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I teach at a small rural private school (about 70 families, preschool to 6th grade.) This school is a labor of love for many of us, and an incredible community of supportive people. With my myectomy coming up just after school is out, I sent home a one page letter to all of the families letting them know about the surgery, what it was for, why now (because I'd found the HCMA 
and all you fine folks and finally learned about HCM and also that there are HCM specialty clinics), why Mayo Clinic, and the expectation that I'd be back working at school good to go in the fall. My purpose in sending the letter was to offer clear communication (a cornerstone of our community at school), save me and others from telling the story over and over, stem the grapevine that would inevitably happen if it just picked up that the lead teacher of the younger class was having heart surgery (the grapevine could have me dying in crisis very quickly....) and also to inform my many friends in the parent community so that I could have their support and well wishes, especially on the days that I have to go and actually do it.
Today at the end of the school day they called me in to an all school gathering that I knew nothing about--all of the kids and teachers, and many of the parents. They gave me a bouquet of flowers and a card of thanks and support for my upcoming surgery. Before giving me the card they passed it around the group and had every child hold it for a moment. I would have been thrilled with just the acknowledgement, the expressed love, and the pretty and thoughtfully worded card I received. But, inside the card was a check for $2,000 from the parents as a group AND a note saying that they had also pre-paid two weeks' stay at the Staybridge Suites across the street from the hospital (It is very nice, I looked at it when I was in Rochester--has full kitchen with utensils, desk, sofa and chairs, etc. plus breakfast everyday etc. etc.) This totals $3,400. This was all raised spontaneously by parents in the last few days to upgrade us to a hotel nicer than the cheaper one we had decided to book to necessarily save money, and to otherwise offset travel and medical expenses. I was astonished. I wasn't surprised at their generosity--they are that kind of people. But this is not a rich school. Some are well enough off, but many work at very basic jobs (grocery store checkers, pizza delivery, hair cutting, etc.) and really make a sacrifice to pay tuition because they want their kids to come to Five Acre School. The parent group works hard for months to fundraise a few thousand dollars a year for the school. It is hard to communicate to you how much money this is in our rural school community--it is totally unprecedented. The last couple of weeks, I felt so much love and support from their well wishes alone. And here they come through for us in this amazingly thoughtful and generous way. We figure that the two trips to Minnesota for evaluation and surgery (airfare and hotel) plus out-of-pocket medical costs not covered by insurance will cost us about $10,000 this year. We can pull it together, and raid savings as needed, for which I feel very fortunate--but a non-public school preschool teacher and a one man cabinet shop do not earn big bucks and this will help us so much. And there is no doubt that we go to Minnesota uplifted and literally nested by this incredible group of people and their love. I am so fortunate. I wanted to tell my other friends right away--first my husband, then my sister, but very importantly you. Without you I wouldn't even know about this path, much less be on it. Best wishes to everyone, Lisa Inman
and all you fine folks and finally learned about HCM and also that there are HCM specialty clinics), why Mayo Clinic, and the expectation that I'd be back working at school good to go in the fall. My purpose in sending the letter was to offer clear communication (a cornerstone of our community at school), save me and others from telling the story over and over, stem the grapevine that would inevitably happen if it just picked up that the lead teacher of the younger class was having heart surgery (the grapevine could have me dying in crisis very quickly....) and also to inform my many friends in the parent community so that I could have their support and well wishes, especially on the days that I have to go and actually do it. Today at the end of the school day they called me in to an all school gathering that I knew nothing about--all of the kids and teachers, and many of the parents. They gave me a bouquet of flowers and a card of thanks and support for my upcoming surgery. Before giving me the card they passed it around the group and had every child hold it for a moment. I would have been thrilled with just the acknowledgement, the expressed love, and the pretty and thoughtfully worded card I received. But, inside the card was a check for $2,000 from the parents as a group AND a note saying that they had also pre-paid two weeks' stay at the Staybridge Suites across the street from the hospital (It is very nice, I looked at it when I was in Rochester--has full kitchen with utensils, desk, sofa and chairs, etc. plus breakfast everyday etc. etc.) This totals $3,400. This was all raised spontaneously by parents in the last few days to upgrade us to a hotel nicer than the cheaper one we had decided to book to necessarily save money, and to otherwise offset travel and medical expenses. I was astonished. I wasn't surprised at their generosity--they are that kind of people. But this is not a rich school. Some are well enough off, but many work at very basic jobs (grocery store checkers, pizza delivery, hair cutting, etc.) and really make a sacrifice to pay tuition because they want their kids to come to Five Acre School. The parent group works hard for months to fundraise a few thousand dollars a year for the school. It is hard to communicate to you how much money this is in our rural school community--it is totally unprecedented. The last couple of weeks, I felt so much love and support from their well wishes alone. And here they come through for us in this amazingly thoughtful and generous way. We figure that the two trips to Minnesota for evaluation and surgery (airfare and hotel) plus out-of-pocket medical costs not covered by insurance will cost us about $10,000 this year. We can pull it together, and raid savings as needed, for which I feel very fortunate--but a non-public school preschool teacher and a one man cabinet shop do not earn big bucks and this will help us so much. And there is no doubt that we go to Minnesota uplifted and literally nested by this incredible group of people and their love. I am so fortunate. I wanted to tell my other friends right away--first my husband, then my sister, but very importantly you. Without you I wouldn't even know about this path, much less be on it. Best wishes to everyone, Lisa Inman
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