Wheels and Care for Joel!
Donation protected
Paula is a 72-year-old woman who decided that she wanted to do something for the children in our community. Although Paula and her husband had never had children themselves, when her husband passed away she wondered how she could help. She thought she could best serve by becoming a foster parent.
When Joel was 2 ½ months old he was purposefully injured by one of his parents and unfortunately suffered multiple brain bleeds and a skull fracture. As Joel lay in the intensive care unit, Paula received a phone call stating that there was an infant in the intensive care unit that needed a foster parent. Paula never hesitated. After Joel was released from the hospital he was given to Paula and she took care of him. When she picked him up his tiny head was bandaged and she knew they had a long road ahead of them. She raised Joel for 2 and ½ years all by herself. In those 2 ½ years she taught him to crawl, walk, and talk. She took him to endless therapy sessions and doctor appointments. Joel loved cars and he loved Paula. Doctors could not believe the progress that Joel made. Usually with that type of brain injury children suffer severe long term effects, but Joel fully recovered and was a beautiful happy little boy.
When Joel was 2 ½ years old Paula received a phone call stating that it was time for Joel to return back to his home with his family and siblings. Although Paula knew there would come a time that Joel would ultimately have to go back, she had no idea the pain that would come with that call. When Paula had to say goodbye to Joel, Joel did not understand because he believed Paula was his mother since that is who had raised him. It was a heartbreaking goodbye and one of the toughest days of Paula’s life. She knew she had done everything she could and she knew she had loved him with all of her heart.
Unfortunately, the worst day of Paula’s life came just a few months later when she received another phone call. The individual on the other end of that line stated that Joel had been injured again by an individual in his home. He had sustained many injuries, one of which was a brain bleed. They did not know if he was going to survive but they wanted to give Paula the opportunity to say goodbye to the little boy she so loved. Paula went down to the hospital and she found her baby Joel. She stayed with him day and night, and Joel began to get better. Joel ultimately survived but this time his body and his brain could not make a full recovery. When he was released from the hospital he went with Paula back to their home. Paula not only adopted Joel, but she also adopted his older sister so they would not be apart.
Joel has severe medical issues that he will always have. Due to the type of injury Joel sustained, he is blind and partially deaf. He cannot walk because the part of his brain that was injured controlled his legs; therefore, he is in a wheelchair. He has minimal use of one arm. He is fed food and water through a “G” tube into his stomach. As you can imagine taking care of him on a daily basis is more work than most people do in their entire life. Paula has some help with a "in-home" nursing services but they cancel on her regularly, and now at 72-years old she struggles.
The reason this fund was made because Joel is now 10-years-old and while Paula used to be able to pick him up and put him in her car, she can no longer lift him because he has gotten so heavy. We are raising money to provide Paula and Joel with a wheelchair accessible van so that Paula can take Joel out to his doctor appointments, therapy, and so that he can leave his home and have some semblance of a normal life. We appreciate all the help you can give, thank you all!
When Joel was 2 ½ months old he was purposefully injured by one of his parents and unfortunately suffered multiple brain bleeds and a skull fracture. As Joel lay in the intensive care unit, Paula received a phone call stating that there was an infant in the intensive care unit that needed a foster parent. Paula never hesitated. After Joel was released from the hospital he was given to Paula and she took care of him. When she picked him up his tiny head was bandaged and she knew they had a long road ahead of them. She raised Joel for 2 and ½ years all by herself. In those 2 ½ years she taught him to crawl, walk, and talk. She took him to endless therapy sessions and doctor appointments. Joel loved cars and he loved Paula. Doctors could not believe the progress that Joel made. Usually with that type of brain injury children suffer severe long term effects, but Joel fully recovered and was a beautiful happy little boy.
When Joel was 2 ½ years old Paula received a phone call stating that it was time for Joel to return back to his home with his family and siblings. Although Paula knew there would come a time that Joel would ultimately have to go back, she had no idea the pain that would come with that call. When Paula had to say goodbye to Joel, Joel did not understand because he believed Paula was his mother since that is who had raised him. It was a heartbreaking goodbye and one of the toughest days of Paula’s life. She knew she had done everything she could and she knew she had loved him with all of her heart.
Unfortunately, the worst day of Paula’s life came just a few months later when she received another phone call. The individual on the other end of that line stated that Joel had been injured again by an individual in his home. He had sustained many injuries, one of which was a brain bleed. They did not know if he was going to survive but they wanted to give Paula the opportunity to say goodbye to the little boy she so loved. Paula went down to the hospital and she found her baby Joel. She stayed with him day and night, and Joel began to get better. Joel ultimately survived but this time his body and his brain could not make a full recovery. When he was released from the hospital he went with Paula back to their home. Paula not only adopted Joel, but she also adopted his older sister so they would not be apart.
Joel has severe medical issues that he will always have. Due to the type of injury Joel sustained, he is blind and partially deaf. He cannot walk because the part of his brain that was injured controlled his legs; therefore, he is in a wheelchair. He has minimal use of one arm. He is fed food and water through a “G” tube into his stomach. As you can imagine taking care of him on a daily basis is more work than most people do in their entire life. Paula has some help with a "in-home" nursing services but they cancel on her regularly, and now at 72-years old she struggles.
The reason this fund was made because Joel is now 10-years-old and while Paula used to be able to pick him up and put him in her car, she can no longer lift him because he has gotten so heavy. We are raising money to provide Paula and Joel with a wheelchair accessible van so that Paula can take Joel out to his doctor appointments, therapy, and so that he can leave his home and have some semblance of a normal life. We appreciate all the help you can give, thank you all!
Organizer
Jacqueline Jeanney Bluth
Organizer
Henderson, NV
