On December 21st my Mom, Janette Clark, was first hospitalized for what turned out to be a very serious cellulitis infection. It presented in her leg and, despite emergency surgery to try and remove infected tissue from her knee, the infection spread and turned into sepsis. Once it turned septic things started changing rapidly and we very nearly lost her. Thankfully, she had a team of doctors working to try and figure out how to best address the issue and she pulled through - but it has absolutely ravaged her body.

Some of you know that my Mom hasn't been home since that first hospitalization on December 21st. Once she stabalized, she was released to a rehab facility for 3 weeks of heavy duty iv antibiotics and physical and occupational therapy to help with her mobility and get her back on her feet. Once the iv antibiotics were completed, her insurance decided that she should be released - despite the fact that she was still unable to walk and was requiring a Hoya lift to transfer her. She was also barely able to sit up in a wheelchair without extreme pain and discomfort. We decided to send her to a respite unit for a month so she could receive additional physical therapy in the hopes she would be able to walk and possibly go home. This was all out of pocket expenses - I even had to rent the wheelchair, hospital bed, and shower bench they needed for her at the new facility.

Sadly, due to a mistake that was made with her antibiotics, the infection returned and spread to the discs of her spine and she was re-hospitalized. She has been on a heavy round of iv antibiotics for the last 12 weeks in order to combat this infection and to keep it from returning. She's been in a rehab facility so that the antibiotics can be administered by a nurse and has made remarkable progress with her physical and occupational therapy. She's walking!! She's been working hard to try and regain strength and mobility and everyone on her care team has been amazed at the improvement she's shown.

She had a positive appointment with the infectious disease doctor a few weeks ago but, due to the severity of this infection, the doctor extended her round of iv antibiotics while they run further tests to make sure it's safe to switch her from iv to oral medication. Unfortunately, she has exhausted her benefit days with insurance and, despite her doctors and care teams protests, Medicare has made the decision that we're now required to private pay for the remainder of her care. She is still unable to go home and my home is not set up in a way that would be safe for her - I'm also unable to take care of her as she's still needing 24/7 care.

For most of my life, it's been me and my Mom against the world, but there are times when you need to admit that you can't keep doing this on your own. So...I'm turning to my community and asking for help. I work 2 jobs regularly in order to make ends meet in a more comfortable fashion and, unfortunately, I can't keep carrying this on my own. My Mom's resources are very limited and I have exhausted the limited financial resources that I have to offer.

This amount reflects what I think will be needed to continue her care and to get her going with physical therapy again (another benefit insurance ended a few weeks ago). This doesn't even begin to touch the medical bills she's accrued or the equipment I suspect she'll need when she does make it back home...but one step at a time. Please know, I do believe she can make it back home - she just needs a little more support to get her there.

Much love,

Rochelle