ALTON – This Sunday, the Ragin' Cajun Piano Bar will host a benefit for one of their own.
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Jeff “Doc” Taylor has been playing piano at the bar on Third Street for nearly two years, but he has not been able to return to the gig he loves since October, when most of his right leg was amputated. Taylor is diabetic and on dialysis, and he lacked the insurance necessary to keep up-to-date with his treatments. One day, a septic hole appeared in his foot, and doctors at the nearby St. Elizabeth's Hospital were forced to take portions of that foot so he could heal. A vein from his groin was also transplanted to his knee to help blood flow, and he was given antibiotics to help with the issue. Unfortunately, he said the antibiotics killed everything – not just the bad – and that caused even more issues, eventually leading to his right leg being amputated below the knee.
Despite that amputation and his current need for dialysis, Taylor said he is feeling great, and his prognosis is promising for recovery. He even said he has been working with social services to attain insurance. His friends, upon whom he relied for rides, helped him construct a ramp to his garage to aid in his mobility, as now Taylor requires the use of both a wheelchair and a walker.
To help with that sum of medical bills, the staff at the Ragin Cajun is hosting a benefit for Taylor Sunday afternoon, starting at 2 p.m. Tickets for the event are $10, and all proceeds go to help Taylor pay for those bills. The event will feature music, raffles, food and drinks. Music will be provided by pianists for the first three hours, followed by a roster of bands until 9 p.m.
Taylor said he is grateful for the Ragin' Cajun hosting this benefit for him, adding he loves playing there.
“The staff there is so nice, and I'm grateful for what they're doing,” Taylor said Monday. “They are all so friendly and laid back. The people who come in there are great, too. Everyone likes to come in and party and have a great time.”
