Walker Family: Sudden Medical Crisis

If you know Abbie Walker, you probably know her as a supportive military wife who is fiercely devoted to her husband, James. Or you know her as a hardworking, loving, homemaker and mommy to four beautiful kids, often holding down the household responsibilities with patience and grace while James is working long hours as a Corrections Officer or away fulfilling his commitment to the U.S. Air Force. Or maybe you know her as the striking, spiritual woman who lights up the congregation when she walks into church. Or maybe you know her as the wonderful friend or family member who is integral in her huge network of kindhearted people.

If you know Abbie Walker, then it's probably hard to imagine her laying in a hospital bed in Rochester, NY, full of IVs, blood pressure monitors, heart rate monitors, O2 saturation monitors, and many other things that are critical to her health right now.

As hard as it is to believe, Abbie is not her usual go-go-go self. She can barely speak. She can barely laugh. She can barely catch her breath. And the doctors still don't know why yet, and they don't know exactly how to make her better yet.

So this is a time to come together around the Walker Family. James and Abbie are away from their kids (who are staying out of state with family), and every day brings new, scary, confusing challenges while this medical mystery is navigated. To be by her side, James is hours away from PA, and therefore not working at this time, while bills pile up.

Please remember Abbie and James as you say your prayers, and if you have some money to spare, please click the donate button. Even a few dollars will help, and they will be grateful for anything that can be contributed. If you have any capacity to give, now is the time; if you can't give, then please share this story and this plea. And again, please continue to pray for the Walker Family. Please pray for Abbie's health and safety, strength for James and the kids, financial stability during this very difficult time, and the continued strength and support of their family, friends, and coworkers.



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The details...

On June 6th, Abbie called her doctor in PA about pain in her back and shoulder, which seemed to be causing her difficulty breathing. They prescribed a muscle relaxer over the phone, which seemed to be great news because it meant she would be able to make the drive up to NY to visit family. She took the meds for two days as prescribed, but the pain just seemed to be worsening.

On June 11th, Abbie went to Urgent Care, and they were so concerned that they didn't even register her; they just called and ambulance and sent her directly to the Geneva General ER. They wasted no time getting an X-ray and CAT scan. They reported to her that she had a blood clot and pneumonia and a shriveling in part of her lung. From the ER, she was sent to the ICU, and different tests and drugs were ordered, but her breathing remained out of control with very rapid, shallow breaths.

On June 20th, Abbie was moved from Geneva General to Rochester General. This hospital has pulmonary specialists and unique equipment, but there still hasn't seemed to be much progress. The nurses and doctors are great, and working very hard, but answers just aren't there yet as to why Abbie is struggling so much to breathe, with frequent and scary episodes of not being able to breathe well at all. During these episodes, Abbie's breathing goes from bad to unbelievably bad, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to when they occur.

On June 26th, Abbie will be intubated. This procedure was put off as long as possible and is not without risks. However, the episodes are requiring this procedure because of the low oxygen saturation she has been facing, plus the fact that the episodes have become more frequent and stronger.