Let's help Colleen

Our dear friend, Colleen Carpenter, needs our help.

For those of you who have had the pleasure of knowing Colleen, you will know that she has spent her professional career in service to others, developing programs and leading agencies that help people. A few weeks ago, she turned in her computer and retired after writing grants for seven years for Milwaukee's largest federally funded health clinic.

On October 15th, she flew to Mazatlán, Mexico, a city comparable in population to Milwaukee, for five weeks of well-deserved R&R while exploring an affordable community with a large expat population. Her apartment is in Centro Historico, where liberals live in beautifully restored 17th & 18th century buildings, hers just 3 blocks from the Pacific Ocean. She had accommodations above La Olivia's, a highly respected and rated restaurant only open until 2:00 each day.

She met up with a driver, Fitz, who took her around and carried her purchases up a flight of stairs for her, one day... four trips up those stairs!

Last week, Colleen contracted foodbourne parasites. The next day, she found herself dreadfully ill with vomiting and a headache. Last Friday, her driver took her to the doctor and to the pharmacy. The last contact with Colleen was last Sunday afternoon with her report of continued headaches and vomiting.

On Tuesday afternoon, the driver/helper, Fitz went to check on her, and when she didn't respond to his knocks, Colleen's son called the building owner and requested a safety check. While in the neighborhood, he stopped by, and Colleen spoke to him, but she wouldn't open the door. Owner, Kurt felt a face-to-face meeting was necessary, and he got a key to enter her apartment. He found Colleen "pretty banged up" (from a fall -- related to her disorientation). He got a doctor to evaluate her. Her son talked to her and commented that "she didn't sound like she had her wits about her."

The doctor determined that she was severely dehydrated and he went to get her electrolytes to drink and chicken and vegetable soup, but she was unable to eat and hyperventilating. At this point, Colleen's son agreed that she should be hospitalized, and an ambulance transported her. Kurt stayed with her in the ER for several hours, trying to piece together how Colleen got to her current condition. She was admitted to ICU on oxygen and an IV. She is still in the hospital but improving and moved out of ICU.

UPDATE: As of Thursday at 7PM, 11/2/23 -- Colleen is still in the ICU with double pneumonia.

Here's why we need help now. It is unknown if Colleen's employer health care coverage was still in effect until her vacation pay is paid out. But it is known that Medicare only pays claims originating in the US.

Can you help?

PLEASE send Colleen healing energy, and contribute if you'd like (even a small amount would be so helpful!), and we will share updates when we know more. Thank you!