Help Jordan Get Home & Find A New Normal
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Please see current GoFundMe here: https://gofund.me/e724ebd1
I don’t even know where to begin. Jordan and I have lived a lifetime in the last 4 weeks. We have needed a little time to figure everything out but feel ready to share that Jordan was hit in a tragic high-speed car accident 4 weeks ago on Monday, October 18th. He sustained many serious injuries and was rushed to Harborview, where he proceeded to undergo emergency surgery. During the accident, Jordan’s C6 vertebrae was broken, and he lost feeling from approximately mid-chest down. The emergency surgery that took place on 10/18 was focused on fusing his spine back together with a rod and screws. While awaiting surgery, the ER team addressed Jordan’s dislocated shoulder and returned it into place, however he sustained small fractures in the shoulder during dislocation leaving him incredibly uncomfortable even when his shoulder was returned into place. The surgery also addressed a kidney laceration and uterer injury, as Jordan was experiencing bleeding from both locations. Jordan spent the first 3 days post-surgery on ventilation to assist with breathing. He was able to make a strong enough recovery at that point to have the breathing tube removed but still faced a lot of uncertainty. He spent 9 days in ICU in total based on the criticality of his injuries. Over the course of the first two weeks, his team determined that his injury to his spine was classified as a complete spinal cord injury, meaning it is very unlikely that Jordan will regain feeling again in his lifetime. His life has been forever changed. Our families’ lives have forever been changed. We have a long road of recovery ahead. He has finally been transferred out of the acute care area of the hospital and thankfully made a great candidate for Harborview’s in-patient rehab center where he is currently located. He is going through intense therapies to help him learn how to live life all over again. The team here is hoping that Jordan may be able to come home as early as December 8th. As you can imagine, something this life-changing and unexpected has wreaked havoc on the plans we had for life and will ultimately change so much about our future. The important piece is that Jordan is still here with us and so we will find a new “normal” in this long road to recovery. In addition to the unexpected life impacts, this situation is already presenting financial hardship as we look at our home and other aspects of life that will now present barriers to Jordan. Our home is thankfully a one-story house, but was not built accessibly. We will need to remodel several aspects of the home to make it accessible for Jordan, most importantly starting with our master bathroom and closet which do not currently allow for wheelchair access. We’ll be adding ramps to the 3 access points of our home. We will need funds for things like a generator because Jordan will require consistent temperatures during power outages due to his body’s new inability to regulate temperature the same way it once did. We are also looking at how we can provide him the best quality of life, which will likely include paying out-of-pocket expenses for his wheelchair that are not typically covered by insurance (example: the ability to raise and lower the height of his seat to reach shelves, microwaves, etc.). We have also received a recommendation to a specific wheelchair that would enable Jordan to be in a standing position, giving him some sense of normalcy in the midst of so much change. The main components that funds would be spent on are home modifications and Jordan’s quality of life improvements, however additional funds would be used to pay for additional and ongoing medical needs as he may exceed the lifetime insurance limits due to this accident. The funds would also be used for ongoing prescriptions, medical supplies, etc. as well as ongoing home modifications to make the entire house accessible at some point. We are hard-pressed for time, as the rehab center here will not release Jordan to go home if the house modifications are not complete at discharge. We will be required to look at other care facilities in the interim if we are unable to pay for and complete the minimum home modifications for at least one access ramp and the master bathroom remodel by Jordan’s discharge date. As those who know Jordan well know, he has spent 18 years working in the food industry. He studied International Bread Baking and Classic Pastry Arts at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. He is truly passionate about food and creating wonderful meals for those he loves and those he serves at work. Unfortunately due to his spinal cord injury, Jordan may face an inability to work in the field he’s so passionate about. He may require school and/or vocational training in order to go back to work. Giving Jordan the time, space, and financial security to rethink his future and develop additional skills will be crucial to protect his mental health. If you’ve known Jordan at all, or have read his story and feel compelled to help with his rehabilitation journey and his return home, it would be more than appreciated. Please share his story if you feel so compelled, as that helps us spread awareness to anyone who knows Jordan or wants to help as well.
