Help Lindsay Help Her Veteran
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The past couple of months have been a real test of faith for both myself and my Veteran. I could even say the past few YEARS have been.
On June 30, we left Michigan to drive down to his new home in Tennessee. He left work to drive up to visit his sister, who had very aggressive breast cancer, when he found out that her cancer spread to her brain, bone, liver and spine. The stress of this news caused him to have a "flare up" of his disease to where he was hospitalized for almost 3 weeks, lost 30-35lbs in a month and was very close to needing emergency surgery. My vacation to visit him turned into both of us living in a hospital room for weeks at the VA Hospital in Nashville. (Great staff who treat their Vets like family!)
He has an auto-immune disease, Ulcerative Colitis, that got him medically retired from the Navy. His sister had a more aggressive form of the disease, Chrons. It is our belief that the medications that his sister was given for her disease are what caused the cancer that ultimately lead to her dying at age 40. Cancer is one of the "side-effects". These are the same medications that his doctors are now giving him. We were not able to be there with his sister in her last moments and were not able to make it to the funeral because he was not well enough to travel.
He is now out of the hospital, but still has a PICC line. I connect his TPN (nutrition) up every night for 12 hours. He is on several pills now and has to go into Nashville for an infusion of immunosupressing medication every two weeks that wipe him out. He is very weak and is still having pain although every day he gets a little stronger. The doctors are telling us that it may take 6 months to a year for him to fully recover. Once we found out that this was going to be a long healing process, we decided that, if possible, I should look for a job and place to live in TN. Being a paramedic, I have an innate need to care for others. Especially for my man.
I have been on personal leave from work since late June. My personal leave is without pay and without job security.
Here's the good news! I have found a job and a residence in Tennessee close to him and to Nashville where his appointments are held. I will not be able to start my job until late September because I have to wait for my TN Paramedic license to be processed. This means that I will be without a pay check for almost three months.
It's an odd thing for me to ask for help. I am normally the one who helps others. But I need help friends. I will have moving expenses, down payments on a residence, and utilities to pay in MI before I leave.
You all mean so much to me and your support over the last months has meant the world to both of us. There is no obligation here. Every little bit will help us with this transition. Thank you all so much!
Lindsay
On June 30, we left Michigan to drive down to his new home in Tennessee. He left work to drive up to visit his sister, who had very aggressive breast cancer, when he found out that her cancer spread to her brain, bone, liver and spine. The stress of this news caused him to have a "flare up" of his disease to where he was hospitalized for almost 3 weeks, lost 30-35lbs in a month and was very close to needing emergency surgery. My vacation to visit him turned into both of us living in a hospital room for weeks at the VA Hospital in Nashville. (Great staff who treat their Vets like family!)
He has an auto-immune disease, Ulcerative Colitis, that got him medically retired from the Navy. His sister had a more aggressive form of the disease, Chrons. It is our belief that the medications that his sister was given for her disease are what caused the cancer that ultimately lead to her dying at age 40. Cancer is one of the "side-effects". These are the same medications that his doctors are now giving him. We were not able to be there with his sister in her last moments and were not able to make it to the funeral because he was not well enough to travel.
He is now out of the hospital, but still has a PICC line. I connect his TPN (nutrition) up every night for 12 hours. He is on several pills now and has to go into Nashville for an infusion of immunosupressing medication every two weeks that wipe him out. He is very weak and is still having pain although every day he gets a little stronger. The doctors are telling us that it may take 6 months to a year for him to fully recover. Once we found out that this was going to be a long healing process, we decided that, if possible, I should look for a job and place to live in TN. Being a paramedic, I have an innate need to care for others. Especially for my man.
I have been on personal leave from work since late June. My personal leave is without pay and without job security.
Here's the good news! I have found a job and a residence in Tennessee close to him and to Nashville where his appointments are held. I will not be able to start my job until late September because I have to wait for my TN Paramedic license to be processed. This means that I will be without a pay check for almost three months.
It's an odd thing for me to ask for help. I am normally the one who helps others. But I need help friends. I will have moving expenses, down payments on a residence, and utilities to pay in MI before I leave.
You all mean so much to me and your support over the last months has meant the world to both of us. There is no obligation here. Every little bit will help us with this transition. Thank you all so much!
Lindsay
Organizer
Lindsay Roberts
Organizer
Redford, MI