AJ's Medical Needs

On Feb 28, 2023 my life changed forever. My son, AJ told me his neck was hurting after his girlfriend and him were playing around im her dorm at Mizzou where she fell on him while he was seated in an office chair. He hyperextened his neck over the back of the chair while hold the weight of her and him. The next morning he calls to say his neck still hurt but he was going to the store and would rest. An hour later AJ calls to tell me he no longer could feel or move his arm. I tell him to go to the ER asap. By the time I got to him he could only move his left foot. After imaging and a rush to the cath lab to break up any blood clots he was admitted to the neuro icu at University Hospital in Columbia. The next day he was unable to breath on his own and was placed on a ventilator and given a feeding tube. The doctors were completely baffled by his injury. They told us he may never get anything back and werent sure if more functions would go away. After a week AJ was able to squeeze our hand with his left hand. We spent 4 weeks in the icu. Then we were told we were going to be going to Craig Rehabilitation Hospital in Engelwood,CO. The morning we were set to leave a nurse knocked AJ'S trache out and he had to have emergency bedside surgery. His oxygen had dropped to 40% and his ledt lung was full of fluid. Finally on March 20 we boarded a medical flight to Craig. He has been there for 2 months where he is off vent and trache free. He has almost full use of his left arm. Movement in both legs and strength in his core.

But then we found out UHC will not cover him staying in patient anymore. He was supposed to be here til June 1 but is getting shorted 3 weeks of in patient. He will be receiving 4 weeks of out patient but therapy is cut in half.

Now we are learning of the home modifications, special vehicles, non covered medical supplies etc we are going to be facing.

AJ is determined to walk again and to finish his college education. He has always been an athletic and outgoing person.

Please help him!! Thank you

Also you can check out his progress on tiktok and instagram

Tiktok @jennydonnell

IG aj_strong02