This is Cedar, Sally’s friend and housemate. I’m writing with a request for your assistance for Sal. As you may know she is still in an undiagnosed health crisis with extreme discomfort as her liver is four times its normal size and is displacing other organs. This pain began 3 weeks ago, Monday night she was taken to the Emergency unit in Coffs Harbour Hospital and spent 24 hours there. She has now been moved to a medical ward where she is still being constantly monitored and tested.
Throughout January, I have watched Sal become ever more sick and debilitated and have been shocked by the severity of her abdominal distortions and back pain. To date she has been examined, probed and cared for by about 8 doctors, 3 surgeons, multiple nurses, a liver specialist, 2 ambos, and numerous medical students, and through it all has remained in her beautiful nature and speaks of those in worse conditions than herself. She constantly acknowledges how blessed she is to be in Australia under our remarkable health care system with its’ wonderful resources that are free. All the medicos in Dorrigo and Coffs have been exemplary in caring for her and I’m thankful for their professionalism and compassion.
Sal still has no improvement nor diagnosis, and there is no indication of how long she may be in hospital nor the length of her recovery period, thus work has been and is off the agenda and she will not be able to work for an unknown period of time. Rarely does she ask anything of others yet gives unconditionally. As we reflect on our time with her I have no doubt every one of us has been a recipient of her kindness and unwavering generosity. Sal is usually so robust and independent that her own needs may be sometimes invisible to her loved ones.
Her plan was to work as much as possible massaging during her uni break, and along with me making a deck of Conversation Starters for sale which we had intended to launch early this year to help fund her final year of her Bachelor Health Science. Sadly this illness has halted and depleted her finances and ability to work.
The greater tragedy is that due to her illness she now has been advised by her specialist to defer her final year of university to focus on identifying whatever this mystery illness is, and then to slowly heal and work to get strong again.
I’m hopeful that those reading this will feel moved to deposit something - no matter how small or large to Sally Brocklehurst account at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia at 063-244 10327568 or my PayPal account and I’ll send it on to her. My PayPal [email protected]
Rest assured that I will support Sal through all of this and will be by her side as much as I can. I have made my temporary ‘home’ at the Royal Palms Motel in Coffs so I can be near the hospital.
Please understand that Sal cannot be disturbed or stressed in any way as it really takes it out of her, and her monitored heart rate is consistently up at the moment. I invite you all to send loving and healing thoughts and prayers to aid in her healing, and some financial contribution if you feel so moved.
PLEASE SHARE this message with others who know and love Sal.
With Love and Thanks,
Cedar