Help Tonya get the medical assistance she needs!
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Update: 10/4/2023 - It is with so much sadness to tell everyone my sister Tonya Waschow passed away last night at 11:45 pm at St. Joseph’s hospital. She got pneumonia again and her body could no longer fight. She fought long and hard! I was able to talk to her through FaceTime yesterday morning since I live in Arizona and was able to tell her how much I love her. My mom was by her side all last night. We don’t have the details yet as to when the memorial service will be, but I will let everyone know as soon as I have the details. Tonya has been bedridden since December. Thank you so much for those who contributed to her Go Fund Me page to help her get the care she needed throughout her illness. Also, thank you for those who sent her so many thoughts and prayers and were able to visit with her. She was way too young at 52 years old and I will miss her terribly.
Update: 7/7/23 - We apologize for the delay in getting you all another update on Tonya. There have been many recent transitions for Tonya. With your help through this Go Fund Me, we were able to hire the medical advocate for Tonya. This has been extremely helpful. Since Tonya’s POA (her sister) is in another state and she needed someone locally with expertise to navigate the healthcare system. We appreciate it so much! The medical advocate is not a cheap service, nor is there many people that can do this type of work. The advocate we hired has done an amazing job getting Tonya into Rush and then placed in one of the best rehab facilities in the area. Insurance has not been our friend through all of this. Rehab is only covered when the patient is making the type of gains and improvements they are expecting. Unfortunately, Tonya has not been able to make enough progress for insurance to continue that placement. Tonya continues to be completely immobile and needs a lift to get in and out of bed. She cannot walk and has very limited use of her arms and hands. A full complete diagnosis is still unknown even with the medical advocate working hard to get answers and the help Tonya needs. Between the advocate and Tonya’s sister Carla, they have had daily contact and phone calls to doctors and therapists trying to find the best services for Tonya and to get to the root of the problem. The advocate worked diligently to find an alternative placement that insurance would cover that is up to a higher standard. Places are very limited when money is limited. Tonya was placed at Tower Hill in South Elgin, a nursing facility close to family and friends, plus Tonya’s friend works there which is great. Tonya is still not on Medicaid. This is another item that is pending. The medical advocate is working on this as well. We once again are asking you to PLEASE find it in your hearts to donate to help offset the bills from the hospital and help pay for additional rehab and the medical advocate as Tonya really wants to walk again and get her independence back! As you all know the money goes fast and Tonya still has a long, fighting road ahead of her. Thank you all for your continued love ❤️ and support!
Update: 5/6/23 - You guys have helped Tonya soo much!! She is on her way to recovery!! Due to your help and the hiring of a healthcare advocate Tonya was able to get to Rush hospital. She had 3 more surgeries, finally on medication that is working to heal her and medication that is helping the pain. She was just recently transferred to a much better rehab facility!! This all was able to happen because of your help! Thank you all so much. She is feeling sooo much better. Thank you thank you thank you!!! Update: 4/24/23 - You guys are AMAZING!!! Due to your generosity we have already employed the professional healthcare advocate!! This has already begun to get Tonya some relief! The fight is just beginning. Please continue to share and give! The family and friends of Tonya Waschow are asking for your help! Tonya is only 52 years old and is currently bedridden and unable to care for her basic needs. She is afraid she will die in her bed if she doesn't get the services she deserves. We CANNOT let that happen! Tonya is a beautiful young lady with a great big smile who is always looking out for the needs of others. She is in dire need right now with only her elderly mother doing the best she can to make her comfortable. With the right help Tonya can get better physically and mentally. The goal is to raise $25,000 to start. This would allow us to employ a professional medical advocate to be the "boots on the ground" and get Tonya the medical services she needs, pay the bills that are continually piling up and pay for private in-home care. Please donate as little or as much as you can. This is an unfathomable situation and one of the only ways to save this beautiful, vibrant, optimistic soul. She needs YOU! Full Story: Tonya was originally diagnosed with CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia) in 2016. This was a crushing blow but since that time, she has been in and out of remission and doing well. Tonya continued to work part-time and take care of her cat, Einstein, until life hit her hard once again. In late December 2022, Tonya began not feeling well and was in excruciating pain. She went to the hospital and was sent home with no clear diagnosis or resolution. Tonya's pain never went away and her illness progressed. She