financially without losing the rent house they found and getting a vehicle that works. Their car needs a new battery and won't start and they do not have the money to replace the battery currently. Mark was working every option to gain employment but at his age, with his phone cut off and no vehicle to go to interviews, they have their backs against the wall.

What God has brought Lajuana through medically is truly a miracle and that's what the doctors call her. Now the small miracle they need this Christmas and the next few months is to get through this financial crisis until Mark is able to get a new job at nearly 70 years old and Lajuana can begin receiving the small amount of social security she will have coming.

If you have it within your heart and if you have the means, your donation to help them bridge this financial crisis until they can get on their feet would be a blessing and would be received with immense gratitude!

God bless you for taking the time to read this and for your consideration of this request!