Veteran and Nurse hit with perfect storm
Donation protected
My name is Cindy Williamson.
My husband, Ralph Graham, has been fighting esophageal cancer since 2018. He endured a grueling regimen of chemo and radiation, went through invasive and dangerous surgery to remove his esophagus and got back to work and life.
Unfortunately, cancer was not done with him. After a period of remission, routine scans revealed the cancer had come back in his liver and lungs. He was told he had 3 to 6 months to live.
That was 7 months ago. He is still here, and under the care of Hospice. All he wants is to pass away peacefully at home surrounded by me and our dog, Oscar.
Our home , in Ledyard Connecticut, is his pride and joy. He put in so much care and labor to make it a safe and comfortable environment for all of us and was at peace knowing Oscar and I would have the house after he was gone.
Then, suddenly, his dying wish was ripped away. In the space of seconds a burst pipe in the attic flooded our home and destroyed the floors, many walls and ceilings. Asbestos was found in the attic insulation and that will have to be mitigated as well.
Now we find ourselves in a long-stay motel for an indeterminate amount of time, praying we get our house back before Ralph dies.
We were coping with all of this, then we got a bill in the mail. It seems as of December 1, 2021 Ralph became entirely responsible for his insurance premiums as he has been unable to work for the past few months due to the many effects of terminal cancer. This payment of $2200 a month is completely out of our reach. If we don't pay, not only will he have no insurance at all, but any healthcare he has received since December 1 including all Hospice services and medication will become our responsibility to pay. This will total many thousands of dollars.
Ralph has served his community well. He was a Staff Sergeant in the Army for 16 years. As an avid cyclist , Ralph loved riding in cycling charity rides to raise funds for worthy causes like Habit for Humanity , the American Cancer Society and many other. He was co-director of his Catholic ACTS teams , a retreat program that attempts to reconnect those of faith with a God the loves them so much. Ralph was also a member of Relay for Life teams in South Eastern CT.
It is so difficult and embarrassing to ask for help. No mater how bad things got over the last couple of years, we never asked anyone for help, as we were accustomed to being the ones helping others. We were prepared to deal with everything we were facing on our own but we are forced to admit that with the changes in health insurance laws we have no other choice but to ask for help.
I would like to continue my nursing duties knowing that Ralph's final wish that Oscar and I are safe and in the home that we love were met, and he can rest in peace.
If your a veteran, a dog lover or someone with compassion, please, share this with your social media sites.
My husband, Ralph Graham, has been fighting esophageal cancer since 2018. He endured a grueling regimen of chemo and radiation, went through invasive and dangerous surgery to remove his esophagus and got back to work and life.
Unfortunately, cancer was not done with him. After a period of remission, routine scans revealed the cancer had come back in his liver and lungs. He was told he had 3 to 6 months to live.
That was 7 months ago. He is still here, and under the care of Hospice. All he wants is to pass away peacefully at home surrounded by me and our dog, Oscar.
Our home , in Ledyard Connecticut, is his pride and joy. He put in so much care and labor to make it a safe and comfortable environment for all of us and was at peace knowing Oscar and I would have the house after he was gone.
Then, suddenly, his dying wish was ripped away. In the space of seconds a burst pipe in the attic flooded our home and destroyed the floors, many walls and ceilings. Asbestos was found in the attic insulation and that will have to be mitigated as well.
Now we find ourselves in a long-stay motel for an indeterminate amount of time, praying we get our house back before Ralph dies.
We were coping with all of this, then we got a bill in the mail. It seems as of December 1, 2021 Ralph became entirely responsible for his insurance premiums as he has been unable to work for the past few months due to the many effects of terminal cancer. This payment of $2200 a month is completely out of our reach. If we don't pay, not only will he have no insurance at all, but any healthcare he has received since December 1 including all Hospice services and medication will become our responsibility to pay. This will total many thousands of dollars.
Ralph has served his community well. He was a Staff Sergeant in the Army for 16 years. As an avid cyclist , Ralph loved riding in cycling charity rides to raise funds for worthy causes like Habit for Humanity , the American Cancer Society and many other. He was co-director of his Catholic ACTS teams , a retreat program that attempts to reconnect those of faith with a God the loves them so much. Ralph was also a member of Relay for Life teams in South Eastern CT.
It is so difficult and embarrassing to ask for help. No mater how bad things got over the last couple of years, we never asked anyone for help, as we were accustomed to being the ones helping others. We were prepared to deal with everything we were facing on our own but we are forced to admit that with the changes in health insurance laws we have no other choice but to ask for help.
I would like to continue my nursing duties knowing that Ralph's final wish that Oscar and I are safe and in the home that we love were met, and he can rest in peace.
If your a veteran, a dog lover or someone with compassion, please, share this with your social media sites.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CARING AND COMPASSION!
Organizer
Ralph Graham
Organizer
Ledyard Center, CT