Jayne Westhoven Spinal Cord Injury
Donation protected
The Backstory
Jayne Westhoven fell down stairs November 24, breaking her neck and back, (C1, C2, T4 and T5), and nose. Our sister Julie, a retired EMT, who lives right next door, initiated CPR as Jayne was not breathing when she arrived. EMTs were able to restore breathing and heart rhythm. She did not sever her spinal cord, but has a severe contusion which has left her a quadriplegic.
Doug, his two daughters and two sisters experienced this horror first hand.
One miraculous occurrence after another, Jayne survived that first night of being Life-Flighted to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Toledo with her entire family holding vigil in waiting rooms.
After a month in ICU, she was temporarily taken to a step-down unit and then transferred by ambulance to MetroHealth ICU in Cleveland for a few days.
She was then transferred to MetroHealth’s Rehabilitation Institute, the only such unit in Ohio that accepts patients on ventilators. After a day or so there, Jayne’s heart went into atrial fibrillation and she had to be transferred back to MetroHealth’s Cardiac ICU for a few more days.
Finally, she was back to rehabilitation and had just completed her second week, making some good improvements with the assistance of motorized exercise bikes for her legs and gravity-assisted machines to help her with her arms and legs.
Our hopes were lifted high as we saw her limbs starting to come back to life. Then, the insurance company dropped the bomb that she may have to leave rehab in a week!
The Costs
Jayne is a dental hygienist and won’t be able to return to her job. Doug’s family leave won't last forever and he will have to return to work some day or he won’t have insurance, either. Neither income, but many new expenses! He has stayed by Jayne’s side in her hospital room since the accident and has lost over 20 lbs. himself.
There are several other conundrums with Jayne’s care and what the insurance company will pay for. With enough time, she may be able to wean herself from the ventilator, but since the insurance company knows that is a possibility, the cost of a phrenic stimulator (a pacer for the diaphragm) will not be covered and will prolong her rehabilitation, which will cost more money for which the insurance company will not pay.
Cost for a phrenic stimulator alone could be approximately $125,000 plus the estimated cost to have a medical team surgically implant it. The insurance company may discontinue her stay at the current rehabilitation center which now costs $2,700 per day some day soon, which Doug will have to cover entirely in addition to all the other normal bills for living expenses.
We estimate that Jayne needs another 90 days of rehabilitation, so at $2,700/day, the total could be $243,000 for the stay and rehabilitation therapy and approximately $175,000 for the phrenic stimulator after estimated costs of implantation for a grand total of about $418,000. Afterward, Jayne will need step-down care and all the items she will eventually need at home. This fund will help pay for just part of the overall expenses. There is really no way to estimate the potential long-term costs and loss of income.
How You Can Help
Any amount you donate will help and be greatly appreciated. Thank you for helping during the most trying time in our lives.
Jayne Westhoven fell down stairs November 24, breaking her neck and back, (C1, C2, T4 and T5), and nose. Our sister Julie, a retired EMT, who lives right next door, initiated CPR as Jayne was not breathing when she arrived. EMTs were able to restore breathing and heart rhythm. She did not sever her spinal cord, but has a severe contusion which has left her a quadriplegic.
Doug, his two daughters and two sisters experienced this horror first hand.
One miraculous occurrence after another, Jayne survived that first night of being Life-Flighted to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Toledo with her entire family holding vigil in waiting rooms.
After a month in ICU, she was temporarily taken to a step-down unit and then transferred by ambulance to MetroHealth ICU in Cleveland for a few days.
She was then transferred to MetroHealth’s Rehabilitation Institute, the only such unit in Ohio that accepts patients on ventilators. After a day or so there, Jayne’s heart went into atrial fibrillation and she had to be transferred back to MetroHealth’s Cardiac ICU for a few more days.
Finally, she was back to rehabilitation and had just completed her second week, making some good improvements with the assistance of motorized exercise bikes for her legs and gravity-assisted machines to help her with her arms and legs.
Our hopes were lifted high as we saw her limbs starting to come back to life. Then, the insurance company dropped the bomb that she may have to leave rehab in a week!
The Costs
Jayne is a dental hygienist and won’t be able to return to her job. Doug’s family leave won't last forever and he will have to return to work some day or he won’t have insurance, either. Neither income, but many new expenses! He has stayed by Jayne’s side in her hospital room since the accident and has lost over 20 lbs. himself.
There are several other conundrums with Jayne’s care and what the insurance company will pay for. With enough time, she may be able to wean herself from the ventilator, but since the insurance company knows that is a possibility, the cost of a phrenic stimulator (a pacer for the diaphragm) will not be covered and will prolong her rehabilitation, which will cost more money for which the insurance company will not pay.
Cost for a phrenic stimulator alone could be approximately $125,000 plus the estimated cost to have a medical team surgically implant it. The insurance company may discontinue her stay at the current rehabilitation center which now costs $2,700 per day some day soon, which Doug will have to cover entirely in addition to all the other normal bills for living expenses.
We estimate that Jayne needs another 90 days of rehabilitation, so at $2,700/day, the total could be $243,000 for the stay and rehabilitation therapy and approximately $175,000 for the phrenic stimulator after estimated costs of implantation for a grand total of about $418,000. Afterward, Jayne will need step-down care and all the items she will eventually need at home. This fund will help pay for just part of the overall expenses. There is really no way to estimate the potential long-term costs and loss of income.
How You Can Help
Any amount you donate will help and be greatly appreciated. Thank you for helping during the most trying time in our lives.
Co-organizers (5)
Tim Westhoven
Organizer
Bowling Green, OH
Douglas Westhoven
Beneficiary
Ryan Westhoven
Co-organizer
Pamela Jean Riedeman
Co-organizer
Kathy Curry Westhoven
Co-organizer
JulieSteve Schwiebert
Co-organizer