could barely walk and spent most of her time in bed. Financially, things got worse too! Her hot water heater and her furnace broke down. In January 2023, she returned to the hospital to find out that she had an infection in her knee that had become septic. This resulted in a hospitalization and knee surgery to remove the infection. She was then placed on IV antibiotics for several months. During this time, she was diagnosed with acute onset Rheumatoid Arthritis. This was a devastating diagnosis! Her arms and legs are so swollen that she can no longer feed herself or get in and out of bed. She is bedridden! While in the hospital Tonya received more bad news, she is also diabetic requiring insulin shots. After an extended stay in the hospital and a rehab facility she was discharged to her home as her insurance would no longer cover her care. At the time of discharge, she was able to walk with a walker and assistance from an aide. However, she still needed full-time care getting in and out of bed, preparing meals, eating and taking care of her cat. Tonya was unable to start any treatment for the RA until after the antibiotic treatment for the infection was completed in late March. Unfortunately, the RA treatment can take 4-6 months before she will get any relief from the pain. Due to the pain, it is impossible for her to do any of her own activities of daily living. Tonya’s elderly mom moved in with her to provide assistance. Shortly after bad luck hit again and she had a fire in her home. Thank goodness, it was confined to the oven and no one was hurt. However, due to the smoke damage and having no stove she had to move from her home to her elderly mom’s home. Fortunately, she was able to bring her cat Einstein with her. Tonya’s condition continues to get worse as the home health care agency assigned to her is short staffed and she is not receiving the care she needs. Visits from nursing and OT/PT are very scarce, almost non-existent, once or twice a week if she is lucky. They constantly reschedule and they don’t have a bath aid. Tonya has not had a "real" shower or bath for months and the hair she was so proud of is brittle and breaking. Her 86 year old mother is not in the physical condition herself to provide this type of care. Tonya is in a great deal of pain and is unable to even get to her doctor’s appointments as she is confined to her bed. She lays on her back 24/7. OT/PT states that they cannot complete therapy with her because she screams with pain with every touch. Her level of pain is indescribable! She was walking in rehab with assistance and now has lost the ability to walk, feed herself and take care of her basic needs. Her only joy in life is Einstein and she is unable to take care of him. We are currently looking to get her palliative care to manage her pain and a strong representative who can advocate for her needs to be met! We need an advocate that will get Tonya the medical care and help she needs. We found a professional that can do this, however, it is private pay. Due to all of this, Tonya is in financial need in order to keep her home, bills paid and pay for private assistance to help with her activities of daily living. Please help us give Tonya her life back!
Update: 7/7/23 - We apologize for the delay in getting you all another update on Tonya. There have been many recent transitions for Tonya. With your help through this Go Fund Me, we were able to hire the medical advocate for Tonya. This has been extremely helpful. Since Tonya’s POA (her sister) is in another state and she needed someone locally with expertise to navigate the healthcare system. We appreciate it so much! The medical advocate is not a cheap service, nor is there many people that can do this type of work. The advocate we hired has done an amazing job getting Tonya into Rush and then placed in one of the best rehab facilities in the area. Insurance has not been our friend through all of this. Rehab is only covered when the patient is making the type of gains and improvements they are expecting. Unfortunately, Tonya has not been able to make enough progress for insurance to continue that placement. Tonya continues to be completely immobile and needs a lift to get in and out of bed. She cannot walk and has very limited use of her arms and hands. A full complete diagnosis is still unknown even with the medical advocate working hard to get answers and the help Tonya needs. Between the advocate and Tonya’s sister Carla, they have had daily contact and phone calls to doctors and therapists trying to find the best services for Tonya and to get to the root of the problem. The advocate worked diligently to find an alternative placement that insurance would cover that is up to a higher standard. Places are very limited when money is limited. Tonya was placed at Tower Hill in South Elgin, a nursing facility close to family and friends, plus Tonya’s friend works there which is great. Tonya is still not on Medicaid. This is another item that is pending. The medical advocate is working on this as well. We once again are asking you to PLEASE find it in your hearts to donate to help offset the bills from the hospital and help pay for additional rehab and the medical advocate as Tonya really wants to walk again and get her independence back! As you all know the money goes fast and Tonya still has a long, fighting road ahead of her. Thank you all for your continued love ❤️ and support!
