Caring Hearts for Rob Bagnasco
Donation protected
Robert Bagnasco, married to Gigi for 23 years, has five daughter, Hailey 22, Gabrielle 19 ,Rachel 16, and twins Ashley and Johanna 10 years old.
Gigi and Rob admired each other, loved each other, and cared for each other like no other. Rob worked very hard to keep his family happy and healthy.
He worked nights as a truck driver,and even though he came home tired, his eyes lit up when his children ran to greet him. He was just as excited to see them as they were to him.
On October 18, 2017 their life was about to become a life that they never thought would occur. Rob had collapsed at the side of his truck and was found by his supervisor at midnight. He was rushed to Brookhaven hospital, where the doctors were unable to figure out what was wrong with him, but they made the decision to transport him over to Stony Brook University. Within 20 minutes of him being there we were told his aorta had ruptured and his chest cavity was filling with blood. At that moment emergency surgery had taken place. While in surgery, the doctors discovered that his aorta had split from the front of his heart all the way to the back and his coronary sinus vein had also ruptured. Trying to save his life during the six 1/2 hour surgery, the blood that was sitting in his chest had nowhere to go and unfortunately had traveled upwards which now formed a massive clot in the carotid artery, which had cut off all the oxygen to his brain. Now the result was a massive stroke. The entire right hemisphere of the brain was affected and the left side of his body was completely paralyzed. He now has no use of the left side of his body including the left eye being half blind.
It didn’t end here. His life was getting more critical. Three days later, he was rushed to Mount Sinai in Manhattan. His brain began to swell and on the fifth day had half of his skull removed.
Two days after that surgery, he was on a trachea and a permanent feeding tube was placed. From there he was transported for rehab to Parker Jewish nursing home where lack of care caused him to go to LIJ for another 2 1/2 weeks. LIJ was able to work with him and was taken off oxygen and ventilator. We then had to transfer him to Glen Cove rehab where he was taken off the trachea and was beginning to eat puréed foods. On December 22 ,2017 he was sent to Saint John Land rehab Center in the head injury unit receiving rehab. They had noticed how he had come such a long way. He was able to communicate great, he was able to eat, and the best of all was Rob remembering his whole life before this devastating incident. He understood how difficult and different his life was going to be from that day forward. But once again, his life was becoming more and more difficult. On June 4, 2018 a shunt was placed in his brain because the brain fluid could not stay regulated. July 23 they were able to put the Cisco piece back on and of course, everything began to decline. September 2018 they thought he had a brain infection so they had to remove the Cisco piece clean out the whole area and have the piece put back on, and this unfortunately triggered seizures, due to brain manipulation with all the surgeries. February 15, 2019 he was released from rehab to come home because doctors felt that Rob would do better at home surrounded by his family. It has been nothing but a nightmare dealing with the home healthcare system. They have failed miserably. He needs full assistance and ambulances to get to every appointment. Unfortunately he’s gone backwards quite a bit and his health is deteriorating even more. They found out in May that the retina in his right eye completely detached so now he’s blind. June 2019 Rob suffered a seizure like no other. July he suffered another seizure and ended up in the hospital, and then in August, had another seizure and another stroke. Aside the emotional strain that has been put on his family and the turmoil that this has caused with the extended family is an understatement, not to mention the extreme financial burden. Gigi had no choice but to apply for a Medicaid conversion which will then cut off any amount of money that she is able to make to try to support her family that and if she does make more than the state will take away Rob’s Social Security disability and would need to pay Medicaid back. They are trying so hard to hold on to the hope that Rob will get better. He is a true fighter and has already beaten so many odds. Every doctor that sees him can’t believe he has survived this. He is a true miracle. But now they have to try and give him a better quality of life, and with the help of this fundraiser it will help them get a handicap mini van, a ramp for his home, and hopefully be able to make a few adjustments in the home so his daily living can be a more comfortable one. Karen and I are truly blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family that would be willing to help out our dear friends The Bagnasco Family. We would like to thank you in advance for your donation and your prayers. Please pass this along to others you may know that would be willing to make a small donation.
