Help get Connie Russell back on her feet!

Hello everyone! My name is Megan Carpenter and I am a neighbor to the star of this show, Mrs. Connie Russell! Connie is the wife to Rick, mother to their son Derick and his wife Megan, and the new Grammy to their granddaughter, Izzy. Her family, especially sweet Izzy are the light of her life. She is also an incredible friend and somebody you can always count on.

On Monday, May 9th Connie suffered an aneurysm. This is a type of stroke that presents with swelling and bleeding on the brain along with the tell tale stroke symptoms of slurred speech and left side paralysis. Thankfully her husband, Rick, was home and able to get am ambulance called immediately.

Upon arrival to the hospital, Connie was not very responsive. In order to keep her safe the doctors decided to put her in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator to help her breathe. She was admitted to Camden Clark ICU. After a handful of CT scans over the next few days it was determined that Connie’s bleed was stable and not increasing in size. Her blood pressure stabilized and the doctors decided it was safe to wake her up and remove the breathing tube on Thursday, May 12th!! At this time Connie is making great improvements! Her speech has drastically improved and according to her son, Derick she is even starting to crack some of her jokes and showing a glimpse of her normal self! Post removal of the breathing tube, Connie is taking some time to get her swallow reflux back in full working order. Until then, the plan is to keep her in the ICU with a feeding tube. While she has some movement back in her left side, she will require a good bit of physical therapy to hopefully regain full use of that side again. Doctors are hopeful that she will with a lot of help and work.

Now, if all that was not enough, the timing of this is also very poor. Connie was recently wrongfully terminated from her job where she was a loyal, hard working employee for 19 years! This came as a total shock to the Russell family and devastated them. Rick is retired, so Connie carried the medical insurance. At the time of the incident, the Russells have not yet been able to obtain health insurance. Not only are we extremely worried for Connie, but now there is major, looming medical expenses. The inpatient rehabilitation therapy that Connie desparately needs is pricey in itself. If you are able to donate anything at all to help the Russell family get Connie back on her feet and chasing her granddaughter around, I know they will beyond grateful. Lets help alleviate some stress for them! Thank you for reading, praying, and donating to this wonderful family ❤️