Ed's Medical Expenses

My name is Jessica, Ronald (Ed) Grasmick is my dad. In September of 2021 he was placed in ICU on a ventilator due to COVID. Everything happened so quickly and suddenly, it was hard for all of us to process it.

With so many loved ones, friends, and communities prayers, my dad survived almost every complication one could have while on the ventilator. The ICU nurses, doctors, and staff truly saved my dad's life and did so with such care and compassion towards him and us. Late October, he was moved to Ltac which was not a facility we wished for. He was not being properly cared for and we fought hard to get him moved elsewhere. He finally was and it was to a wonderful facility. He still had a trach, drain tube, and feeding tube. He went from a 230lb muscular man down to 165lbs with no muscle left in his body, all which happened while on the vent. He couldn't walk, eat food, barely talk, couldn't scratch his own nose. Slowly the new Ltac worked with him to gain some strength back but he was still having many medical complications. He was placed back into the hospital for almost 2 weeks, getting a "tune up" as my mom puts it. Then the hospital placed him in a Skilled Nursing facility, again one we were not able to choose. At this point it is December, our family missing Thanksgiving with him, praying we won't miss Christmas too. Unfortunately, Christmas wouldn't happen. This SNF was not taking care of him either. No bed baths, no oral care, no rotating him in bed to stay off his painful bed sore, they wouldn't even come to help him use the restroom without us having to call them to come help him. He was sent back to the hospital a total of 3 times in the first 2 weeks he was with them. It was due to the staff not properly crushing his pills to go into his feeding tube, and not flushing the tube after feedings. All completely avoidable. We 10000% understand how short and overworked staff is right now but human basic needs should not be left on the back burner.

Now we have the opportunity to get my dad moved to another facility or hopefully start home health care. Referrals for both were placed in December, but no one had an open bed or available staff. Now an open bed has came open with his name on it, but with a pretty penny too. Since it is the start of a new year, their insurance deductible has to be met first. Home health care will have an opening soon as well, but still with that same price tag.

My parents have always been the type of people who are the first to jump to help anyone. No matter what it was or how much it was. They have never accepted or taken any type of financial help from others because they didn't want to take that from someone. I have watched my parents over the years go through many obstacles and hurdles, somehow always making it through in the end and staying together.

They've been married for 31 years, have 4 children (one passed), and 5 grandbabies.

I just want to do something to help them and take some stress of their shoulder's like they've done for me and my siblings, other family members, friends, and neighbors for so many years.

We are all so tired of fighting this medical system and advocating every single day for the past 3 months.

Anything donated will 1000% go to help them with all these medical expenses and will be so greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time and reading this.