Bless you all
Marianna and Karen
Gigi and Rob admired each other, loved each other, and cared for each other like no other. Rob worked very hard to keep his family happy and healthy.
He worked nights as a truck driver,and even though he came home tired, his eyes lit up when his children ran to greet him. He was just as excited to see them as they were to him.
On October 18, 2017 their life was about to become a life that they never thought would occur. Rob had collapsed at the side of his truck and was found by his supervisor at midnight. He was rushed to Brookhaven hospital, where the doctors were unable to figure out what was wrong with him, but they made the decision to transport him over to Stony Brook University. Within 20 minutes of him being there we were told his aorta had ruptured and his chest cavity was filling with blood. At that moment emergency surgery had taken place. While in surgery, the doctors discovered that his aorta had split from the front of his heart all the way to the back and his coronary sinus vein had also ruptured. Trying to save his life during the six 1/2 hour surgery, the blood that was sitting in his chest had nowhere to go and unfortunately had traveled upwards which now formed a massive clot in the carotid artery, which had cut off all the oxygen to his brain. Now the result was a massive stroke. The entire right hemisphere of the brain was affected and the left side of his body was completely paralyzed. He now has no use of the left side of his body including the left eye being half blind.
It didn’t end here. His life was getting more critical. Three days later, he was rushed to Mount Sinai in Manhattan. His brain began to swell and on the fifth day had half of his skull removed.
Two days after that surgery, he was on a trachea and a permanent feeding tube was placed. From there he was transported for rehab to Parker Jewish nursing home where lack of care caused him to go to LIJ for another 2 1/2 weeks. LIJ was able to work with him and was taken off oxygen and ventilator. We then had to transfer him to Glen Cove rehab where he was taken off the trachea and was beginning to eat puréed foods. On December 22 ,2017 he was sent to Saint John Land rehab Center in the head injury unit receiving rehab. They had noticed how he had come such a long way. He was able to communicate great, he was able to eat, and the best of all was Rob remembering his whole life before this devastating incident. He understood how difficult and different his life was going to be from that day forward. But once again, his life was becoming more and more difficult. On June 4, 2018 a shunt was placed in his brain because the brain fluid could not stay regulated. July 23 they were able to put the Cisco piece back on and of course, everything began to decline. September 2018 they thought he had a brain infection so they had to remove the Cisco piece clean out the whole area and have the piece put back on, and this unfortunately triggered seizures, due to brain manipulation with all the surgeries. February 15, 2019 he was released from rehab to come home because doctors felt that Rob would do better at home surrounded by his family. It has been nothing but a nightmare dealing with the home healthcare system. They have failed miserably. He needs full assistance and ambulances to get to every appointment. Unfortunately he’s gone backwards quite a bit and his health is deteriorating even more. They found out in May that the retina in his right eye completely detached so now he’s blind. June 2019 Rob suffered a seizure like no other. July he suffered another seizure and ended up in the hospital, and then in August, had another seizure and another stroke. Aside the emotional strain that has been put on his family and the turmoil that this has caused with the extended family is an understatement, not to mention the extreme financial burden. Gigi had no choice but to apply for a Medicaid conversion which will then cut off any amount of money that she is able to make to try to support her family that and if she does make more than the state will take away Rob’s Social Security disability and would need to pay Medicaid back. They are trying so hard to hold on to the hope that Rob will get better. He is a true fighter and has already beaten so many odds. Every doctor that sees him can’t believe he has survived this. He is a true miracle. But now they have to try and give him a better quality of life, and with the help of this fundraiser it will help them get a handicap mini van, a ramp for his home, and hopefully be able to make a few adjustments in the home so his daily living can be a more comfortable one. Karen and I are truly blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family that would be willing to help out our dear friends The Bagnasco Family. We would like to thank you in advance for your donation and your prayers. Please pass this along to others you may know that would be willing to make a small donation.
Bless you all
Marianna and Karen
Organizer
Marianna Sgroi
Organizer
Smithtown, NY