Medical bills and rehab
Donation protected
Lora Langworthy Cowen is sleeping soundly after a grueling day of recovering. The progress she's made today is simply incredible. How she got here is quite a story.
I had drove to Oberlin, KS to stay with her for a couple weeks. Then I was moving her to Arkansas on my return home. Yesterday would have been our moving day.
I was laying in bed when Lora came from her 12 hour night shift as an emergency room nurse. We talked for a while after she came to bed. She was rolling over and started breathing strange.
I rolled her over and realized she was unconscious.
This wasn't good! When I arrived in the area she had met me at the highway then took me several miles down some dirt road in western Kansas. (They all look alike!). Cell reception is a mile or two down the road and no land line. The farmers in this area rely on cb radio. I ran to the radio and was screaming for help. There wasn't an answer for a few minutes. During this time I realized I had no clue where I was or how to tell someone to get to us. Finally my call was answered. The man that answered (Eldon), was raised in the house I was calling from. He called for the ambulance and led them in.
When I got back to Lora I was in panic mode. I had taken CPR many times but I couldn't slow things down. I tried to give her a breath and her chest didn't rise. I stuck my finger down her throat and got her toungue. I gave her another breath and could feel lots of fluid be forced in her lungs. I thought it was coming back up. I turned her head to the side so it could get out but nothing came. At this point she was breathing good and I held her head to the side.
Her friends from the hospital arrived in around 20 minutes. They drove over eighty miles an hour on the dirt roads to get her to the hospital.
Once in the Oberlin Hospital Emergency room we were quickly shuttled to the airport and flown to Kearney, Nebraska. I was told when I boarded she may not make it.
We arrived in Kearney and was quickly placed on a chopper for an hour long ride to Omaha. The last ten minutes in the chopper went bad for Lora as spinal fluid was putting quite a bit of pressure on her brain. They immediately drilled a hole in her skull to relieve the pressure. A top notch team of specialist was gathered and she was operated on to cap her aneurism that same night.
She has been steadily progressing over the last several days. Although she's been in a coma she's been stable and healing.
Today has been by far her best day. She has movement in her arms and legs. She has also spent the day with family and communicates by nodding yes or no. This is going to take some time. There's going to be good and bad days.
I'd like to thank in advance for the love and support she deserves and will receive. Your calls and prayers through the week have been very uplifting. Please keep the prayers and positive energy flowing. We are thankful for many things tonight. Especially our friends.
I'm asking for help because Lora had turned in her two week notice at work and her insurance stops coverage on 6/30/2014. I won't be able to work until she's done with rehab, obviously she won't be working either. I need to start Cobra Insurance for her and help her with bills such as car payment, groceries, and deductibles.
Thank you all in advance for all the love and support Lora needs and deserves.
I had drove to Oberlin, KS to stay with her for a couple weeks. Then I was moving her to Arkansas on my return home. Yesterday would have been our moving day.
I was laying in bed when Lora came from her 12 hour night shift as an emergency room nurse. We talked for a while after she came to bed. She was rolling over and started breathing strange.
I rolled her over and realized she was unconscious.
This wasn't good! When I arrived in the area she had met me at the highway then took me several miles down some dirt road in western Kansas. (They all look alike!). Cell reception is a mile or two down the road and no land line. The farmers in this area rely on cb radio. I ran to the radio and was screaming for help. There wasn't an answer for a few minutes. During this time I realized I had no clue where I was or how to tell someone to get to us. Finally my call was answered. The man that answered (Eldon), was raised in the house I was calling from. He called for the ambulance and led them in.
When I got back to Lora I was in panic mode. I had taken CPR many times but I couldn't slow things down. I tried to give her a breath and her chest didn't rise. I stuck my finger down her throat and got her toungue. I gave her another breath and could feel lots of fluid be forced in her lungs. I thought it was coming back up. I turned her head to the side so it could get out but nothing came. At this point she was breathing good and I held her head to the side.
Her friends from the hospital arrived in around 20 minutes. They drove over eighty miles an hour on the dirt roads to get her to the hospital.
Once in the Oberlin Hospital Emergency room we were quickly shuttled to the airport and flown to Kearney, Nebraska. I was told when I boarded she may not make it.
We arrived in Kearney and was quickly placed on a chopper for an hour long ride to Omaha. The last ten minutes in the chopper went bad for Lora as spinal fluid was putting quite a bit of pressure on her brain. They immediately drilled a hole in her skull to relieve the pressure. A top notch team of specialist was gathered and she was operated on to cap her aneurism that same night.
She has been steadily progressing over the last several days. Although she's been in a coma she's been stable and healing.
Today has been by far her best day. She has movement in her arms and legs. She has also spent the day with family and communicates by nodding yes or no. This is going to take some time. There's going to be good and bad days.
I'd like to thank in advance for the love and support she deserves and will receive. Your calls and prayers through the week have been very uplifting. Please keep the prayers and positive energy flowing. We are thankful for many things tonight. Especially our friends.
I'm asking for help because Lora had turned in her two week notice at work and her insurance stops coverage on 6/30/2014. I won't be able to work until she's done with rehab, obviously she won't be working either. I need to start Cobra Insurance for her and help her with bills such as car payment, groceries, and deductibles.
Thank you all in advance for all the love and support Lora needs and deserves.
Organizer
Todd Whetstine
Organizer
Mountainburg, AR
