Mel Troia Lifesaving Surgery and Medevac Home

Melanie and Brandon embarked on a much needed vacation to Cancun, Mexico on October 14, 2021 to break away from their chaotic and stressful work schedules. Tragedy struck shortly after arriving at their destination. Melanie had an accident at the resort, in which she fell from her second story balcony. Thankfully she survived the fall  and was rushed by ambulance to the Cancun General hospital. She had life threatening injuries, which included bilateral pneumothorax (collapsed lung), Subdural hematoma (brain bleed/brain trauma), fractured skull, fractured ribs, clavicle fracture and multiple fractured vertebrae. She was placed on a ventilator and the collapsed lungs were treated. Life sustaining brain surgery was performed 26 hours after the fall, in Mexico by a neurosurgeon. Brandon advocated for Melanie's care, with his paramedic and firefighter training,  throughout her hospital stay. This required daily taxi trips, which were an hour from the resort to the hospital. Language barriers made her case extremely difficult, but Brandon was able to use his perseverance to overcome all the obstacles that were thrown at him. He was able to find a caring cab driver that stayed with him for 3 days at the hospital to translate and to get her the best care possible. Back in Wisconsin her family worked tirelessly to arrange for her transfer back to the United States, where she could receive top notch care at the premier trauma center close to home. A company called Reva air ambulance was hired, which provides private medical transport from Cancun back to Wisconsin. Both the neurosurgeon and air transport required full payment prior to services being provided, totaling $47,300 out of pocket. Thankfully, on day 4, Mel's condition was stable enough following the surgery to allow for the transport back to the US. Due to her critical condition, her flight required a Physician, RN, Respiratory Therapist, and an Ambulance Attendant to care for her along the 10 hour journey home. Our prayers were answered when Mel finally arrived in the UW Intensive Care Trauma Unit on October 19, 2021. The team of specialists awaited her arrival and immediately began assessing her condition and caring for her needs. A head-to-toe CT scan revealed that there was no further acute bleeding on the brain, so they began to wean her off of sedation. Brandon and Mel's family watched with anticipation as doctors confirmed her brain activity. She was able to move her arms and legs for the first time since her accident, and was responding to painful stimuli. This was very exciting news for the family, as her condition was considered very critical. She is a fighter and will continue to receive the best care at UW, as her friends and family continue to support and guide her through this time.

We are opening this go fund me to help Brandon offset the out of pocket expenses that insurance will not cover. The hospital bill in Mexico was $12,000, Medevac $42,500, brain surgery $4,800, ambulance fees $1200, daily taxi fees $1000, and international calling $500. All of the expenses are not covered by insurance and are solely the responsibility of Brandon and the family. All of these expenses were paid in full by Brandon, which were mandatory for her to leave the hospital in Mexico. Mel will also be off work and Brandon's job at the Madison Fire Department  will be their only source of income. We want to lessen the burden on Brandon while he concentrates on Mels recovery and rehabilitation. Please help in donating any amount and please pray for her full recovery.

Thank you very much for all your support!