Carolyn has been one of our own since 1999.
She’s written or edited for A List Apart, Digital Web, The Manual, and Codex: the journal of typography.
Jeffrey Zeldman calls her strategy work the “secret sauce” behind many important projects. Many of you have reached out to her for help and for laughter.
Today, Carolyn needs your help.
Carolyn’s Story So Far
Carolyn Wood is living every American’s worst nightmare. She’s burning through her family’s savings trying to get the healthcare she needs, which isn’t covered by insurance.
A series of catastrophic medical problems combined with America’s nightmarish insurance system have cost her tens of thousands of dollars. And her expenses are mounting.
Carolyn has been confined to a wheelchair for the past three years.
This April, after a week-long illness, she developed acute injuries to the tendons in her feet and the nerves in her right hand and arm. She couldn’t get out of her wheelchair, even to go to the bathroom.
At the hospital, they discovered Carolyn had acute kidney failure. After a month in a hospital and a care facility, she has bounced back from the kidney failure. However, she cannot take painkillers to help her hands and feet.
Carolyn cannot stand or walk or dress herself or take a shower.
For mobility, she is dependent on a lift that can only be manned by two people. Without it, she can never leave her bed.
She’s now warehoused in a home that does not provide therapy—and her insurance does not even cover that cost. With her bills are skyrocketing, she has to pay rent on her bed for $200 a month.
Husband’s Health Crisis
Her and her husband are each other’s only support during this crisis, but they have been living apart since April as he is dealing with his own health crisis.
He’s been going through intense pain, fatigue and side effects from twice-monthly infusions as her husband deals with leukemia.
Together, the only income they have is his disability.
The whole situation is heartbreaking, but Carolyn still feels hope.
Let’s Kickstart Carolyn!
Will you help us give us physical and occupational therapy she needs to be independent again?
Your donation of $25, $50, $100, $1,000 dollars or more will be used to:
- Gain access to more medical care to get proper diagnoses
- Provide day-to-day expenses, since she cannot work
- Help her catch up with her enormous bills
- Pay for medical transport to see any doctors
- Get access to physical and occupational therapy to help her live independently again
- Hire a patient advocate to help her navigate the medical system
