Our dear Teo first showed up at Casa Marianella over three years ago. At the time, his untreated diabetes had advanced so far that he was really suffering. Due to his condition, Teo had lost half of his leg, the functioning of his kidneys, and part of his vision.
Initially, Teo’s health insurance was only covering his dialysis when his blood values became life-threatening. During these periods of very temporary relief, Teo would often end up in the hospital for weeks at a time.
Fortunately, medical case worker Mercedes Wanguemert Peña stepped in to help. She was able to make an arrangement with a doctor who began doing Teo’s blood work every week, enabling staff to get him treatment by the following day when his blood values reached a critical point.
Teo’s situation improved considerably, but Mercedes didn’t stop there. She was eventually able to obtain a new insurance arrangement for Teo that allows for him to get dialysis three times per week. Not only is Teo now much healthier, but he has also has a new leg!
I saw Teo for the first time with his new prosthetic at Convivio this past June. I had been overseas and had not seen Teo for many months. I was absolutely shocked to see him standing on two legs! His disposition had completely changed. He looked so happy!
Casa’s Grant Manager, Karen Dale Wolman, had a similar experience:
“After [Teo] got his leg and was used to it, I saw him from a distance at Convivio, and he was a different man: so confident and happy. I also found him so much more communicative. We drove him to Jennifer’s house for the Easter party this year, and so he was so much more interactive with us, even though Teo, myself and my daughter don’t have a language in common. He was happy and animated and his true self…
…I don’t interact with residents often, so the change was dramatic for me. I was so happy for Teo.”
Thanks to his hero, Mercedes and help from his Casa fam, Teo now feels even more “bien a gusto!”
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