Supporting Monika Moser’s Funeral Expenses

Hello all. My mother, Monika Moser, was accidentally run over by a truck in her driveway on Saturday, January 27th, at 8am. She has sustained multiple severe life threatening injuries including a lacerated liver(caused by one of her broken ribs), internal bleeding, a fractured spine, and multiple broken ribs. She was transported to UPMC by ambulance to receive care. It was declared by doctors that Monika was a trauma level 1 patient at this time. She was rushed into emergency surgery to do an innovation radiology surgical procedure to repair the liver laceration. UPMC Trauma Team placed coils in her liver to close the laceration. Monika was intubated to help control her breathing due to her blood pressure rising rapidly during this time and due to her bleeding heavily. After test results came back, it was discovered that Monika has a lumbar spinal fracture of the outer right side of the spinal cord that will require extensive physical therapy rehab, damaged lungs, internal bleeding around the lungs and fluid in her sternum. Monika also had extremely high blood pressure and had tachycardia, but was making great progress and on the road to recovery, until Monday night.

Monday night into Tuesday morning, Monika’s health rapidly started to deteriorate. Monday night Monika’s blood pressure dropped dangerously low with tachycardia still present. IV medications were administered to try to fix these issues. UPMC had concluded that Monika’s injuries and issues stemming from her injuries were too advanced for their level of care, and Monika was flown down to Geisinger on Tuesday and was placed into the ICU.

Doctors had determined that Monika was in critical condition and not stable, and she was intubated and placed on a ventilator at 100% oxygen due to findings that the oxygen levels in her bloodstream were extremely low. Since Monika was hit in her mid abdomen by the truck, it bruised her lungs. With the liver laceration & surgery, it made the liver extremely swollen and was pressing against her lungs, making it extremely hard for her to breathe on her own. The oxygen levels in her bloodstream continued to drop. Monika had emergency surgery on Tuesday night to be placed on an ECMO machine to provide her bloodstream the oxygen it desperately needed. Monika was placed on heavy sedatives to allow her body to heal.

Later that night, the ICU Monika was in transferred her to a different ICU (in the same hospital) where she would be able to be monitored better with her ECMO machine, as the team in this ICU is trained throughly on ECMO machines, their functions, and how they interact with a human body. An hour later, Monika had a scope with a camera placed down her throat to take out excess mucus that was building up in her lungs.

Attached below are photos of her ECMO machine & other medical items she is currently on.

Wednesday morning Monika had made very minimal progress with her vitals. Doctors have decided it’s best to keep Monika intubated to keep her lungs open. It was discovered that Monika’s liver is not only swollen from the procedure, but also due to the liver still bleeding inside its wall, causing the blood to be contained in the wall of her liver. This made immediate concern of her liver rupturing. Until Monika’s oxygen levels and vitals show improvement, the doctors cannot operate on her without an extremely high mortality rate. Monika’s lungs also have a blood clot, which cannot be fixed yet or placed on blood thinners to help remove the clot due to how her liver is actively bleeding. Monika also has an infection in her lungs, which is being treated with antibiotics.

Oxygen levels, bleeding, the potential of her liver rupturing are the main concerns at this point. Monika’s liver is still bleeding, but her hemoglobin levels are normal. Although the bleeding is contained in the wall of the liver, it could possibly rupture, but they will not operate on her unless her liver ruptures. There's also risk of the liver being as swollen as it is to impact other internal organs, so she is being monitored very closely.

We made this gofundme to help Monika with medical & home expenses, as she will be in a medical setting, hospital and rehabilitation, for possibly many months without pay. Any help is appreciated greatly, and we appreciate everyone who has reached out to send prayers to Monika. Every little bit counts, and we are truly grateful. Continued updates will be posted as we receive them from her care team.

A big thank you to everyone who has donated! As said above, every donation will help cover the costs of Monika’s medical procedures and testing she needs daily - as well as home expenses, as she will be in a medical facility (hospital & rehabilitation) without pay for months. The generosity has blown us away with tears of joy. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

1/31 Wednesday night update: Monika is still considered unstable, but she is slowly being taken off of sedatives see her neuro- functionality, and can cognitively respond to commands. 100% reliant on the ECMO machine, but she is using the ventilator a little less! The pressure in her abdomen has went down as well! The team was also able to lower her blood pressure meds, but with her liver being damaged, it’ll take some time for medications to clear out of her system. Things aren’t great, but they’re better than they were last night, and we’re so ecstatic with her progress!

January 31st - Feburary 1st night update: Monika is still in critical condition, but she's not declining. Instead, she’s slowly making progress. She had slight improvements throughout the night: her body didn't require more oxygen to be added into her bloodstream or through her ventilator, which is great. Her oxygen seems to be stable at the moment, while reliant on the ECMO machine 100% and on a ventilator. Her liver AST & ALT levels have risen a tiny amount, and that is still great progress considering how her liver is swollen from surgery & has continuous internal bleeding within the wall of the liver. That means her liver is trying to heal itself! Thank you to everyone who has prayed for Monika and kept her in your thoughts. It means the world to not only us, but to her as well.