As many of you know, my mom, Ginger, has had a rough 2025, on top of seven years of strokes and health issues. I am writing this to help the two most important people in my life get through. Any help is a big help.
As many of you know, in January, Ginger had two surgeries (planned) at the Cleveland Clinic. One was for her heart, arteries, etc. and the other was for her carotids. They were meant to be less invasive than an open heart surgery and we were hopeful that she would be home soon after.
Unfortunately, we had a rougher go than expected. A leaky valve and some trouble breathing led to her being placed on a ventilator. Then Ginger went into cardiac arrest. It took them a good long while to resuscitate, but she pulled through. The doctors still do not really know what caused it, weakness from surgeries, medication, heart, we don’t know.
She spent a couple weeks on a breathing tube and ECMO machine (that is helping her breathe and her heart pump). Those machines, while they helped keep her alive, also made her very weak. At home she needs 24 hour care, as she cannot walk and struggles to talk from damage to her vocal cords (from the tubes). This means she is quite lonely at home.
While we are not a family to often ask for help, this transition into more serious care is something that has proven quite difficult. She was offered a new electric wheelchair that will help my dad and her have more autonomy, however, they will still have to pay $4,000, on top of another shower chair to keep her clean and healthy at home. Other medical bills and needs continue to stream through.
Since she has been home, I know that both her and my dad have had many moments of doubt and anger and frustration, but my mom really is proof that perseverance and faith can get you far.
I know my parents would be uncomfortable asking for help, but the circumstances are far from the ordinary. While she has had the comeback of all comebacks, they are now facing the reality of life back at home. Any and all help is a blessing. Thank you thank you thank you!!!
