Hello everyone, my name is Chelsea Deogracias, and I am the niece of Romeo and Linda Deocades. Actually, I am the “niece-in-law” of Romeo and Linda, but to be honest I’ve never felt like an in-law. Uncle Romi, and Wawa (as we all call her) have always been like a bonus set of parents to me, and this is why this cause runs so deeply inside my heart. On December 8th, 2024, Wawa and Uncle Romi set off on a 6-month vacation to the Philippines to visit their family, just like they have, for many years. This trip though, was a little extra special and we had a little bit more work to do. Making sure they both checked out health-wise, as we ran the trip by their Doctors and specialists. As an elderly couple, they both have minor health problems and so they knew that this might just be their last trip back home before they may not ever be able to travel that far again. They had the support and guidance of their Doctors and family as they ventured off. They had only been there for 3 months when we received a call from Wawa letting us know that Uncle Romi wasn’t feeling the well and that she wanted us to book them a flight to come home as soon as we could. Their flight was one week away, and so to be on the safe side Wawa took uncle to the doctor to get him checked out. They recommended that he stay in the hospital for a few nights so that they could monitor him and make sure he was “fit to fly”. Uncle Romi spent the next few days getting iv fluids and oxygen in the hospital, with permission to discharge the day before their return home. The morning Wawa was supposed to take Uncle Romi home, he was laughing, joking, and eating his last hospital lunch. Within a few minutes of them gathering their belongings, and getting ready to discharge, Uncle Romi, suddenly, out of nowhere, became unconscious. Within a few hours, Uncle had gone from a walking, talking, capable member of society, to a patient fighting for his life, on a life support machine, in a hospital in the middle of the Philippines. It is now July 17th, 2024, and we still don't have all of the answers. Although Uncle is no longer in a physical hospital, he is currently in a "makeshift" hospital in his bedroom, in their home in the Philippines. Wawa has had to purchase or rent all of the equipment and or supplies necessary to keep Uncle Romi alive. She has to pay for 4 full-time alternating caretakers, to tend to Uncle around the clock. When Uncle Romi left us in December, he was capable, confident, and independent. He now is restricted to a hospital bed, with an oxygen tank, a part-time ventilator, tubes up his nose, and a trachea. Our Uncle can no longer eat, he can no longer walk, and he can’t even speak. His independence has completely been stripped away from him, and everything he knew, is gone. Luckily for Uncle Romi, he has an amazing team of caretakers, that treat him with respect and compassion and a wife that has sat by his bedside every step of the way. As some of you may not know, the healthcare system in the Philippines is quite different than the one we have here in Canada. Wawa and Uncle, have had to pay cash for every single thing pertaining to Uncle Romi's well-being. From something as small as tissue in the hospital to something as large as renting a Ventilator, it all comes out of their own pockets. Wawa recently had to travel back to Canada without Uncle Romi so she could get all of their affairs in order as their stay in the Philippines is indefinite. To say this has been financially draining would be a gross understatement. Wawa and Uncle are both retired elderly individuals who live off of a modest Pension and Old Age Security. The cost for Uncle Romi's care far outweighs the amount of income they receive each month. It is unsustainable, and they will not last much longer if something is not done. Wawa has done her Du diligence and withdrew everything and anything she could to keep them afloat for a little bit longer. The only way for them to survive this is for Uncle to be able to come home and receive the proper care here, in Canada. I have spent countless hours these last 4 months, on the phone and online scouring any resources that I can find to help them. The only real option is to have Uncle Romi Medically transported via air ambulance. Unfortunately, the cost of this is astronomical. The quote that I received was upwards of $250,000 Canadian. It is just not something that any average person can afford. So I continued my search and found this company called Flying Angels, and they are a team of nurses, who transport patients from one destination to another on commercial flights. They arrange all of the travel and medical plans necessary and are much more manageable in terms of cost. We reached out to them with all of the information about Uncle Romi, and the good news was that they could fly him home, as long as he did not need the ventilator. The quote for this was upwards of $25,000 Canadian. Now although Uncle is still currently on the ventilator, this option can still be a possibility if Uncle Romi's condition continues to improve. Wawa left back home for the Philippines to be with Uncle yesterday July 16, 2024. Her mission when she gets there, is to have Uncle Romi's condition reassessed by one or more Doctors, that we have been provided a list, from the Canadian Embassy. Now if you know Wawa and Uncle, you know what good people they are. They are generous, caring, and kind, and they have given so much to the people they love over their lifetime. To think of my Uncle, spending the rest of his life, in the position he is in, is heartbreaking, and if we could give them everything they need ourselves, we would. But it's just not possible. Our hope is to eventually be able to fly Uncle Romi back home, and until then we are forever grateful for any small amount that you can contribute. On behalf of Wawa and Uncle, Thank you
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