Support for Richard Bares’ Recovery From Guillain Barre

Richards journey started in June when he got sick with a respiratory infection. He was starting to feel better from the virus after a few weeks. Saturday, July 20th, he noted some unusual weakness in his arms when lifting things around home. On Sunday, July 21st, he awoke and felt very weak in his legs upon standing. He noted that his balance was off and he had numbness and tingling in his fingers and toes. He was worked up in ER for stroke and cardiac involvement, and nothing was found. He was discharged after a short stay in the hospital. As the week progressed at home, his body continued to lose strength, to the point that he was no longer able to stand or walk on his own. He was hospitalized again, and this time, he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. He was hospitalized in Grand Forks for 2 weeks before being transferred to Pam Rehab in Fargo for a progressive rehab stay. The weakness continued to progress into week 3, causing trunk and respiratory weakness. He sustained a cardiac arrest on Monday, August 5th and was hospitalized at Sanford Hospital where he remains today. Very little progress brings the doctors and the social worker from the hospital around to start talking about “placement”. They have pushed for Peggy, Richard’s wife, to consider taking him home. Not a chance that she could manage his 24/7 care at this time. They have talked about trying to place him in a long term subacute hospital in the cities. But they cannot be sure they will take him, or that they have a bed. We deliberate on the concern that a transfer to home or long term care facility would mean the end of ventilator weaning. Concern about care and progress overshadowed at times by concern about number of Medicare days, insurance constraints and limits. The worries are overwhelming at times for Peggy with a necessity to focus only upon the day she is in.

Aside from current mounting medical bills, there are ongoing/future treatment expenses due to the impending end of his insurance coverage/limits. As the medical team determines which facility they will place him in, the family does know it will require further travel, lodging, and day to day costs. At present, Peggy diligently keeps a bedside vigil and sleeps in Richards’s room while their three daughters all travel to see him from Grand Forks with one traveling from eastern Wisconsin.

As the holidays approach, please consider helping this family by taking some of the financial burden from them. The entire family are givers!! They are all contributors to our community with their personal and professional lives. They think of others first! Let the givers be receivers!!

Thank you all for your consideration!