Linda's Medical Needs

This fund is for my mom, Linda.

If you know my mom, you know that she has always been a care giver.  Of course, as a mom, she has been a care giver to my sister and myself, but we have not been her only recepients.

She spent almost 30 years of her life as a nurse, taking care of others.  When her career as a nurse ended, her care didn't.  As her parents' physical needs increased, she tirelessly made appointments for them, organized their medicines, and made sure that their needs were met-- whether that was calling in prescriptions or bringing them a meal.

My mom has a deep heart for those with needs...

And now it is time for her own to be met.

Shortly before Thanksgiving of 2015, my mom went in for a routine knee replacement.  Unfortunately, 5 days after surgery, the femur in the same leg incurred a spiral fracture... causing her to undergo yet another surgery to set the break. What was supposed to be a routine procedure turned into an insurance nightmare.  Insurance would only cover so much time in a rehab facility despite the new break, so my mom was sent to re-coop at  home-- in a house that is not handicap accessible.

Since there is no ramp, my mom is literally stuck in the house.  She still has to go to doctor's appointments; but since she is bound to either a bed or wheelchair, they have to call an ambulance to transport her-- a service that insurance does not cover.

A ramp for her to be able to enter and exit her home is an immediate need,as she has many appointments, and transportation costs are quickly adding up.

However, there is more.

About a week ago now, my mom started have extreme stomach pains and couldn't keep anything down.  She also started feeling odd tingling sensations in her extremities.  After a couple of days of this, they finally called for transport to the ER.

Long story short, a CAT scan revealed that my mom is bleeding internally into a large hematoma on her kidney, causing her to need a blood transfusion.  Not only that, but the scan revealed several masses and spots of various sizes on her kidneys, adrenal gland, liver, and lung.  The doctors aren't sure what these are, and will not be able to biopsy them until my mom's bleeding is under control and she has regained her strength.

Although insurance is covering a portion of my mom's hospital stay, it is not covering all of it and even though my dad has a full-time job, the bills are racking up faster than he can work to pay them off.  We still don't know where mom's health journey is going to lead us, as we are having to wait on answers about the masses and spots throughout her body.

$5,000 is what is needed to cover current expenses-- the need for a ramp into her home to prevent further transportation costs, and the part of the hospital stay that insurance isn't covering.

I would like to give a good guess as to what my parents will need and place that as our goal, but honestly, as I'm typing this, I don't even know how to guess that.  I don't know what treatments she will need or how much biopsies cost.  The future is a bit of an unknown.

So I will stick with what I know and see what happens.

Please know that any amount is extremely appreciated, and that your prayers mean so much to us.

We have faith that God is in the business of making things right.  He cares for us.

He cares for my mom.

And just like she has cared for so many throughout her life, I know others care for her, too.

Thanks so much for reading, praying, and caring.

Stephanie