Help For Karen’s Recovery

On September 27,2019, after more than a month of suffering from head pains, disorientation, nausea and weight loss, my sister Karen was hospitalized and diagnosed with a brain tumor. The doctor told us that the cost of surgery in a private hospital would be around Php1,000,000.00. Unable to afford such, we admitted her to a government hospital where she was confined for 57 days while waiting for her laboratory clearances. She was finally operated on November 27. Our total hospital bill amounted to over Php200,000.00 but we are thankful that because of the hospital’s health care program, we were able to avail of subsidized hospital and doctors fees, including more than half of her medicines. For Karen’s personal needs and medicines purchased outside the hospital, we spent around Php100,000.00. We are thankful for God’s provision and the generosity of some family members and friends, whose gave for Karen’s needs.

On Dec. 3, we were finally able to bring Karen home, after 63 days in the hospital. We praise God that her biopsy results came out negative from tumor cells. Karen started her recovery at home but experienced setbacks when she developed pneumonia and other complications and was admitted in the hospital again from Dec 29 to Jan 15. We chose to admit her in a private hospital so that she could be monitored more closely and attended to more quickly. We soon realized the heavy cost of this decision when we had to spend big amounts for medicines we needed to buy within the hospital only (sometimes up to Php20,000.00/day), and charges of up to Php4,000.00/day for hospital/laboratory/equipment fees and other services. By the end of her 15 days hospital stay, we paid Php132,242.31 for our total hospital fees and spent Php111,600.66 for medicines. We are thankful that we were able to loan a big bulk of the money we spent from two very kind friends who were willing to lend us the money even though they know that we will not be able to pay them back right away. Again, we are also thankful for some family members and friends who gave money for some of Karen's needs.

On Jan 25, we rushed Karen again to the hospital for seizures, high blood pressure and loss of vision on both eyes. Thankfully, her vision was restored after 10 hours. We were told that she experienced post gliotic seizures as a result of the operation. She was discharged 2 days later. On February 8, she was admitted again for very high blood pressure and head pains, wherein she again experienced vision problems, disorientation, left-sided weakness and lost strength on almost her whole body. She was treated, had her follow-up MRI, and discharged a week later. Once home, we noticed that she didn’t seem to be recovering well in spite of medications, vitamins and supplements. She continued (and continuous) to experience fever and chills, head pain, nausea, loss of appetite, drastic weight loss, and body weakness.

Right now, she is on continuous Tylenol to relieve her of her all these pains. We consulted a private neurologist who ordered several lab tests. One of her tests showed that she has a bacterial infection which the doctor tried to find its root cause by ordering even more laboratory tests. All came back negative. Since her MRI result also shows that there is a build-up of fluid on her head(hydrocephalus), it has now been recommended that she undergo a proceedure to drain this fluid and have it tested for possible infections and other complications. We have decided to go for this proceedure. We pray that if God will allow, it will lead to a better recovery for her. Our main concern is that her immune system is not strong and healthy at this time. If we choose to admit her in the government hospital ward, there is the risk of exposure to many sources of infections because of exposure to many people with different kinds of conditions. We believe it is better for her to be confined in a private hospital room while this proceedure is being done. If we choose to do this, we cannot avail of any discounts or social services from the government.

We created this page to raise funds for this proceedure which we believe she urgently needs. Funds raised will go to hospital and doctor’s fees and medicines for this proceedure, and for her aftercare and daily medical expenses (about Php15,000.00/monthly (for maintenance medicines, vitamins, supplements, lab tests, doctor’s fees, personal needs) which have become quite challenging for our family. Karen is no longer able to work for a living for her and her daughter at this time. We are praying to be able to raise between Php300,000.00 to 500,000.00 or around $10,000 USD, or whatever amount God allows through those He may choose as instruments of His provision. As Karen enters her sixth month of facing this challenge, we thank God for being with her and for sustaining her and our family. We thank Him for each day of life He gives. We thank Him for everyone who has been praying for us, encouraging us, visiting us, and helping us in many ways. May God richly bless you, in ways that you will be even more amazed of His greatness and stand in awe of Him!