Hello friends, I am starting this campaign on behalf of my sister Bernadette, her husband Casey, and their six children. In June 2022, Casey and Bernadette were driving on the freeway and slowed to adjust to traffic when a truck hit the back of their vehicle at 70 mph. Thanks be to God, there were no fatalities; however, the impact of the crash left both Bernadette and Casey with severe whiplash. After several months of physical therapy, Casey’s neck injury was causing such intense pain that his doctor determined surgery was needed. Casey is a commercial diver and his neck injury left him unable to perform the physical activities required to dive; he is facing a surgery recovery period that will prevent him from returning to work for another 6 - 9 months. Bernadette is a stay-at-home mom and has done what she can to try to pick up work in an effort to alleviate their financial burdens, but between managing the home, taking care of their children, and helping Casey with his medical needs, she is unable to keep up with the mounting expenses. Here are some words from Bernadette:
“Our family was coming home from Sunday night mass on June 26th. Casey and I were in his truck following MJ driving the kids in our Suburban. There was construction on the freeway, so we slowed to a stop with traffic. We were rear ended by a man in a pickup truck traveling at full speed. He hit our truck, bounced off of us into another car in the right lane, and then slammed into our suburban. Casey and I had severe whiplash, and our kids had minor injuries. His truck was totaled, and our Suburban needed repair. We were all able to return home that night as an intact family and are still so grateful for that.
Casey and I followed the recommendations set out by our doctors for recovery. After 5 months of physical therapy, I started to see some improvements, but Casey was getting worse. He was referred to a surgeon. His MRI showed severe stenosis, and surgery was the recommendation. Casey and the doctor agreed he had a little time, but surgery was inevitable. Casey attempted to return to work, with certain restrictions in place. His goal was to gain enough hours to qualify for medical insurance to afford the surgery. That proved to be too much for his neck, and he had emergency surgery on March 1st. He had Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion on 3 levels. He is now in recovery, and we have a long road ahead of us. Post operation, the doctor told him it will be at least six, but more likely nine months before he can return to work. Being a commercial diver, the neck needs to be at optimal strength and health.
Casey has provided for me and our stout little brood of six, for 20 years. I have had the luxury of staying home with our kiddos, and enjoying every moment of that gift. It was a fine tuned system that left both Casey and I feeling proud and gratified. We both worked hard to keep that balance in check, and appreciated each other's commitment. This accident has turned that system upside down. He is no longer able to provide for us, and I unfortunately cannot fill those shoes overnight. While I’m doing my best to pick up shifts here and there, my availability is greatly limited by my obligations to Casey’s medical needs and the kids.
We are dedicated and hard working, and never shy away from a challenge. We actually pride ourselves on shooting for the stars. This obstacle is a little beyond our motivational reach. As much as we are willing, this physical disadvantage has to be allotted the appropriate time and attention so we can get back on our feet. We need some help to accomplish that. With the accident came plenty of added expenses. Being unable to work in the field, we lost our medical coverage benefit. We inherited a car payment to replace his truck. We have not had a regular income since June. We have relied heavily on the generosity of our local family to help keep us afloat. Their collective resources are now exhausted. We face at least six more months of uncertainty. I cannot make a reasonable effort to keep us afloat. The only thing I can do is share our story in the hopes that someone is moved enough to contribute a bit to our cause. Casey has been a devoted and committed provider for all our family’s needs. I love him so much. I truly want to devote myself to his healing and support him through this trial. He has earned it one hundred times over. If we can let the worry of finances simmer for a bit, we can focus our energy on Casey’s recovery.”
Anything you can give to support the Jones family through this challenging time is so appreciated! Below is a link to an overview of the surgery that was performed for reference.
https://www.spine-health.com/video/anterior-cervical-discectomy-and-fusion-acdf-video
