Yankton, SD – Yankton resident Pam Hintz was facing a rough road before she found two angels at Horizon Health.
Hintz moved to Yankton in 2016 and cared for her handicapped daughter until the daughter’s death in 2020. It was a difficult time after that loss. Hintz lived with her son and his girlfriend until the couple moved to Nebraska in February 2024. Her health had taken a turn in December, and she was no longer able to work. She was struggling to pay living expenses on spousal support of only $1,000 a month. Prior to that she had been financially stable and able to pay her bills even without insurance.
“It was a really low time in my life,” she said.
Aggressive scar tissue in her stomach had caused renal issues. She sought help from Mandy Thoms, CNP, a provider at Horizon Health Yankton. She immediately sent Hintz on to specialists who gave her a stunning ultimatum: without immediate treatment her life was in danger.
A catheter needed to be surgically inserted but miraculously eliminated her renal issues. She is now being treated only for the problems caused by her scar tissue. Because of its aggressive nature, surgery isn’t an option. Prior to getting the catheter, Hintz said she looked 10 months pregnant because the scar tissue caused her bladder to swell to such a large size.
“I will probably not be able to work for the rest of my life,” Hintz said. “The scar tissue is the size of three fists and moves around and does whatever it wants.”
At the same time her health was capsizing, the lease was up on her apartment, and she needed a new place to stay. Thoms introduced her to Community Health Worker Michelle Kral in Yankton who immediately gathered resources Hintz could use to pay for interim housing at a hotel and ultimately helped her find a new home and assistance with the first month’s rent.
“I’m a Christian and I think God every day for Michelle,” Hintz said. “I needed someone to be Michelle and there she was. She dropped into my lap. I’m really thankful.”
Hintz is now on firmer financial footing and credits the help she received at Horizon from Thoms and Kral for turning her life around. The experience has taught her the importance of community support.
“This would be a good place to give your money if you have money to give,” she said. “There’s people out there that have been in a situation like me for all their life and they are just looking for a little bit of help.”
For more information on how you can support or receive help from Horizon Health, visit https://www.horizonhealthcare.org/