LETTER FROM WENDY - MAY 11, 2014
Hello family and friends,
I am Thankful to be able to celebrate my 62nd birthday at home. Having spent the last 174 days in the ICU and Trauma centers of two hospitals. It was a long 174 days!!!
Let me take time and tell you MY story, as this may help someone ….
Last July 2nd 2013, I thought I had stomach flu….and I went to bed. One week later, I thought I had a bladder/UTI INFECTION…..burning and pain. I went to the DR.—he gave me a 10 day script for antibiotics…and sent me home.
On July 16th, Gary, my husband of 39 years had a massive heart attack and died while I did CPR on him, waiting for the ambulance. My Life changed at that very moment. I lost my best friend, my business partner, my husband, my confidant, my soul mate….The love of my LIFE. There was no more a gentleman than Gary. I miss him more and more as the days go on.
I instantly ended up with his 92 year old bedridden Mother to care for…..2 dogs…..3 cats.. 3 bedroom home…2 cars…..etc. These were all things he took care of.
I immediately lost all insurances—from his 24 years of employment with the ST. Petersburg Times. (he was 4 months from being a 25 year retiree.)
I also lost his income….along with his 25 year retirement plan.
Our life insurance policies had apparently been sold off to a company that was now out of business….so the $50,000.00 Life Insurance policy was gone. Gary ‘thought’ he left me in good condition financially…..however……………The cost of his cremation….the July, Aug, Sept. and Oct. mortgage and household bills ‘ate’ the money in our checkbook.
So, I sold a car….got rid of cell phones…carved back as many expenses as I could, including closing a 30 year old business.
At the same time, I still was not feeling well…with bouts of stomach/gut distresses. The smell of food cooking made me sick. I basically ate fruits and cereal, Chicken noodle soup, and water for 3 months, losing 50 # in those 90 days. I went back to the DR. –he recommended that I go to a UROLOGIST.
LESSON #1: CHECK YOUR INSURANCE POLICIES. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A VALID LIFE INSURANCE POLICY…TO ALLOW THOSE PEOPLE THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR REMAINS TO BE ABLE TO DO SO WITHOUT FINANCIAL BURDENS AND STRESS. PREPARE FOR THAT TIME. THERE ARE NO “DO OVERS”.
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A dear friend (Edie) came to my rescue the night Gary died. Edie worked for me for 10 years…and knows my habits….my way of thinking….who I am. She took over my home……taking care of the 92 year old bed ridden mother-in-law….the animals....cooking, cleaning etc. I was in a fog.
I was able to have the funeral, and the cremation, donate the body parts that were viable……I was not feeling well but I had enough sense to “shop” funerals and cremation. I found prices that were STAGGERING.
LESSON #2: SHOP THE PRICES FOR THESE SERVICES IN ADVANCE. THE COSTS VARY BY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THE EXACT SAME SERVICES. DON’T MAKE YOUR FAMILY BE FORCED INTO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT CORRECT. (I was quoted from $995.00 to $4,000.00 for a basic 30 minute funeral and cremation. BIGGGGGGGG DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!)
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While in a fog of the death of my husband, I was feeling worse. Knowing I was now without health insurance, I made excuses to my family and Edie and employees…that I felt better…and I was getting stronger…and felt OK.
I had NEVER lived without health insurance and when I tried to find a new DR., as my original G.P. ..And NEUROLOGIST wouldn’t see me without insurance…..I found that the ONLY way I could get medical help was a ‘WALK-IN CLINIC’….which I did. ONLY TO BE REFERRED TO AN UROLOGIST. In my hunt..I was unable to find one that would see me without insurance. SO, at 61 years of age…without insurance…..I was stuck…getting sicker and sicker by the day. Everyone tried to get me to go to a DR. –my response was always the same…..I can’t find one that would see me without insurance.
I lost my core of balance…hugging walls and corners as I went from my bed to the bathroom….that’s when I knew I was really really sick Edie made the decision for me as she knew I was literally on deaths door step…and she called 911.
I spent the first 12 days in ICU—fighting to stay alive with 7 IV pumps running with antibiotics…..a total blood transfusion….a heart catheter with a direct line to my heart, a picc-line (Peripherally Inserted central catheter) in my right arm with 3 ports and every tube known to man down my nose and throat.…..a bladder and rectal (uck) catheter, so “pee and poop’ was going into catheter bags. I was a toxic mess.
I had CT and MRI’S done of my bladder, colon, and stomach. They found I had a vesicointestional fistula and Diverticulitis. So my bladder and my colon both had holes…and my “pee” was LEAKING in my body cavity and my “poop” was in my bladder. I literally was “peeing’ poop. The bladder is not designed to pass anything except liquids. The pain was incredibly horrid. For 13 weeks, I was on Morphine, Dilaudid and Demerol. These heavy duty drugs took the edge off the pain temporarily and then, an hour later it was back.