Update: 5/6/23 - You guys have helped Tonya soo much!! She is on her way to recovery!! Due to your help and the hiring of a healthcare advocate Tonya was able to get to Rush hospital. She had 3 more surgeries, finally on medication that is working to heal her and medication that is helping the pain. She was just recently transferred to a much better rehab facility!! This all was able to happen because of your help! Thank you all so much. She is feeling sooo much better. Thank you thank you thank you!!! Update: 4/24/23 - You guys are AMAZING!!! Due to your generosity we have already employed the professional healthcare advocate!! This has already begun to get Tonya some relief! The fight is just beginning. Please continue to share and give! The family and friends of Tonya Waschow are asking for your help! Tonya is only 52 years old and is currently bedridden and unable to care for her basic needs. She is afraid she will die in her bed if she doesn't get the services she deserves. We CANNOT let that happen! Tonya is a beautiful young lady with a great big smile who is always looking out for the needs of others. She is in dire need right now with only her elderly mother doing the best she can to make her comfortable. With the right help Tonya can get better physically and mentally. The goal is to raise $25,000 to start. This would allow us to employ a professional medical advocate to be the "boots on the ground" and get Tonya the medical services she needs, pay the bills that are continually piling up and pay for private in-home care. Please donate as little or as much as you can. This is an unfathomable situation and one of the only ways to save this beautiful, vibrant, optimistic soul. She needs YOU! Full Story: Tonya was originally diagnosed with CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia) in 2016. This was a crushing blow but since that time, she has been in and out of remission and doing well. Tonya continued to work part-time and take care of her cat, Einstein, until life hit her hard once again. In late December 2022, Tonya began not feeling well and was in excruciating pain. She went to the hospital and was sent home with no clear diagnosis or resolution. Tonya's pain never went away and her illness progressed. She could barely walk and spent most of her time in bed. Financially, things got worse too! Her hot water heater and her furnace broke down. In January 2023, she returned to the hospital to find out that she had an infection in her knee that had become septic. This resulted in a hospitalization and knee surgery to remove the infection. She was then placed on IV antibiotics for several months. During this time, she was diagnosed with acute onset Rheumatoid Arthritis. This was a devastating diagnosis! Her arms and legs are so swollen that she can no longer feed herself or get in and out of bed. She is bedridden! While in the hospital Tonya received more bad news, she is also diabetic requiring insulin shots. After an extended stay in the hospital and a rehab facility she was discharged to her home as her insurance would no longer cover her care. At the time of discharge, she was able to walk with a walker and assistance from an aide. However, she still needed full-time care getting in and out of bed, preparing meals, eating and taking care of her cat. Tonya was unable to start any treatment for the RA until after the antibiotic treatment for the infection was completed in late March. Unfortunately, the RA treatment can take 4-6 months before she will get any relief from the pain. Due to the pain, it is impossible for her to do any of her own activities of daily living. Tonya’s elderly mom moved in with her to provide assistance. Shortly after bad luck hit again and she had a fire in her home. Thank goodness, it was confined to the oven and no one was hurt. However, due to the smoke damage and having no stove she had to move from her home to her elderly mom’s home. Fortunately, she was able to bring her cat Einstein with her. Tonya’s condition continues to get worse as the home health care agency assigned to her is short staffed and she is not receiving the care she needs. Visits from nursing and OT/PT are very scarce, almost non-existent, once or twice a week if she is lucky. They constantly reschedule and they don’t have a bath aid. Tonya has not had a "real" shower or bath for months and the hair she was so proud of is brittle and breaking. Her 86 year old mother is not in the physical condition herself to provide this type of care. Tonya is in a great deal of pain and is unable to even get to her doctor’s appointments as she is confined to her bed. She lays on her back 24/7. OT/PT states that they cannot complete therapy with her because she screams with pain with every touch. Her level of pain is indescribable! She was walking in rehab with assistance and now has lost the ability to walk, feed herself and take care of her basic needs. Her only joy in life is Einstein and she is unable to take care of him. We are currently looking to get her palliative care to manage her pain and a strong representative who can advocate for her needs to be met! We need an advocate that will get Tonya the medical care and help she needs. We found a professional that can do this, however, it is private pay. Due to all of this, Tonya is in financial need in order to keep her home, bills paid and pay for private assistance to help with her activities of daily living. Please help us give Tonya her life back!
Organizer
Holly Brown
Organizer
West Dundee, IL