Hi wonderful friends, family, and supporters! 

As Roman and Stella continue to grow, our next big home project is modifying our master bathroom (the only one big enough to bathe them in) to meet their increasing care needs. Accessibility has become more challenging as they’ve gotten older and bigger, and we want to make sure their space is safe, comfortable, and functional for both them and us as their caregivers. 

Right now, bathing them is extremely hard on our backs and becoming more and more unsafe. We currently have to lift and transfer two wet, 50-pound kids from the bath seat to our bed to get them dressed. It’s not only physically exhausting, but also a real fall hazard for both us and them. Having an accessible bathroom would completely change that allowing us to safely bathe, transfer, and care for them with the dignity and comfort they deserve. 

Each year, their Ohio Medicaid homecare waiver provides $10,000 per child for home modifications (although they make this process as difficult and long as humanly possible, as we’ve been trying to get this done for over three years now). We FINALLY got the approval from Medicaid to move forward! This year, we’re combining both Roman and Stella’s funds to cover a large portion of this project, but we still have an additional $12,000 we need in order to complete the renovation. 

We’ve gotten multiple bids from several contractors, and they’ve all come in around $32,000. This is because the way our bathroom is currently laid out, they basically need to swap where the shower and toilet are to make enough space for a proper roll-in shower. 

This remodel will include an accessible roll-in shower, wider entryways, and durable materials to withstand their medical equipment and daily use. Most importantly, it will give us the ability to safely care for Roman and Stella without risking injury. 

Every contribution, no matter the amount, brings us one step closer to giving our kids the accessibility and comfort they deserve. We are endlessly grateful for the continued love and support from our community who have been rallying behind our family-  it truly helps us provide the best care possible for our children. 💛 

Thank you for helping us make this next step in our home modification journey possible. 

With love and gratitude,
Jillian and Donald Arnold