Jane

Los Angeles, CA

For several years now, my neighbor Jane has been dealing with the crippling effects of lymphedema, which doctors had thought earlier was cellulitis, and/or a few other various possible conditions. The pain she deals with is ongoing, excruciating at times and debilitating - making it very hard for her to deal with everyday tasks and life supporting expectations, combined with the engorged leg and various other body area swelling makes it all nearly impossible to carry her own wieght. She's been strongly advised by her doctors to stay off her feet and elevate her legs if she's to have any chance of healing.

While trying to set up government funding, since the insurance company would not help, her condition got even worse as their requirements forced her to manage records, forms, and other requirements causing her to be on her feet far too long, totally defeating the purpose, and she had to go to the hospital. They treated her with strong antibiotics and she was in a nursing facility for a month. This helped bring her swelling down a lot, but not all the way, made her financial troubles even worse, and the antibiotics they gave her added diarrhea to her difficulties in managing any of the tasks needed to recover, and to be financially responsible. Plus, not being able to receive all of her mail during that month made her dealings with insurance and government aid program requirements even worse. This has all been a non-stop struggle for her there seems to be no change in. The insurance company has helped cover hospital and convalescence stays, but not anything that might assist in dealing with the lymphedema (which hasn't gone away, and with her stress levels so high, and rare opportunity to stay off her feet, gets worse).