Road To Recovery: Cody's Campaign
Donation protected
Cody's Story
On May 30, 2016 my brother Cody was involved in a serious accident which resulted in extensive injuries to his head, a broken neck at his C5 vertebrae, and substantial damage to his spinal cord. Cody was transported by paramedics to the Trauma ICU at Fairfax INOVA Hospital where he underwent 9 hours of emergency spinal surgery to stabilize his broken vertebrae. The surgery was successful, but the extent of his injuries could not be immediately determined.
In the days following the surgery, the neurosurgeons closely monitored Cody’s condition and determined his prognosis to be permanent paralysis from at least the waist down. Cody has the ability to move his arms at his shoulders, elbows, and wrists, but have very limited functionality in his hands. He currently has no sensation or movement below his pectorals.
While in the ICU, Cody developed pneumonia and a severe staph infection in his lungs, which became the critical concern and has been the largest challenge to Cody’s recovery thus far. His breathing is still regulated by a ventilator through a tracheostomy tube.
Cody spent 18 days in the Trauma ICU at Fairfax INOVA, when he was air-bussed to the ICU at Shepherd Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta, Georgia on June 17th. He was released from the Shepherd ICU on June 23rd and remains at the facility to complete their in-patient rehab program which lasts a minimum of 8 weeks. The program is intended to teach him how to best manage his new life as a paraplegic and hopefully help regain some functionality. Once he completes the inpatient program, Cody will still require regular outpatient rehabilitation for several more months, if not years.
Growing up in a large family, you come to expect certain incidents and injuries to occur. Through the years, my family has spent many hours in urgent care receiving countless sets of stitches or mending a broken arm or two; it comes with the territory of having two active younger boys. However, some things just can’t ever be anticipated. Getting a call from a paramedic in the middle of the night; driving to the hospital without knowing what was waiting for us; standing in the waiting room of the Trauma ICU at 3:00AM; it all felt like a dream. But it happened. We got the call, we stood in the room, we waited, and our world stopped turning for a little while.
How You Can Help
Cody’s accident has put an unexpected financial burden on my family, which was further weighted over the past week with the addition of funeral costs for our Grandmother who passed away on June 22. Recovery from an injury like Cody’s is a lengthy process and many of the expenses are out-of- pocket. Some of these expenses include:
· medical bills for the portions of his ICU treatment not covered by our insurance
· $4,000 out-of-pocket cost for the airbus transport to Atlanta
· Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation exceeding what our insurance will cover
· Home remodeling to make our house handicap/wheelchair accessible for Cody (i.e. ramps, stair lift, handicap bathroom, extended doorways, etc.)
· Travel and lodging expenses to and from Atlanta while Cody is at Shepherd Center
· At-Home Care Nurse once Cody returns (neither of my parents have the ability to leave their jobs to care for Cody full-time)
· Medications, medical supplies (catheters, wheelchair, compression shoes, etc.)
Cody is only 20 years-old and was expecting to start his junior year at Virginia Tech as a double-major in Physics and Mathematics. He loves being outside and skateboarding and playing baseball. He is one of the most intelligent, most motivated people I know, and he has the most infectious smile I have ever seen. He deserves every opportunity to work on regaining his mobility, but it takes time, positivity …and money.
Please consider donating to Cody’s Campaign to help give Cody the best chance at recovery. Any size donation will make a huge difference and thank you in advance for your support and generosity.
-Megan
On May 30, 2016 my brother Cody was involved in a serious accident which resulted in extensive injuries to his head, a broken neck at his C5 vertebrae, and substantial damage to his spinal cord. Cody was transported by paramedics to the Trauma ICU at Fairfax INOVA Hospital where he underwent 9 hours of emergency spinal surgery to stabilize his broken vertebrae. The surgery was successful, but the extent of his injuries could not be immediately determined.
In the days following the surgery, the neurosurgeons closely monitored Cody’s condition and determined his prognosis to be permanent paralysis from at least the waist down. Cody has the ability to move his arms at his shoulders, elbows, and wrists, but have very limited functionality in his hands. He currently has no sensation or movement below his pectorals.
While in the ICU, Cody developed pneumonia and a severe staph infection in his lungs, which became the critical concern and has been the largest challenge to Cody’s recovery thus far. His breathing is still regulated by a ventilator through a tracheostomy tube.
Cody spent 18 days in the Trauma ICU at Fairfax INOVA, when he was air-bussed to the ICU at Shepherd Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta, Georgia on June 17th. He was released from the Shepherd ICU on June 23rd and remains at the facility to complete their in-patient rehab program which lasts a minimum of 8 weeks. The program is intended to teach him how to best manage his new life as a paraplegic and hopefully help regain some functionality. Once he completes the inpatient program, Cody will still require regular outpatient rehabilitation for several more months, if not years.
Growing up in a large family, you come to expect certain incidents and injuries to occur. Through the years, my family has spent many hours in urgent care receiving countless sets of stitches or mending a broken arm or two; it comes with the territory of having two active younger boys. However, some things just can’t ever be anticipated. Getting a call from a paramedic in the middle of the night; driving to the hospital without knowing what was waiting for us; standing in the waiting room of the Trauma ICU at 3:00AM; it all felt like a dream. But it happened. We got the call, we stood in the room, we waited, and our world stopped turning for a little while.
How You Can Help
Cody’s accident has put an unexpected financial burden on my family, which was further weighted over the past week with the addition of funeral costs for our Grandmother who passed away on June 22. Recovery from an injury like Cody’s is a lengthy process and many of the expenses are out-of- pocket. Some of these expenses include:
· medical bills for the portions of his ICU treatment not covered by our insurance
· $4,000 out-of-pocket cost for the airbus transport to Atlanta
· Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation exceeding what our insurance will cover
· Home remodeling to make our house handicap/wheelchair accessible for Cody (i.e. ramps, stair lift, handicap bathroom, extended doorways, etc.)
· Travel and lodging expenses to and from Atlanta while Cody is at Shepherd Center
· At-Home Care Nurse once Cody returns (neither of my parents have the ability to leave their jobs to care for Cody full-time)
· Medications, medical supplies (catheters, wheelchair, compression shoes, etc.)
Cody is only 20 years-old and was expecting to start his junior year at Virginia Tech as a double-major in Physics and Mathematics. He loves being outside and skateboarding and playing baseball. He is one of the most intelligent, most motivated people I know, and he has the most infectious smile I have ever seen. He deserves every opportunity to work on regaining his mobility, but it takes time, positivity …and money.
Please consider donating to Cody’s Campaign to help give Cody the best chance at recovery. Any size donation will make a huge difference and thank you in advance for your support and generosity.
-Megan
Organizer and beneficiary
Megan Miller
Organizer
Oak Hill, VA
James Miller
Beneficiary
