Newlywed Bride Suffers Massive Stroke
Donation protected
UPDATED STORY -- POSTED 3/25/2023
Intro by D. Ynes Freeman
Good Day, Lois’s Loved Ones: This is D. Ynes Freeman. I want to extend a tremendous THANK YOU for all of your support for Lois and her family in the immediate aftermath of Lois’s stroke. Lois is so fortunate to have you in her life, and we are very lucky to continue to have her in ours. As we now move from the emergency stage of Lois’s journey and into the healing journey, I’m handing the communications over to NJ Sullivan (Nick), Lois’s husband. I’ve updated all of our GoFundMe graphics, as well as the story, to reflect the updates and most current, relevant status of Lois’s journey.
The original story is still there for you to read, but I think you will find this update much more informative and encouraging, and I look forward to NJ Sullivan (Lois’s husband) sharing his voice with you. It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve, and I’ll be here to continue to support in a background role.
Intro by NJ Sullivan
Hey Everybody, NJ Sullivan here. I’m Lois’s husband, who some of you know as Celosia Crane. Lois’s mom has been referring to her as “Wonder Woman,” because of her determination and strength. When I think of her, though, I think she’s like Captain America: he wasn’t handed anything, and neither was she. And even when they were weak, they fought for what was right. When they became strong, they didn’t lose their morals or the understanding that people are what matter. It doesn’t matter if she’s weak or strong; Lois is still going to fight. Both Captain America and Lois: their kindness and their willingness to do something about other people’s suffering, their natural humanity – being a good person – is what makes them strong.
I’ve been listening to “Walk” by Foo Fighters tonight, and I’ve always loved the song, but it’s even more impactful to me now. If you haven’t heard it, give it a listen.
Lois has just entered inpatient therapy. Inpatient therapy will cover physical therapy to get her right side working again so she can walk and use her right arm properly. It also includes occupational therapy to help her relearn daily activities like bathing, dressing, and using the bathroom, and speech therapy to get her awesome voice back.
All of that takes money, so we're asking for your help. Everything you donate will go toward getting her healthy and getting her back to her life. If you can't give, please share this.
A Message from Lois (Wetherington) Sullivan:
Lois has a message for everyone who’s donated to the GoFundMe and everyone who’s been helping us during this terrible time.
NJ Sullivan’s Updates
You’ll be hearing more from me soon. We’re meeting with Lois’s specialists and after that I’ll have much more information on how much improvement the experts believe she can make during her inpatient rehab. And then we move on to the next step of getting her healthy.
Where Are We Now on Estimated Costs?
For Lois, these costs are largely unknown at this point, but to give a general idea based on publicly available information that can be found with a simple internet search:
From Digital Trends Report.com:
A study on neurological treatments estimated rehab costs at around $1,600 per patient per day. The average patient paid $46,000 for their treatment.
Treatment program prices vary according to several factors. Strokes vary widely in severity. There are treatment programs to match every level of affliction.
From TransitionsRehab.com:
The overall average rehabilitation costs per person were about $1600 per day, or approximately $46,000 per individual. The average daily expenditures for lodging, board, and rehabilitation therapy accounted for over 90 percent of the total.
References:
--------------------------------------
Again, much is unknown at this point, but the average in Lois’s case per day is looking to be higher.
--------------------------------------
Let’s continue to support her: get her healthy, and get her home.
======================================
ORIGINAL STORY -- POSTED 3/15/2023
Introduction
Hello, Readers. My name is D. Ynes Freeman. I am Lois Wetherington's (Celosia Crane's) publisher, and after working with her on several story collections over the years, her good friend. I've organized this GoFundMe on behalf of Lois's husband, Nick Sullivan, and her mother, Susie Wetherington, to unburden them from having to re-live the terrible trauma of the past few days by recounting events themselves, as well as to alleviate the discomfort around having to ask family, friends, and strangers alike for much-needed support. Lois is a beautiful human being who has made so many readers smile with her stories, and I'm truly honored for the opportunity to support her in her time of need.
First Things First: Who Has Access to This GoFundMe? Where Does the Money Go?
- All payouts are linked directly to Lois's husband, Nick Sullivan, through his PayPal. No one else has access to this.
- Nick, as well as Lois's mother (Susie Wetherington), have full access to this GoFundMe and may come in and edit/give updates at any time.
- Lois's family and I have done our best to research and provide accurate estimates for the short-term costs related to Lois's care and the family's needs. Please note that the target goal may change as more information becomes available. There are many, many unknowns at this point.