The Regional Hospital I was in claimed they didn’t have a surgeon that could do the surgery. It was too high risk….and they didn’t have the ability or talent to do the surgery. The regional hospital was purchased by the BAYFRONT MEDICAL TRAUMA GROUP and that opened up other options and DR’S.
Finally, at 61 years of age, I was classified as Medically Needy and I went onto MEDICAID.
On my 40th wedding anniversary 1/18, I transported to one of the best TRAUMA centers in FLORIDA for IMMEDIATE surgery. Six surgeons….seven hours in the Operating Room…AND 58 STAPLES TO CLOSE THE INCISION…from my chest to crotch….no colostomy bags!!!! The miracle hands of DR. Steve Epstein and his Team……I’m alive.
Dr. Epstein is a Critical, High Risk, Trauma Surgeon at the BAYFRONT MEDICALTRAUMA CENTER in ST.PETERSBURG, FLA... Just in case YOU are ever faced with LIFE AND DEATH. He was trained in both Belgium and France.
The surgery went very well…
The team fixed/repaired the hole in my bladder, rebuilt the URETERS…which are the tubes that drain the urine from the kidneys to the bladder, Removed 22” of my colon… built a wall between the bladder and the colon…..reconnected everything, cleaned out the mess in my body cavity and put it all (uterus, bladder, colon and stomach) back into my body cavity. (I’ve seen the pictures of what was done….and they are really UGLY,…not pretty.) I also have 3 VENA CAVA filters to catch the blood clots in my system, as there were many clots in my GUTS.
I really was on the doorstep of DEATH. I didn’t notify anyone. I didn’t want visitors…I didn’t watch TV for 3 months….I was just too sick.
LESSON #3
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF BEING ILL, SICK, WITHOUT INSURANCE, GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM…THEY LEGALLY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU.
MY MEDICAL BILLS WERE $1,200,000.00 SO FAR…AND MEDICAID HAS APROVED PAYMENT ON EVERYTHING. ONE MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH DON’T HESITATE ON GOING TO THE E.R.
OUR HEALTH SYSTEM IS REALLY A MESS….AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED. NO THANKS TO OBUMMER.
IF YOU NEED MEDICAL HELP GO TO THE E.R.!!!!!
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Now to my recuperation.
Because I lost my core of gravity…and I’ve been in bed since last JULY, I’ve lost muscle mass and will need Physical therapy and learn to walk again. I currently can NOT get out of bed. This is the most frustrating thing I’ve ever been through. My bed is my ‘JAIL.’ (This is a hospital bed from a medical supply company that Medicaid is also paying for…)
I’ve located a Dr. that will come to me…to take blood for tests as I am on blood thinners to prevent more clots……the DR. will write the prescriptions for in home physical therapy, and nursing assistance etc.
It will take a few months of therapy….but I WILL WALK AGAIN.
In the meantime, I’ve reconnected to an “old” business partner, and we are working on a business model for a new business…in the medical world. Within a couple of months we should have everything ready to launch, which will provide me income and peace of mind.
I hate living on the edge financially…….and that is what brings me to saying a heartfelt THANK YOU to each of you that stepped forward when the CASPER EMAILS came out with the financial request of donations. You have no idea how much I appreciated what you did. I don’t know who contributed…or how much you sent….
I do know……..Your donations kept the electricity, phone and water on in my home….and my car tag current. Your assistance lifted a ton of stress off of me…when I was fighting to stay alive. I know many of you dug deep into your already empty pockets to help me, and I just want to hug each of you for doing this.
The economy is horrid……people are suffering….and we all need relief!
The Casper emails will return….we we are in our 3rd decade with our FAVORITE AGGRAVATION.
TWENTY PLUS YEARS OF THIS CHASE AGAINST THE EVIL, WICKED AND NASTIEST BASTARDS ON EARTH.
Inclosing, again, THANK YOU for your help. I can’t begin to say it loud enough or strong enough. I can say, I will Pay it Forward as soon as I am able. THAT IS A PROMISE.
You will be receiving emails from Wendycasper777@gmail.com.
You can send emails to that account. Please don’t send the stuff from 4winds…or RMN OR DRUDGE OR THE DINAR SITES…both CASPER AND I monitor these sites several times daily.
Should you have the ability to donate funds to assist me with the offshore servers and keeping the ‘lights on’, you can use PAYPAL with the wendycasper777@gmail.com account info.
Wendy and Casper are back!
I love you and pray for you all every day. That’s a promise.
-WENDY
Tim, the Carpet Man, send me your phone number and I’ll call you.