I am Pauline I am Paul’s wife and am trying to raise funds to make our home more handicapped accessible to meet his new needs.

To my friends and family,

This is the hardest thing I have ever had to write and I will admit my pride is greatly bruised. I am the helper not the one who asks for help..

For those who have been following Paul’s story since his fall on December 22nd some of this is repetitive. What is not is how it is affecting us, mentally, emotionally, and financially.

On December 20th Paul hit his head on a cabinet, later that day he complained of a sinus headache and we went and got meds. On the 21st he still had the headache but it was worse (we still thought it was sinus related) on the evening of December 22nd Paul started complaining of the worst headache he had of his life . Shortly after that he passed out he fell to the floor striking his head again. I called our daughter that lives closest to us and with the help of our son in law Paul was taken to the local emergency room in Laurens County. After a CT which showed Paul had a brain bleed the doctor decided he needed to be seen at Greenville Memorial and he was transported by EMS. His brain bleed was confirmed at Greenville Memorial and he was admitted to the Trauma ICU with plans for surgery when they got him stabilized.

All before this he had been dealing with skin cancer (Melanoma, Metastasized Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Basel Cell Carcinoma ) and having masses removed over 20 surgeries in the last 2 years (this isn’t counting the biopsies, scrapings, and freeze removals done in the dermatologist office) He was scheduled for his latest cancer surgery on January 16th before his admittance to Greenville Memorial which has been postponed now.

While he was admitted to Greenville Memorial on December 22nd they continued to monitor his blood work and do repeat CT scans. On the 24th of December Paul was moved to Neuro ICU and we were blessed with a Christmas miracle and were told the brain bleed had stopped on its own and he was shortly thereafter moved to a regular room on the Neuro floor, AT THAT TIME, we were told he was no longer requiring surgery per the Neuro Surgeon! While he continued to have elevated blood pressure and severe headaches. On Christmas Day, we were given the blessing that he was going home! While told that he had a long road ahead of him, Paul had a positive attitude and was ready and willing to make the fight.

After getting home we discovered the extent of his balance and coordination problems. He was falling multiple times a day and night with a walker . I was at home taking care of Paul alone and was starting to get really scared. (Paul outweighs me by 120+ pounds and the creative ways we came up with to get him out of the floor were something I could write a book on, one night I just grabbed blankets and we cuddled in the floor til we were rested enough to get him up) Our middle daughter flew in from Nebraska on December 30th and stayed until January the 3rd when she had to return to her job and family, at this time we purchased a wheel chair for use around the house and when we had to leave the house.

On January 2nd we saw Paul’s primary care provider. The plan was to get him into physical therapy as soon as possible to help get his strength back. Paul was sleeping more and eating less, and all around uninterested in any social interactions.

On January 8th Paul had his first PT session and she said he was very weak and very slow with everything and his balance and coordination was working against him and her suggestion was his next session be with another PT staff member that can access balance and coordination.

On January 9th, we had a follow-up visit with Paul’s Neurosurgeon. While comparing the last 2 CT scans, it was noted another small bleed had occurred and a significant amount of blood had accumulated on the right side of his brain. The Neurosurgeon said that the blood was the consistency of motor oil instead of like water which it should have been at that point and with it being that thick his brain could not absorb it and it would turn into the consistency of jello as time went by and this would cause permanent damage to his brain. All of this is what is leading to his right sided weakness(he could not use his left foot and leg and very little use in his left arm and hand), dizziness, and Paul’s extreme fatigue. The Neurosurgeon said surgery was our only option and the good news was he could preform what is known as a Burr Hole Procedure instead of the Craniotomy (drill a hole in his skull and flush the blood out put in a drain for a few days instead of actually removing the right side of his skull)

At this time, surgery was scheduled, the Neurosurgeon felt that since Paul was strong and stable this surgery would be a success.

On January 12th, they performed the Burr Hole Procedure. During the procedure the removed about 6 ounces of blood off his brain and left a drain in with the hope of getting the rest of the blood off. The new bleed had stopped so nothing was required with that. He will have a repeat CT scans to make sure there is no new bleeding and he is healing on schedule.

After the CT scan on the 13th, we spoke with the doctor. According to the drain tube there was another 20 mL of blood that had drained. It was then determined to leave the drain in for at minimum 1 more day. There was 4 ml of drainage overnight and no new blood on the brain, and the brain was slowly moving back to center.

Pauls brain was off center 13 mm before his brain surgery and 10 mm off post op. The neurosurgeon says it will take months or up to a year for Paul’s brain to move back to center.

They once again ordered physical therapy.

On the 14th he began walking with a walker, and the drain tube was removed.

Paul is in excellent spirits and we got to go home! His gait and balance is still somewhat off, and is still weak. Hopefully as physical therapy continues the need for a wheelchair and walker will no longer be needed.

As of the 23rd of January, Paul has returned to physical therapy. He is using a cane!! That is amazing progress. For any kind of time on his feet, he will still need / use the wheelchair or walker but for short distances he was able to get around on a cane! That is the most incredible news.

Now the hard part. Money!! We have always lived within our means. Raised 8 children and always had enough. Since all of this has been going on with Paul, I have not only been missing work, but I am now forced with dealing with things I never thought I would have to deal with. Having electric heat installed in our home. Paul is no longer able to cut down trees for firewood (will never be able to do this again) , nor move it to the porch or into the house. Our middle son has been bring up wood for me to the porch and we have a friend that loaned us a propane heater but these are short term fixes and I am in desperate need for a long term fix for our heating needs. We also need to redo our bathroom, so that it is handicap accessible for Paul (standard size tub and handicap rails for the tub and toilet and installation of these things) I have been giving Paul sink baths since the 26th of December, the way our bathroom is built there is no hope of putting in a shower and our old clawfoot tub will have to be replaced with a standard one because Paul cannot balance and lift his left leg to get into and out of the bath tub, hiring someone (aide) to help with some of Paul’s personal needs, as well as all the medical bills that not only have already occurred but will continue to accrue as Paul continues to heal. I have reached out to the VA (Paul served 22 years in the United States Air Force before he retired and was a deputy for the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office for 20 years before retirement) the way they talk it will be next year before he can jump through the hoops needed to get their assistance.

If you could find it in your heart (and wallet) to help us out we would be eternally grateful. I will continue to post updates on Paul (on both the healing from the brain bleed and the continued surgeries and recoveries of the cancers) so that you can continue to keep up with his progress.

I do not have a cash app, pay pal or any of those things I don’t even know where to start with getting them. I have a mailing address and this go fund me.

Thank y'all who have the ability to help be it with money or by sharing this and saying prayers.