TAMI'S MOBILITY DRIVE
Donation protected
This is the story of a wonderful lady named Tami who had a stroke 5 years ago -- her journey and her attitude is nothing but miraculous! To this day she & her husband Jay have never received any assistance via a Go Fund Me page or the like, thru the financial burdens they've had, and will continue to experience due to Tami's condition. PLEASE READ TAMI'S STORY BELOW (written by her) so you can get to know her beautiful soul a bit, and learn about her current status and why this is so important at this time! I know she will be such an inspiration to you as she is to me! I simply ask that all friends via Facebook, family, as well as our brothers in sisters in Christ show your help & support by donating whatever you can and SHARE THIS CAMPAIGN purposefully-- let's make it viral!
Our main goal for this fund is to get Tami the Wheelchair Accessible Van for transportation that she (and Jay) desperately need. This will at least get Tami to Doctor appointments when needed (she has had to miss many times due to lack of transportation) and hey - perhaps with their own van they may even be able to go out for some fun! May God Bless you and this campaign for Tami! HERE'S HER STORY:
Hi my name is Tami ... I am a stroke survivor, now a warrior trying to get well! When you hear the saying "life can change in a blink of an eye", I am here to tell you it's the truth. I've lived thru the nightmare of a massive stroke at 45 years old on November 15,2012. I came home from work early that day after working at a local diner which I used to trade for the use of their kitchen to bake cupcakes for my own business "The Cupcakery". We sold weekly at a farmers market plus many personal orders from friends and family.
I headed to the grocery store for my personal food needs as I left the store, before I got to my truck I passed out. Now I am not a small girl, so when I fell I hit the ground hard. An older man came to help me, handed me my purse from my cart and sat it out in front of me, but when I reached for it with my left hand, I was puzzled why my arm did not work! He ask if he should go get help so I said yes please.... he got the store manager (who had just helped me at customer service) and she asked why I didn't tell her I felt bad. I told her I didn't feel bad, so she then asked me to stick out my tounge and then said to the 911 operator "we have a stroke victim please hurry" . This was my first clue as to what happened to me -- "STROKE??" I am too young for that was my first thought, but then the ambulance arrived and I don't remember any thing after that. I was told they rushed me to the stroke center of central Florida where the nurse got my cell phone to find out who my emergency contact was. They reached Jay, my husband of 13 years and first they needed permission to drill a drainage hole in my head to relieve the pressure from the bleed center brain affected badly, so the first step was taken quickly to save my life. I had a seizer on the way to hospital and had chomped down on my tongue, so it was extremely swollen and could not fit in my mouth:(
So I never woke up until approximately EIGHT MONTHS LATER from a coma, and then had to have a trache put in so I could breath. I was also paralyzed on my entire left side . The Doctors warned Jay that I might now know him or remember anything from my past life. Well thank the Lord that was not the case for me... I had my memories of everyone who came to visit me and I was then transferred to a rehab once the trache was removed. I was not allowed to leave for rehab till it was taken out due to the chance of infection. They were able to remove it with no issues, the scar healed well and now that is called my "life hole" scar. I was placed in a very nice nursing home and rehab where I lived for a year and a few months and had therapy daily. but I was never able to walk and barley could stand for any leanth of time. When released early because of depression I was no longer making progress.
When I was released to go home, my husband and my cousin went to get my meds filled and we went into shock to find out that the meds alone were $1800.00! We had no insurance so this was staggering amount of money. Jay drained any savings and IRA's we had to pay portions of bills which were staggering. Made arrangements with Rehab to have scripts altered because of costs as well. Jay has his own business so he had to give up many jobs in order to stay at home with me. I was unable to do anything for myself, had to wear a diaper, and still do 5years later. But, I am so blessed that Jay stood by my side thru it all, and has become an incredible caregiver, cook, bather, hair stylist and more. I am unable to transfer to a car seat without a having a handicapped van with a ramp. Therefore, I cannot leave the house unless we call a handicapped van taxi which is very expensive . To travel just 9-10 miles is $45 one way before the tip.
So once every six months or so I get to go some where and unfortunately it's been to the dentist, and if a birthday or anniversary dinner out. I am a chef by trade so I am a foodie and my husband had never cooked anything before this happened (other than a hot dog lol) but he has been able to learn many staples in our life these last few years.
As of now we are making it thru this storm by the Grace of God and many Awesome friends and family who have done so much for both of us as well! It's times like these you see their true colors and they have shined bright on us!
I have been at home for Two+ years and hired a private therapist for therapy, but I reached a point where I need equipment to help me learn to stand and strengthen my leg (or noodles is what they act like) so a standing machine is another item I need, but again the cost is crazy high.
I exercise three times a day and then some by myself when just laying here keeping my right side strong so it can help the left side. She (my left side) is called Thunder because she doesn't move -- The right side is called Lighting cause she still moves all over the place lol Thunder and lighting were the nice names I gave them -- believe me they are called worse!
So this past November 15 , 2017 it was 5 years I have laid in this bed!! I feel blessed to be alive because Jay was told I was the third worst stroke to leave the hospital alive, and for several months I would never make it thru the night. So I believe there is a bigger reason that I am here on this earth -- I just want to discover what that reason is for and I need to be independent to do that. I will do what ever it takes to get back into this game we call Life!!
