Linda Zimanski's Medical Fund

Linda Zimanski has been there for so many. I first met Linda and Jenna (now a Junior in HS) through Girl Scouting but through the years have become friends with their family, including Mike and Nick (Junior heading to Michigan Tech this year). She has served as a co-leader, camp staff (most often in the kitchen) and role model to both girls and adults alike. My troop girls know her best as "Muffins". Her family has spent countless hours helping with the Robotics team at St. Joseph Schools, serving meals to numerous other groups such as the SJ Marching Band and has always offered a helping hand to those in need. Now she needs our help!

She has battled diabetes for years and was recently admitted to the local hospital due to infection in her leg. Over the last 2 weeks, Linda has undergone a serious struggle with her health. She has been hospitalized with a massive infection in her right leg and foot. She has undergone 4 surgeries in two weeks.  She had angioplasty done 8/9, which was successful. Today she had her leg amputated (below the knee). This has been difficult for her to come to this decision but her medical team insists it is necessary step for her continued health and the use of prosthetics will greatly improve her mobility, which she has struggled with for some time.

Linda has a long road to recovery.   Their new journey, together with their wonderful children and  their family and friends begins today.  If
all continues to go well, Linda will move from the hospital this weekend to a rehabilitation center for 3 to 4 weeks. 

Together, we will laugh and cry and learn to walk again. She has a wonderful care team that we have gotten to know very well. We have every expectation that Linda will eventually walk better and be in less pain than she has in the past 10 years, since her back injury. If you would like to learn more about the state of the art rehabilitation hospital that she will be living at, you can find information here: Lakelandrehabilitation.com

We ask that you keep Linda in your thoughts. Once we know her resident location in rehab, Mike will post it  so she can receive healing thoughts and hopefully (depending on the COVID situation), receive many visitors to help with our moral support. I will try to post updates on her progress here as we learn this new life together.

How can we all help? First and foremost please keep her and her family in your thoughts. They will need your positivity to carry them these next several days, weeks, and months as they learn and adjust to their new normal. Notes of encouragement, visits (when they are ready) to lighten the mood and put a smile on her face, meals (at a later time), hugs, a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear are all encouraged and appreciated. Unfortunately Mike's insurance does not cover the cost of wheelchairs, prosthetics, which costs at a minimum $12,000, or the rehab stay. Please consider making a donation to help defray this expense at a time they need to focus on strength and healing. Whatever you can do will be greatly appreciated!