Help Kathie and Family Overcome Medical Bills

Hi, I’m Jonathan. The people in the cover photo above are my parents, Dave and Kathie Haugan. In October 2023, my mom Kathie, 56, suffered a life-changing aneurysm in her brain while at home. 

I found her in the middle of the night, fighting to breathe, and my dad and I immediately called 911. She was quickly rushed to Mercy Hospital, where she was given emergency care and taken by ambulance to the ICU at Abbott Northwestern. 

The initial prognosis was devastating; our family was told that she might not ever leave the hospital, walk, talk or be able to acknowledge us based on what the scans were saying and the areas of the brain that were affected. But that simply was not God’s plan.

 After a few months, she did walk, talk, and start to recognize people and remember things. In fact, she is just as sarcastic as ever and still knows every FRIENDS quote by heart! She defied every expectation considering her injuries and after 5 months and as many hospitals and care facilities, she came home. 

Throughout these trials, we have learned patience. We have learned that the future is not guaranteed and that we must make the most of every day. We have also felt an outpouring of support from our friends and family, near and far. 

But as many who have experienced a traumatic event will know, in crisis mode, there is a lot to be done and to sort out and do and lots of help to do it. 14 months into this unexpected situation, our family has been struggling with the thing no one wants to talk about - bill payments. While Kathie’s employer during the time of her injury graciously provided 6 extra months of COBRA medical coverage, after her FMLA leave ended, her employment was not renewed which has left one income for the household and a gap in medical insurance since August of 2024.

My dad, Dave, has been working overtime to try to provide financial stability, but managing Kathie’s appointments and continued recovery care, as well as working and household obligations, has proven to be very difficult. Throughout this trying time, we have also learned humility. And it is with humility, that we seek help to manage the financial aspects of the enormous weight we are still left with. We are eternally grateful that Kathie is still here with us and it is no easy task to turn to our friends and family to say that we need help. 

Thank you for reading my story and thank you for all the support you provide to us just by reading this! Thank you thank you thank you (here is a photo I took of me and my mother as a gift for opening this story! Have a blessed day!)