Heidi's Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery Fund

On March 28th of this year, my cousin, Heidi Mulligan, collapsed coming off a plane at T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island. She was rushed to the hospital immediately and diagnosed with a ruptured aneurysm in her frontal lobe. She was placed into a medically induced coma until the doctors felt it was time to operate with endovascular coiling of the aneurysm.

 

For a period of time, we didn't know if she would live or die, but two weeks after she arrived at the hospital, on the day a decision was going to be made regarding whether or not to keep her on life support, her husband, Stew (Timothy Mulligan), arrived to find her sitting up and speaking a few words! The team had removed her breathing tube and informed Stew that she would survive. Our entire family was overwhelmed with joy and relief, but now the hard work would begin.

 

Since that time, Heidi has been working every day with a speech therapist, an occupational therapist, and a physical therapist. However, at this point in time, she needs to be moved to a facility that focuses on cognitive remediation therapy. Going forward, she will need ongoing therapy, and when she is finally released from the rehabilitation facility, she will need to keep this therapy going three times a week with a therapist who visits the house. The house will also need to be retrofitted with accommodations for her including a railing outside the house and potentially a chair lift for the stairs. Other potential expenses include a shower chair, a cane or walker, or a wheelchair. All of these costs, particularly any home health care she may need, are not covered by insurance.

 

Stew has been at her side every single day since she was placed in the hospital. He has not been working during this time, and has focused all of his energies on making sure that Heidi feels comfortable, safe and loved while at the same time communicating with every family member and friend who has written to ask numerous questions out of worry and care. The expenses are piling up, as one would expect. Heidi is clearly unable to work, and her prospects for future employment are unknown, and Stew will be heading back to work soon when Heidi is moved to a new facility.

 

If you know Heidi or have even interacted with her briefly, you know that she has an enormously generous heart (not to mention an incredibly infectious laugh!). She spent many fulfilling years working for a nonprofit organization that placed developmentally challenged people in housing and jobs and now works as a senior human resources business partner at FedEx: whatever she does, she wants to be interacting with and helping people. She’s always going out of her way to help friends and family, whether it's impromptu babysitting or a shoulder to lean on. If you visit with Heidi today, you'll see that her wit and intellect are still very much intact, but she has a long road of recuperation and healing ahead of her, and this will require very hard work and, of course, money. Heidi's life was changed in an instant that day in the airport, as were the lives of those who love her and care for her. Her future is uncertain, and we want to do anything we can to ease whatever challenges may come her and Stew’s way.

 

We are asking those whom this page reaches, whether you know Heidi or not, to consider donating whatever amount you can so that we can ensure that she is able to focus all of her energies on getting better. If you are fortunate enough to be in a position to donate anything to help, we would be so grateful. If you are not, prayers and healing thoughts are also welcome! Thank you in advance for anything you can contribute. Your generosity means the world to Heidi and all of those who love her.