I'm making this GFM page for my best friend Jenn and her husband John Hall, who had a stroke last Thursday morning, January 28.  John is an Army veteran who was still active in the Army Reserves.   John and Jenn have four children: Lawson is 7, Landon is 9, Emily is 14 and Evan is 16.   John  diligently worked out daily and seemed to be in perfect health, with no family history of heart problems, so the doctors are confused as to what caused his stroke.  

And, although the surgeon at Hungtington Hospital removed the large (2 cm) blood clot from his brain within 30 minutes of onset of the stroke (he was less than a mile from the hospital when it happened!), the damage had already been done, and the entire left side of his brain was damaged.  He has use of his left arm and leg, although not fully.  The right side of his body is paralyzed, and he is unable to speak.   He is cognizant of everything around him, and can answer "yes" questions with a "thumbs up."   I've gotten him to laugh quite a bit (I always did!! LOL).  But it's heartbreaking to see him unable to have full use of his body and speech!

John isn't quite ready for the rehab floor yet, although therapists are doing some in-room therapy with him already.  When he is ready to be sent to the rehab floor, they will most likely be looking to prepare him for the home as a wheelchair patient.   John will need substantial therapy, and it appears his recovery will take a year or more.   

Jenn was laid off as a teacher at the end of the last school year, so she and John had decided to start a home health care business via a franchise.  They took a large portion of their savings and bought the franchise and had been going back East the last few months for training and getting ready to open their business.  They were supposed to be interviewing their first caregivers last Thursday, the day he had the stroke!  Bad timing (although there's never a "good" time for a stroke)! The doctor told Jenn that the first caregiver she needed to hire would be for John!

I know that they could use any financial help you can give.  The kids are worried, but are hanging in there.  Jenn is being strong as she always has been.  Hey, she's an Autism Warrior Mom, she's used to being strong and a fighter.  In fact, that's how I met her, because she and I both have teenage sons with Aspergers/High-Functioning Autism!

Please share this page with all your friends.  They are an amazing family, and John and Jenn both have helped us the past few months by picking up our son from school while my husband was getting chemo, so I want to do all I can to help them!  They need our help to be able to weather the next year or so until John can become more independent!

Thank you so much,
Wanda Rapp