Help Billy Recover!

Dear Friends and Family:
     As you may or may not know, on June 19th my partner Will ('Billy') Webster was taken by ambulance to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after experiencing a minor ischemic stroke due to carotid artery dissection. Shortly after having been admitted to the hospital, he then experienced a much larger and more serious stroke. We are unsure how the dissection occured and the doctors haven't determined a final cause. The days that followed were full of confusion and despair, to say the least.
     Billy's brain began to swell as a result of the stroke for three days. The doctors tried to minimalize the swelling with 2% and 3% sodium chloride solution and finally a short burst of 23% sodium chloride solution. But his brain continued to swell and began to have what is called 'midline shift' inside his skull. This was a very serious sign that the swelling was not under control. On Tuesday evening, June 22nd, Billy was rushed to emergency surgery for a decompressive craniectomy where the right side of his skull was removed to allow the swelling brain room to expand without being squeezed and damaged further.
     Amazingly, the surgery has allowed the swelling without more damage and helped to begin Billy's road to recovery.  He was moved to the rehabilitaion unit in the hospital at the beginning of July and is working hard every day to regain skills for the left side of his body, the most important being walking. Reading and writing or being upright have also been a challenge because they cause intense nausea.
    The first 3 to 6 months are when stroke victims recover the most movement and cognitive functions. We won't know the extent of Billy's permanent injuries for several months. He will have a CT scan in three weeks to determine if the brain needs more time for the swelling to go down. Eventually he will have a second surgery and the part of his skull that was removed will be put back into place. For now he must wear a helmet at any time he is out of bed to protect his brain where his bone was removed.



     We are very grateful that Billy's surgery was successful. The financial logistics of his time in the hospital as well as his new disabilities and challenges are overwhelming. Within a couple of weeks he will be moved to a skilled nursing facility until he has enough abilities to be able to come home. Needless to say, Billy is now unable to work for the foreseeable future. While we are doing everything we can, the costs are too much for us to be able to handle all on our own.
     We come asking you, friends and family, for a donation of any size to help Billy and I through this trying time in our lives. Anything helps and we thank you endlessly, from the bottom of our hearts.
                     With love,
                                       Alexa & Billy