After 28 years of teaching, my dad is having to resign from teaching due to Parkinson’s Disease and PLS. We are trying to raise funds to help pay for medical bills and day to day expenses.
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In 2022, my Dad started noticing some diminished use of his right side. He had multiple tests done and it was inconclusive. As a band director of 28 plus years, he began struggling to conduct his bands and do menial tasks. In October 2023 things drastically worsened. After dozens of tests, the doctors determined that he has an extremely rare neurological genetic disorder similar to PLS (a cousins of ALS but not fatal) and a rare form of Parkinson’s disease. When he realized he couldn’t do his job anymore, he told my mom. She asked him why he hadn’t told her before and he said, “because it’s the end of my career and I’m not ready for that yet.” He knew he couldn’t return to work and the doctors agreed.
With a heavy heart, he took Family Medical Leave ACT time from work and applied for AZ Long Term Disability. He won’t be eligible for AZ Disability until the end of April 2024. His final paycheck was 2/13/2024. My siblings and I are trying to help with the finances as much as we can, but it’s too much for just us three kids.
All of dad’s doctors are at MAYO Clinic, which has been a huge blessing. His medical insurance ends 2/29/2024. Cobra will cost $1795 a month to keep with the same medical insurance. Mom is trying to find medical insurance that Mayo will accept on marketplace, but that’s proving difficult.
As many of you know, Dad has been the caregiver for my mom for the past 22 years. She’s had 6 spinal tumors and 1 brain tumor. Well, now they’re caring for each other. They’re leaning a “new normal.”
We appreciate anything that you can help with . Here’s what we ask from you:
1. Pray: Pray for wisdom, that God would guide my parents as they figure out their new “Normal”
Pray for patience as Dad’s physical issues advance.
Pray for wisdom to adjust to a new budget.
Pray for peace to trust God. None of this is a surprise to Him! Just Us.
Pray for us kids.
This isn’t easy for us kids to watch both of our parents become disabled.
Pray for our Grandparents.
Pray for peace for our grandparents. This weighs heavily on them.
2.If you feel so led, give what you are comfortable with. We will be so grateful for any sweet, thoughtful gift.
We are so thankful for your prayers, notes, calls, and words of encouragement.
My dad is so thankful for the years he was able to teach and impact young lives of musicians in Arizona. Here are the schools he has taught:
Phoenix Christian High School
Centennial High School
Desert Palms Elementary
Saguaro Ranch Elementary
Santa Fe Elementary
Sundance Elementary
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