Mensen family medical expenses
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Matthew 11: 28-30. "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
We acknowledge that 2020 has been a difficult year for most people, and recently we feel extra challenged to stay strong and keep the faith. Your prayers and support from the modified benefit have certainly helped us to this point and now we start to pick up the pieces of day to day functions for recovery.
Delrae passed away peacefully on October 29th after a long struggle with what eventually was determined to be gastroparesis- her gastric function just shut down and she could not process food or absorb nutrition. It took about 2 years and multiple hospitalizations to finally get a diagnosis in September of 2019, but by that time she had deteriorated to 73 pounds and a last futile attempt with a G-J tube the past year just could not sustain her. We laid her to rest on November 4th. Alan devotedly cared for her at home, provided many basic cares for the past year, taking a toll on his own health; all while living on a fixed retirement income and driving the school bus to help make ends meet.
Tragically, he tripped and fell on his way to his deer stand on November7th. He sustained an unstable cervical spine fracture of C1 and C2. He was flown from Staples to North Memorial Hospital for Neurosurgery to stabilize these fractures. Thankfully he did not have any spinal cord injury and can still move everything. Surgery to fuse his spine from the occiput (bottom of his skull) to C4 was a success. He was given a medication to paralyze him for the surgery, and at the end of the case a medication to reverse this drug. In the recovery room, he went into anaphylactic shock as he had an allergic reaction to this medication. His airway swelled up so quickly they had a difficult time re-intubating him and he went into cardiac arrest. He was revived after 5 minutes of CPR. He remained in critical condition for 2 days and was then extubated. At this time, he remains at North Memorial hospital and has a bit of a road of recovery ahead. We are hopeful that he can get into the inpatient rehab unit for more aggressive therapy so he will eventually be able to return to his home.
He will be in an Aspen cervical collar for at least 3 months and will not be able to drive himself, nor his beloved school bus for additional income...maybe ever again, we don't know at this point.
In typical Alan determination, the first thing he asked when the breathing tube came out, was "Who's driving my school bus?" He loves those kids and driving!
Our faith has sustained us through this past week, but we are feeling the strain. We are hoping to take at least some of the financial stress off Alan, so he can focus on his rehabilitation, strengthening and allow him time to grieve for the loss of his wife.
If you know him, you know he never stops working, and will help anyone with anything, so it is very humbling for him to be able to accept help.
Us girls also promised mom that we would take care of him, so we figured we start here. If nothing else, we'd be happy for your prayers!
God bless and thank you for your support!
The Mensen Family
We acknowledge that 2020 has been a difficult year for most people, and recently we feel extra challenged to stay strong and keep the faith. Your prayers and support from the modified benefit have certainly helped us to this point and now we start to pick up the pieces of day to day functions for recovery.
Delrae passed away peacefully on October 29th after a long struggle with what eventually was determined to be gastroparesis- her gastric function just shut down and she could not process food or absorb nutrition. It took about 2 years and multiple hospitalizations to finally get a diagnosis in September of 2019, but by that time she had deteriorated to 73 pounds and a last futile attempt with a G-J tube the past year just could not sustain her. We laid her to rest on November 4th. Alan devotedly cared for her at home, provided many basic cares for the past year, taking a toll on his own health; all while living on a fixed retirement income and driving the school bus to help make ends meet.
Tragically, he tripped and fell on his way to his deer stand on November7th. He sustained an unstable cervical spine fracture of C1 and C2. He was flown from Staples to North Memorial Hospital for Neurosurgery to stabilize these fractures. Thankfully he did not have any spinal cord injury and can still move everything. Surgery to fuse his spine from the occiput (bottom of his skull) to C4 was a success. He was given a medication to paralyze him for the surgery, and at the end of the case a medication to reverse this drug. In the recovery room, he went into anaphylactic shock as he had an allergic reaction to this medication. His airway swelled up so quickly they had a difficult time re-intubating him and he went into cardiac arrest. He was revived after 5 minutes of CPR. He remained in critical condition for 2 days and was then extubated. At this time, he remains at North Memorial hospital and has a bit of a road of recovery ahead. We are hopeful that he can get into the inpatient rehab unit for more aggressive therapy so he will eventually be able to return to his home.
He will be in an Aspen cervical collar for at least 3 months and will not be able to drive himself, nor his beloved school bus for additional income...maybe ever again, we don't know at this point.
In typical Alan determination, the first thing he asked when the breathing tube came out, was "Who's driving my school bus?" He loves those kids and driving!
Our faith has sustained us through this past week, but we are feeling the strain. We are hoping to take at least some of the financial stress off Alan, so he can focus on his rehabilitation, strengthening and allow him time to grieve for the loss of his wife.
If you know him, you know he never stops working, and will help anyone with anything, so it is very humbling for him to be able to accept help.
Us girls also promised mom that we would take care of him, so we figured we start here. If nothing else, we'd be happy for your prayers!
God bless and thank you for your support!
The Mensen Family
Organizer and beneficiary
Karen Mensen Gozel
Organizer
St. Michael, MN
Alan Mensen
Beneficiary
