More than two weeks have passed, and we’re still waiting for the VA referral. Yesterday was spent making countless calls—to the VA, primary care doctor, surgeon’s office, and home health nurse—trying to figure out what’s going on. After a tough conversation with the home health head nurse, she agreed to follow up. When she hit the same walls we’ve been facing, her tone shifted—she realized we weren’t exaggerating.
Midday yesterday, the surgeon’s office called, saying someone would be calling to schedule Jolly’s procedure, but as of today, no call has come. Even the home health nurse who was here for the weekly visit today was shocked at the disorganized communication when she called to follow up and was told they didn’t have the referral (even though they called Jolly yesterday and said they did!). It’s been exhausting, and sadly, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard, “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
To make matters worse, Jolly ran out of ostomy supplies this week. The VA somehow doesn’t have the prescription and wants Jolly to have his primary doctor write a new one so we had to rely on emergency supplies from the home health agency, which thankfully arrived today.
Through it all, Jolly keeps fighting. His C&P exam for his claim is next week, and we’re praying for a fair and thorough evaluation.
Mental health care is still a battle of its own. No word on the referral or appointment for that yet either.
But there’s light amid the darkness. Tonight, we celebrated our youngest’s upcoming 7th birthday at Paw Patrol Live. It was the longest Jolly has been out of the house since his surgery. He’s sore and tired but overjoyed at seeing our son’s excitement. Moments like this remind us of what we’re fighting for—family and hope.
Jolly’s also considering restarting his Instagram lives on men’s mental health. He used to share his story and connect with others facing challenges, and it brought him so much purpose. We believe it could be a lifeline not only for Jolly but also for others out there struggling. I’ll let you know if he decides to go forward with it!
We cannot thank you all enough for your continued support. Your love and encouragement mean the world to us and are the motivation that helps keep Jolly pushing forward.
Love and gratitude,
– Ash