Make Mike Jolly, Again!

On the morning of December 30, my good friend and neighbor Mike wheeled his 
snow blower around the block and removed snow from my driveway as my husband was out of town, and sheepishly I admit that I have never used the snow blower. Little did I know that he wasn't feeling well, and was going to get a COVID -19 test when he was finished.

Fast forward to exactly one week later, January 6. Mike tested positive for COVID-19 and had been quarantining in the basement since his test came back positive. Mike's wife and my dear friend Michelle noticed his snoring had started to sound strange. Another friend mentioned that based on some literature she had read, Michelle should probably go check on him. 

Michelle walked into the basement and found Mike barely breathing, eyes rolled back in his head. She immediately called 911 and had her 10 yr old go into his bedroom with their dog so that he would not have to witness EMT's carry Mike out of the house, unresponsive. EMT's would not let me in the house as I have not had a COVID-19 vaccination, so I talked to my scared and crying little bud Reid through his window as Mike was taken away.

The EMTs made the decision to take Mike to Froedtert as it would be the best place for treatment, and it is very near to our houses. Mike's blood oxygen level had dipped down to 30, which is extremely low. Mike was put on a ventilator that night and had an ECMO procedure done. Nobody knew what would happen or if Mike would make it through the night.

As I share this story on January 13, Mike has been off the ventilator, and then put back on it. Mike has COVID pneumonia and now on top of it a staph infection. Doctors are taking blood panels to find the right combination of antibiotics to fight the staph infection. Mike is not eating and also has a feeding tube to keep him nourished and able to fight this God-awful virus.

I know that Mike is going to fight this and will be at home to smoke some brisket for all of us in the neighborhood, sit in the driveway with a fire, and play neighborhood spelling bee or backyard baseball with spotlights when most people are already in bed.  Until then, Mike has the fight of his life in front of him. Mike has an extremely strong wife and son who have held it together  like I can't believe. But the prognosis is slow, and Mike could be in the hospital for weeks, or months. We just don't know.

Although insurance will cover a good deal of the medical bills, it will not cover all. We all know how medical bills can rack up, and to give Michelle one less thing to weigh on her at night, I (and several others) felt like making a GoFundMe would be a great way to help in a time when we all feel helpless. The funds from your donation will be used to help cover the cost of medical bills and other miscellaneous expenses that arise while Mike is fighting and recovering from this Hell he is living in.

I may not be related by blood to Mike, Michelle, and Reid, but they are family to me, and if starting a GoFundMe is one thing I can do to help, I'm in. On behalf of their family, thank you for your donation.