Kellie’s Fight
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This is Kellie Carter (44). Some may see this as just another GoFundMe campaign, but to us, her loved ones, she is everything. She is our daughter, mother of three, aunt, friend, and so much more. Kellie is the sweetest and kindest woman who always greets everyone with her beautiful smile and warm hugs, but has not been able to do so for the past month…
On May 4th, our family took Kellie to the Emergency Room (ER) because she voiced that she “doesn’t feel right,” and, “something feels wrong”. Her sister noticed that Kellie was having difficulty carrying out regular tasks, such as opening the car door and getting inside while they were running errands together. After examination, the ER doctor discovered that she had suffered not one, but a few mild strokes and that she had an occlusion, or blockage, in her right carotid artery, one of the major blood vessels in the neck that supplies blood to the brain, neck, and face.
On May 6th, the doctors performed an angioplasty to remove the occlusion. Procedure #1. The following morning, Kellie fell out of her hospital bed which caused a major hemorrhagic stroke, resulting in bleeding, swelling and pressure on her brain. This required an emergency craniectomy to remove the hemorrhage and save her life. Procedure #2. Miraculously, she survived the surgery, but had to be stabilized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). With the many strokes and two surgical procedures in three days, Kellie experienced severe swelling in her brain and neck which caused the inability to breathe without the assistance of a ventilator (breathing machine with an endotracheal tube) and, therefore, could not move any part of her body.
Two weeks passed and Kellie remained stabilized in the ICU. During this time, unsuccessful attempts were made by the doctors for Kellie to breathe without the ventilator. On May 20th, the doctors performed a tracheotomy in the hopes of it allowing her to breathe on her own by reducing the swelling in her brain and neck. Procedure #3. Since she was not able to move, she was not able to eat. Kellie underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy (PEG) and a tube was inserted for feeding that day as well. Procedure #4.
On May 24th, she was transferred out of ICU to a neurosurgical floor. After being on this floor for less than one hour, her endotracheal tube was removed, resulting in respiratory distress and loss of pulse. The nurses rushed in, resuscitated (or coded) her, and Kellie’s pulse returned. Five minutes later, she lost her pulse a second time, was coded, and revived again. The nurses took her back to ICU and performed yet another surgery to replace the endotracheal tube. Procedure #5.
On the early morning of May 26th, Kellie, somehow, pulled her PEG (feeding) tube out and perforated her stomach, requiring immediate surgery. Procedure #6.
As of today, she is back in the ICU . Kellie has no movement in her left arm and minimal movement in her left leg, but, occasionally, she will open her eyes and is able to follow commands on her right side. A small step forward on her long road to recovery! We are so thankful for this progress!
It goes without saying that this has been a life-threatening journey for Kellie and a roller coaster of emotions for her loved ones. As we have described, some days the sky is falling, other days her status remains unchanged, and, most recently, we have celebrated the small victories.
This journey has also come with a continuing, increasingly burdensome financial responsibility that we are unable to afford alone. All funds raised from this page will go directly toward Kellie’s hospital expenses. Any amount you are able to give is appreciated from the bottom of our hearts.
Love, The Family of Kellie Carter
**Status updates will be provided on this page as we receive them.**
On May 4th, our family took Kellie to the Emergency Room (ER) because she voiced that she “doesn’t feel right,” and, “something feels wrong”. Her sister noticed that Kellie was having difficulty carrying out regular tasks, such as opening the car door and getting inside while they were running errands together. After examination, the ER doctor discovered that she had suffered not one, but a few mild strokes and that she had an occlusion, or blockage, in her right carotid artery, one of the major blood vessels in the neck that supplies blood to the brain, neck, and face.
On May 6th, the doctors performed an angioplasty to remove the occlusion. Procedure #1. The following morning, Kellie fell out of her hospital bed which caused a major hemorrhagic stroke, resulting in bleeding, swelling and pressure on her brain. This required an emergency craniectomy to remove the hemorrhage and save her life. Procedure #2. Miraculously, she survived the surgery, but had to be stabilized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). With the many strokes and two surgical procedures in three days, Kellie experienced severe swelling in her brain and neck which caused the inability to breathe without the assistance of a ventilator (breathing machine with an endotracheal tube) and, therefore, could not move any part of her body.
Two weeks passed and Kellie remained stabilized in the ICU. During this time, unsuccessful attempts were made by the doctors for Kellie to breathe without the ventilator. On May 20th, the doctors performed a tracheotomy in the hopes of it allowing her to breathe on her own by reducing the swelling in her brain and neck. Procedure #3. Since she was not able to move, she was not able to eat. Kellie underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy (PEG) and a tube was inserted for feeding that day as well. Procedure #4.
On May 24th, she was transferred out of ICU to a neurosurgical floor. After being on this floor for less than one hour, her endotracheal tube was removed, resulting in respiratory distress and loss of pulse. The nurses rushed in, resuscitated (or coded) her, and Kellie’s pulse returned. Five minutes later, she lost her pulse a second time, was coded, and revived again. The nurses took her back to ICU and performed yet another surgery to replace the endotracheal tube. Procedure #5.
On the early morning of May 26th, Kellie, somehow, pulled her PEG (feeding) tube out and perforated her stomach, requiring immediate surgery. Procedure #6.
As of today, she is back in the ICU . Kellie has no movement in her left arm and minimal movement in her left leg, but, occasionally, she will open her eyes and is able to follow commands on her right side. A small step forward on her long road to recovery! We are so thankful for this progress!
It goes without saying that this has been a life-threatening journey for Kellie and a roller coaster of emotions for her loved ones. As we have described, some days the sky is falling, other days her status remains unchanged, and, most recently, we have celebrated the small victories.
This journey has also come with a continuing, increasingly burdensome financial responsibility that we are unable to afford alone. All funds raised from this page will go directly toward Kellie’s hospital expenses. Any amount you are able to give is appreciated from the bottom of our hearts.
Love, The Family of Kellie Carter
**Status updates will be provided on this page as we receive them.**
Co-organisers (6)
Lauren Elizabeth
Organiser
Wentzville, MO
Sheila Boos
Beneficiary
Katie Carter
Co-organiser
Laura Wilson
Co-organiser
Lisa Luckett
Co-organiser
Mary Stephens
Co-organiser