Again, please donate and SHARE THIS CAMPAIGN Thank you in advance for your help! May God Bless YOU and this campaign for Tami.
Our main goal for this fund is to get Tami the Wheelchair Accessible Van for transportation that she (and Jay) desperately need. This will at least get Tami to Doctor appointments when needed (she has had to miss many times due to lack of transportation) and hey - perhaps with their own van they may even be able to go out for some fun! May God Bless you and this campaign for Tami! HERE'S HER STORY:
Hi my name is Tami ... I am a stroke survivor, now a warrior trying to get well! When you hear the saying "life can change in a blink of an eye", I am here to tell you it's the truth. I've lived thru the nightmare of a massive stroke at 45 years old on November 15,2012. I came home from work early that day after working at a local diner which I used to trade for the use of their kitchen to bake cupcakes for my own business "The Cupcakery". We sold weekly at a farmers market plus many personal orders from friends and family.
I headed to the grocery store for my personal food needs as I left the store, before I got to my truck I passed out. Now I am not a small girl, so when I fell I hit the ground hard. An older man came to help me, handed me my purse from my cart and sat it out in front of me, but when I reached for it with my left hand, I was puzzled why my arm did not work! He ask if he should go get help so I said yes please.... he got the store manager (who had just helped me at customer service) and she asked why I didn't tell her I felt bad. I told her I didn't feel bad, so she then asked me to stick out my tounge and then said to the 911 operator "we have a stroke victim please hurry" . This was my first clue as to what happened to me -- "STROKE??" I am too young for that was my first thought, but then the ambulance arrived and I don't remember any thing after that. I was told they rushed me to the stroke center of central Florida where the nurse got my cell phone to find out who my emergency contact was. They reached Jay, my husband of 13 years and first they needed permission to drill a drainage hole in my head to relieve the pressure from the bleed center brain affected badly, so the first step was taken quickly to save my life. I had a seizer on the way to hospital and had chomped down on my tongue, so it was extremely swollen and could not fit in my mouth:(
So I never woke up until approximately EIGHT MONTHS LATER from a coma, and then had to have a trache put in so I could breath. I was also paralyzed on my entire left side . The Doctors warned Jay that I might now know him or remember anything from my past life. Well thank the Lord that was not the case for me... I had my memories of everyone who came to visit me and I was then transferred to a rehab once the trache was removed. I was not allowed to leave for rehab till it was taken out due to the chance of infection. They were able to remove it with no issues, the scar healed well and now that is called my "life hole" scar. I was placed in a very nice nursing home and rehab where I lived for a year and a few months and had therapy daily. but I was never able to walk and barley could stand for any leanth of time. When released early because of depression I was no longer making progress.
When I was released to go home, my husband and my cousin went to get my meds filled and we went into shock to find out that the meds alone were $1800.00! We had no insurance so this was staggering amount of money. Jay drained any savings and IRA's we had to pay portions of bills which were staggering. Made arrangements with Rehab to have scripts altered because of costs as well. Jay has his own business so he had to give up many jobs in order to stay at home with me. I was unable to do anything for myself, had to wear a diaper, and still do 5years later. But, I am so blessed that Jay stood by my side thru it all, and has become an incredible caregiver, cook, bather, hair stylist and more. I am unable to transfer to a car seat without a having a handicapped van with a ramp. Therefore, I cannot leave the house unless we call a handicapped van taxi which is very expensive . To travel just 9-10 miles is $45 one way before the tip.
So once every six months or so I get to go some where and unfortunately it's been to the dentist, and if a birthday or anniversary dinner out. I am a chef by trade so I am a foodie and my husband had never cooked anything before this happened (other than a hot dog lol) but he has been able to learn many staples in our life these last few years.
As of now we are making it thru this storm by the Grace of God and many Awesome friends and family who have done so much for both of us as well! It's times like these you see their true colors and they have shined bright on us!
I have been at home for Two+ years and hired a private therapist for therapy, but I reached a point where I need equipment to help me learn to stand and strengthen my leg (or noodles is what they act like) so a standing machine is another item I need, but again the cost is crazy high.
I exercise three times a day and then some by myself when just laying here keeping my right side strong so it can help the left side. She (my left side) is called Thunder because she doesn't move -- The right side is called Lighting cause she still moves all over the place lol Thunder and lighting were the nice names I gave them -- believe me they are called worse!
So this past November 15 , 2017 it was 5 years I have laid in this bed!! I feel blessed to be alive because Jay was told I was the third worst stroke to leave the hospital alive, and for several months I would never make it thru the night. So I believe there is a bigger reason that I am here on this earth -- I just want to discover what that reason is for and I need to be independent to do that. I will do what ever it takes to get back into this game we call Life!!
Again, please donate and SHARE THIS CAMPAIGN Thank you in advance for your help! May God Bless YOU and this campaign for Tami.
Organizer and beneficiary
Michelle Daniels Bellagamba
Organizer
Lutz, FL
Tami L. Johnson
Beneficiary
