Help Mindi’s Recovery from Spinal Surgery

Hi, I’m making this fundraiser on behalf of my mother, Mindi Bagnall, who is a beloved artist within our community and has recently suffered a series of medical complications. We have started this go fund me in hopes of receiving some much needed financial support, and every penny donated will go to my mom, to help her with medical expenses and the cost of living after losing 5 months of income. We appreciate every bit of support more than we know how to express.

In 2021, mom began to experience tingling and loss of sensation in her fingers, hands, and feet. Not only was this a frightening experience for an artist attempting to salvage her hands, but these symptoms set us on a medical journey that provided no real answers until December of 2022. After meeting with a neurologist and having a series of x-rays, MRIs, and CT scans, they informed us that she had severe cervical spine stenosis; and that she would need surgery immediately as she was at risk of paralysis or death. Two weeks later, she underwent surgery at Bronson hospital and began the recovery process. Fortunately, the tingling in her hands has ceased and her sensations have began returning to normal. Unfortunately, her recovery did not go as well as we could’ve hoped, and the hardware failed due to the condition of her vertebre. This news was frightening, and meant that she would have to have a second, more invasive, surgery. On January 16th, she underwent her second surgery. Our mom is currently recovering, and the surgery went well. However, her recovery process will last for a minimum of three months. She will wear a neck-brace and operate with limited movement for the duration, and has been instructed not to return to work for the duration. What we hoped would be an easy surgery with a brief recovering period has quickly turned into an all-hands-on-deck situation, and nearly 5 months of lost income.

This is no easy feat that we’ve taken on, but we’re holding our heads high and remaining in good spirits. She is in the care of those who love her, and we will be seeing her through the recovery process until the day she’s able to zip around her studio once more. We ask for your help, financially, to ensure that my mother is able to recover without the added stress of wondering how she will pay her expenses. We appreciate everyone who has reached out with their well wishes and care for our mother. Your words and kindness have made this experience softer, and has helped us remain strong in troubling times.