I don’t even know where to begin. Jordan and I have lived a lifetime in the last 4 weeks. We have needed a little time to figure everything out but feel ready to share that Jordan was hit in a tragic high-speed car accident 4 weeks ago on Monday, October 18th. He sustained many serious injuries and was rushed to Harborview, where he proceeded to undergo emergency surgery. During the accident, Jordan’s C6 vertebrae was broken, and he lost feeling from approximately mid-chest down. The emergency surgery that took place on 10/18 was focused on fusing his spine back together with a rod and screws. While awaiting surgery, the ER team addressed Jordan’s dislocated shoulder and returned it into place, however he sustained small fractures in the shoulder during dislocation leaving him incredibly uncomfortable even when his shoulder was returned into place. The surgery also addressed a kidney laceration and uterer injury, as Jordan was experiencing bleeding from both locations. Jordan spent the first 3 days post-surgery on ventilation to assist with breathing. He was able to make a strong enough recovery at that point to have the breathing tube removed but still faced a lot of uncertainty. He spent 9 days in ICU in total based on the criticality of his injuries. Over the course of the first two weeks, his team determined that his injury to his spine was classified as a complete spinal cord injury, meaning it is very unlikely that Jordan will regain feeling again in his lifetime. His life has been forever changed. Our families’ lives have forever been changed. We have a long road of recovery ahead. He has finally been transferred out of the acute care area of the hospital and thankfully made a great candidate for Harborview’s in-patient rehab center where he is currently located. He is going through intense therapies to help him learn how to live life all over again. The team here is hoping that Jordan may be able to come home as early as December 8th. As you can imagine, something this life-changing and unexpected has wreaked havoc on the plans we had for life and will ultimately change so much about our future. The important piece is that Jordan is still here with us and so we will find a new “normal” in this long road to recovery. In addition to the unexpected life impacts, this situation is already presenting financial hardship as we look at our home and other aspects of life that will now present barriers to Jordan. Our home is thankfully a one-story house, but was not built accessibly. We will need to remodel several aspects of the home to make it accessible for Jordan, most importantly starting with our master bathroom and closet which do not currently allow for wheelchair access. We’ll be adding ramps to the 3 access points of our home. We will need funds for things like a generator because Jordan will require consistent temperatures during power outages due to his body’s new inability to regulate temperature the same way it once did. We are also looking at how we can provide him the best quality of life, which will likely include paying out-of-pocket expenses for his wheelchair that are not typically covered by insurance (example: the ability to raise and lower the height of his seat to reach shelves, microwaves, etc.). We have also received a recommendation to a specific wheelchair that would enable Jordan to be in a standing position, giving him some sense of normalcy in the midst of so much change. The main components that funds would be spent on are home modifications and Jordan’s quality of life improvements, however additional funds would be used to pay for additional and ongoing medical needs as he may exceed the lifetime insurance limits due to this accident. The funds would also be used for ongoing prescriptions, medical supplies, etc. as well as ongoing home modifications to make the entire house accessible at some point. We are hard-pressed for time, as the rehab center here will not release Jordan to go home if the house modifications are not complete at discharge. We will be required to look at other care facilities in the interim if we are unable to pay for and complete the minimum home modifications for at least one access ramp and the master bathroom remodel by Jordan’s discharge date. As those who know Jordan well know, he has spent 18 years working in the food industry. He studied International Bread Baking and Classic Pastry Arts at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. He is truly passionate about food and creating wonderful meals for those he loves and those he serves at work. Unfortunately due to his spinal cord injury, Jordan may face an inability to work in the field he’s so passionate about. He may require school and/or vocational training in order to go back to work. Giving Jordan the time, space, and financial security to rethink his future and develop additional skills will be crucial to protect his mental health. If you’ve known Jordan at all, or have read his story and feel compelled to help with his rehabilitation journey and his return home, it would be more than appreciated. Please share his story if you feel so compelled, as that helps us spread awareness to anyone who knows Jordan or wants to help as well.
Fundraising team (2)
Shelby Guerrero
Organizer
Tacoma, WA
Jordan Guerrero
Team member