On January 25, 2021 Lucy Gunn experienced nausea and a tremendous headache. Her husband Russ called 911 immediately. She was rushed to St. Jude Medical Center where it was discovered she had suffered a brain aneurysm. Lucy's brain hemorrhage was very significant and extremely complex requiring several hours of cranial surgery. Her treatment also included a tracheotomy and feeding tube among many other procedures. In the end, Lucy spent three weeks in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Jude's.

 

Lucy was transferred to Kindred Acute Care Hospital where she stayed for five months of rehabilitation. Eventually, she received authorization to travel to Texas and Oklahoma to visit family. While in Oklahoma, Lucy experienced aspiration with her tracheotomy and was hospitalized again. Having been diagnosed with COVID previously she was put in a quarantine room where Russ could only wave to her from a window. Lucy developed significant bed sores which require physician and nursing attention daily.

 

By late October 2021, Lucy endured a three day journey back to California using a medical transport team for a stay at Hoag Memorial Hospital. While there she contracted a staph infection and battled sepsis two separate times requiring multiple admittance.

 

 

 

Lucy is now home in Huntington Beach with Russ and concentrating on getting better. She has been strong throughout her difficult journey and continues to maintain a positive attitude.

 

The money raised will go primarily to Lucy's 24 hour nursing care. Not only does she need her basic daily needs met but also to be turned and stretched on a regular basis. Lucy also needs physical, speech, occupation and cognitive therapies to recover. Unfortunately, insurance only partially covers these vital treatments. The remainder of the funds will go to rehabilitation and other equipment and general medical supplies not covered by insurance.

 

 

See video of Lucy working hard in physical therapy below!

https://youtu.be/k5IHKQZOCUA

 

 

Marc Friedman of Aptiva Care Management said,

 

"Lucy's story is very sad and tragic but she is an extremely determined young lady. She is more than a fighter, she is a warrior that will not give into her medical challenges. Her husband, Russ, is as supporting and caring as any I have ever seen. Lucy's much needed care comes at a tremendous financial burden however. Although she has very good insurance, it does not come close to covering her ever mounting needs, including around the clock clinical care. At such a young age she deserves every opportunity to have as much quality of life back possible for her and for Russ."

 

Lucy grew up in a large, impoverished family from Zacatepec, Morelos, Mexico. She is from both Mexican and European heritage. Lucy is smart, kind, warm-hearted, and would go out of her way to help others. She is bilingual and received a scholarship to study industrial engineering. She worked for Bayer Aspirin in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

 

 

 

Lucy met her husband Russ at Disneyland and they married six months later. They have been married nearly 32 years. She is a loving mother to two children. Lucy and Russ had spent 16 hour days together running their insurance business. She always worked hard doing accounting and client proposals. Lucy has always been active. She enjoyed boxing, running, gardening and cooking.

 

Lucy plans to get back to all the things she loved to do. She continues to put every waking moment into her therapy to meet new goals and milestones. With her husband Russ, your support, love and financial assistance, she will surely be on her way.