Urgent Help for Steve's Recovery and Family

Hi All

My husband Steve and I have been married for 6 years.

We have a beautiful life together although we have had a bumpy road of it along the way.

We have battled back from my stroke and a year later my breast cancer diagnosis, surgery and treatment, Steve's Pulmonary Embolism right after my last radiation treatment (he died in our house twice), my MS diagnosis, and almost losing our home due to medical bills.

We have always found a way to work things out and dig ourselves out.

But we are at the point in our life where we need help.

I have run out of resources and options.

Steve is a wonderful husband, father and grandfather who now finds himself in a medical situation.

Steve is a retired firefighter of 30 years who spent time at ground zero during the recovery immediately following the fall of the second tower. He has some damage to his lungs. We brought him to the ER last Tuesday, September 3rd, with chest pains and a horrible cough. While being evaluated/treated, something changed and he doubled over in pain. The ER doctor chose to admit him.

After a few hours in the ER while waiting, blood work and tests, surgeons came in to tell me that he had a life threatening duodenal ulcer that perforated his small intestine and bacteria, food, etc was spilling into his abdominal cavity. To have this happen in that location is rare. They needed to put an NG tube in to see if they could drain everything out. They started antibiotics and pain meds and moved him immediately to ICU. Depending on how things progressed, he may need surgery. And due to the location, that surgery was more complicated and risky.

Lots of prayer followed.

Steve stayed in ICU until Saturday evening when he was moved to the general floor.

They felt that we had avoided major surgery (complicated by the location of the rupture).

Steve had another more minor episode Sunday midday which necessitated more meds but thankfully no reinsertion of the tube.

That same afternoon at 345pm the hospital attempted to discharge him because the insurance parameters dictated that they do so.

I was able to stop this but only until the next morning.

He was discharged without his GI consult and without addressing the original lung issue that brought him to the ER.

He came home late Monday and by Tuesday the cough and chest pain were back.

I was able to get follow up set with GI, Pulmonary, and PCP this week and hematology in 2 weeks.

Steve will be out of work indefinitely as the job he has requires physical activity that he cannot do.

Due to my illnesses I am on disability.

We did apply for CTFMLA, but after speaking with them, it will take 4+ weeks to get his first check. This is because the ICU doctor took him out for 1 month plus but the floor did not extend that upon discharge so each of his 4 specialists need to fill out paperwork which brings us out to the 23rd...then it takes 2-4 weeks after that.

Steve will also need to follow a special diet for the next few weeks...1 week full liquid easing into soft foods and smoothies, protein drinks and easy into a soft food diet.

He will need to be careful until it fully heals that it does not rupture again or they will need to do surgery.

He will have more tests and an endoscopy prior to being able to return to work.

My disability check goes to our bankruptcy reorganization in its entirety which is how we kept from losing our home.

Steve is now stressing over providing for his family...which definitely does NOT help!

I am putting all of this out there because I don't know what else to do.

I have called around to see about a small loan against our home but with my open bankruptcy reorganization, that is not an option. A personal loan is not an option because we have no income. And we do not have (or use) credit cards.

So we are stuck.

My daughter suggested we do a go fund me and I waited until I contacted each and every bill to see how far I can push things out. Some were great, some not so much.

The amount above will cover 1 month of bills and copays as well as his special diet and the employee part of his health insurancethat would normally come out of a paycheck.

Steve is not out of the woods yet. We will know more at the endoscopy in 6 weeks if this has healed and how much damage was actually done.

Prayers are needed and appreciated.

Many thanks for listening.