- If you have any questions or wish to talk to the family directly about giving your support or contributions, I've created a special email address to which they have access.
The Story
On September 10, 2022 Lois Wetherington stood at the edge of the Sunrise Ampitheater, wearing a peacock-blue dress and her signature vintage leather jacket. She held a colorful bouquet with crepe flowers she painstakingly crafted, one by one, months in advance of her big day. There, in the Colorado mountains, she said "I do" to the love of her life.
Six months later (March 2023/present time), she is dressed in a hospital gown, heavily sedated in a neurological ICU that is 14 hours from her home. Her groom, Nick, holds her hand and tells her goodnight. He is exhausted, disoriented, and only has two changes of clothes back in his hotel room.
What Happened?
During a weekend trip through Illinois to celebrate a birthday, Lois and Nick stopped in Chicago for a night alone before they boarded the train back to their home in Denver. The last pictures on Lois's social media are snapshots of her espresso martini and soft pretzels. Her last message is one of gratitude; she tagged the restaurant in her photo and wrote, "Thank you for taking such good care of us as we waited and waited for our Amtrak train to arrive. Everything was delicious & top notch."
They never made it home. That night, Lois had a massive stroke.
Everything about their future is uncertain.
What We Know So Far:
Not much, unfortunately. Lois is alive, and believed to be past the "is this going to get worse" stage and she is progressing into recovery. Nick has been keeping people updated on his and Lois's podcast page, Lantern Audio Works. You can stay in the know by following them on Facebook or Instagram.
The Sullivan and Wetherington Family's Needs
At this time (3/15/2023), based on the information we have, I have set the GoFundMe goal at $21,000. Lois is expected to remain at the hospital in Chicago for approximately 2 weeks.
A breakdown of the costs is as follows:
- Nick's Hotel Costs: $2,200 (Lois's family has stepped in and negotiated with the hotel across the street from the hospital, which is providing a significantly reduced rate for this long-term stay.).
- Lois and Nick's Rent and Utilities for 3 Months: $5,700 (This includes monthly rent, car insurance, phone, internet, and electric.)
- Food Costs: $560 (This would be the equivalent of a $40/day stipend).
- Clothing and Essentials: $300 (As mentioned above, Nick only has two changes of clothes. It would be great to have a few more t-shirts and jeans, access to a laundromat, and provide some means of obtaining personal items).
- Travel from Chicago to Denver: $600 (This is an estimate I collected, using the Avis website to check rental and insurance fees and whether they could do interstate car rental).
- Surprise Immediate Expenses: $1140 (We have done our best to be as realistic and accurate about expenses as possible; however, "life happens" and there might be some unanticipated surprises around the corner . . . that dang bill someone forgot to pay, that expense that got overlooked, all of a sudden there's an urgent need for something, etc.)
- ***NEW*** Lois's Estimated Inpatient Therapy Costs: $10,500 (There is some time before this happens; Lois will need to be assessed before more is known. On average, this therapy runs at roughly $700/day, and it averages between 1 week and 1 month. I have based this estimated cost on a 15-day time period.)
What Happens If the Goal is Met?
All additional funds will be used by the family to begin preparing for Lois's long-term care. Her prognosis (and therefore costs) are largely unknown at this point, but to give an idea of what they might include, this could be anything from an at-home caregiver, medical equipment, prescription costs, post-care physical rehab and speech therapy, and more.
This GoFundMe is simply for more immediate, short-term needs at this time. It may be updated in the future.
What Else Can I Do?
Right now, one of Lois's writer friends is looking into grants and financial assistance programs for stroke survivors. If you know of any grant writers, are a grant writer yourself, or have experience in this area and would be willing to help, please reach out.
The other thing you can do is SHARE the GoFundMe, far and wide. We ask that you PLEASE use the following hashtags when you share on social media, so as to get the most eyes as possible on the page:
#strokesurvivor #stroke #strokerecovery #strokeawareness #strokerehab #braininjury #tbi #strokerehabilitation #youngstrokesurvivor #braininjurysurvivor #braininjuryawareness #traumaticbraininjury #strokesurvivorsneverquit #recovery #sop #tbisurvivor #survivor #lifeafterstroke #occupationaltherapy #physicaltherapy #rehab #nevergiveup #health #aphasia #brainhealth #a #rehabilitation #love #motivation
Thank you, so much, for being a part of Lois's survival journey. We have a long road ahead, but together, we can do it.
Organizer and beneficiary
Ynes Freeman
Organizer
Richmond, TX
Nicholas Sullivan
Beneficiary
