UPDATE 

Since October 14 my husband has been receiving IV antibiotics for the infection found in his spine during surgery. After spending 40 days in the hospital following surgery, his doctors agreed that he could continue recovery at home with a home healthcare team. He has been struggling to get his strength back along with the use of his legs. His surgical site on his back is healing but he still has a very long recovery and we are still struggling financially to get additional items and modifications needed to help with his recovery. We also need help with various maintenance around our house. My husband is not able to do any of the work around the house that he normally did and neither of us are able to work and bring in extra money to pay for service calls. We need help with our downstairs heat getting fixed. Outdoor maintenance is needed for our entire yard as well as our gutters. We also need some repairs done that we haven’t been able to take care of. The downstairs bathroom toilet needs replacing as well. This is the only bathroom that my husband is able to use. I am asking for continued help please. 

—————UPDATE2——————-

At this point my husband is home and home health is coming to care for him at home. He has a nurse once a week, occupational therapy once a week and the physical therapist twice a week. He is still on high dose of antibiotics as his new infectious disease doctor is still treating the infection in his spine. We still have many needs to continue his care at home. I have reached out to our community to borrow some items that we still don’t have and the VA won’t approve. We are thankful for any help we have received. We are asking for people to please continue to donate and please share our campaign. 

——————-UPDATE——————1

I am still learning how to edit here. I wish I could add pictures as well. We are grateful to everyone that has donated in the last week. Each donation gets my husband a step closer to being able to have a bit more mobility. He is on day 46 of being on IV antibiotics and NOT being able to walk on his own. He still has a long journey and he is still facing many unknowns. Please continue to share our fundraiser.

My name is Cheri and I am reaching out with all my heart as wide as I can for my husband. My husband, Connell, needs help. God has carried him through many fights throughout his life and though we were never really prepared for any of them, this time feels like it has hit the hardest.

On October 14, 2023, the morning after our 33rd anniversary, my husband woke up, went to the bathroom and collapsed to the floor. He couldn't get up or feel his legs. We got to the closest emergency room and he was transferred to the closest full service hospital where they did an MRI and found much of what we already knew. He has several areas of damage in his back. They also found dark shadows of what looked like an infectious epidural mass. The neurosurgeon said he needed emergency surgery immediately to see exactly what type of infection and how best to treat it.

As I type this my husband is on day 39 of being in a medical facility. As a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division my husband took pride in serving our country and actually enjoyed jumping from airplanes. After a long career of this as well as other physically taxing activities, my husband left the military with many medical problems. God has brought him through many surgeries and the pain in his back although at times debilitating, took a back seat to heart disease, diabetes, and recently kidney disease along with other issues. He didn't realize the severity of his back problems until he began having chronic pain issues and now, this infection. He has been receiving two different IV antibiotics for the last 39 days. The infection is being treated as MRSA because the doctors still can't identify it. We have been told he has a long recovery and will still need additional surgeries. He has been receiving physical and occupational therapy to help strengthen his legs and hope to regain some mobility. At the end of November, the plan is to take him off IV meds and switch to an oral medication so we can work on getting him home and have home health continue with physical therapy. This isn't the end of his struggle though. Prior to this incident, he was diagnosed with stage 4 chronic kidney disease. We have had several appointments with a nephrologist and have been told he needs a kidney transplant as soon as possible. He is scheduled for a workup to qualify him in a few weeks. We pray he will be able to keep that appointment and qualify for the transplant.

We need help to have his ongoing medical needs met. This will help with a few of the things needed like modifying access to our home, a mobility scooter, a walker and a tub bench. It will also help to offset some of the additional costs of home health help, transportation to appointments, and home physical therapy and occupational therapy needs.

We are grateful for anything. Every $20 will make a difference. Every $10, even every $1! I will continue to update as I can and post notes of appreciation. Thank you to all.