Hello friends and family,

We are reaching out to support our dear friends Josie Thulien and Craig Clark. As many of you know, Josie and Craig are the friends who are only one phone call away when you need help, but now they are in need of our support.

In March of 2023, Josie fell and sustained a traumatic brain injury (and a spinal cord injury that wouldn't be found for several months). This injury left Josie with debilitating symptoms that have required her to go to multiple appointments every week and have prevented her from returning to work. It has impacted her speech, vision, thinking, balance, strength, coordination, and ability to function independently. She also has severe sensitivities to light, sound, scents, motion, and other stimuli.

During this time, Craig has been Josie’s full time care partner, driving her to appointments, doing most everything around the house, and making sure she does not overload her brain while it is trying to heal. As a result, Craig has not been able to return to work (he was laid-off in late 2022), as he is providing full-time care for Josie. Despite Josie and Craig going to all of the doctor and therapy appointments, Josie’s recovery has been taking longer than they had ever imagined. As doctors have been trying to figure out why Josie’s symptoms are continuing, they have uncovered other medical issues that have been compounding on top of the brain injury. The most significant thus far has been spinal cord compression and displacement which caused partial paralysis (paresis) from her neck down. This led to Josie having spine surgery on November 9, 2023; and while her strength and balance have improved after this major surgery, she still has several other treatments, surgeries, and procedures in the future.

For perspective, since March 2023 Josie's had:

- 343 days since injury (as of Feb 13th)

- 171 medical appointments

- 40+ various tests/procedures

- 23 Imaging studies

- 21 different medical providers

- 15 prescription medications

- 8 supplements (vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc.)

- 2 surgeries

It's been a lot for them.

Josie and Craig are not ones to ask for help…usually they are the ones offering to help others. However, almost one year in, their situation has reached a point where the generosity of their friends and family would help relieve some of their financial stresses caused by mounting medical bills, and simple monthly living expenses. We have set up this GoFundMe campaign to rally around Josie and Craig during this challenging time and provide the financial support needed to ensure they can focus on healing without the added stress of mounting bills.

Your contributions will go directly towards covering any financial needs that Josie and Craig have currently. This includes medical expenses such as doctor visits, medications, therapies, any necessary procedures as well as daily living expenses. Every donation, no matter the size, will help alleviate financial stresses and allow Josie and Craig to focus on her healing. Josie has always been there for others, offering a helping hand and a comforting presence. Now it's our turn to show our love and support.

If you are unable to contribute financially, your thoughts, prayers, and words of encouragement mean the world. Please share this campaign with your network to help us reach as many people as possible.

Please note that while Josie’s brain is healing, she is limiting screen time. Instead of texting or calling her, please leave a message on this Go Fund Me site and Josie and Craig will check them as they are able. We will also be posting updates on behalf of Josie that she or Craig provide.

Thank you in advance for your kindness, generosity, and compassion.

Nicole, Karolina, Tina, & Shannon

A few pics from Josie's healing journey...