Please help Mike Overcome His Recovery Challenges

Please help us get through Mike's recovery from a devastating stroke.

On July 20th, 2024 my husband, Mike Waldron, suffered a life-altering stroke that has left him with significant challenges. A stroke in the left side of his brain (pons), resulted in debilitating effects such as the complete loss of movement of his right side, garbled speech, and a decreased cognitive awareness. We were heartbroken, but determined to support him through this difficult journey. He has made it through a surgery for stent placements in the right carotid artery, that had a 90% & 94% blockage. The stroke, however, resulted from a 24% blockage in the left carotid artery.

The Road to Recovery:

Mike faces a long and arduous recovery process, requiring extensive rehabilitation, therapy, medical care, and equipment. After a stay in the hospital, he was moved to a Rehab facility and was finally able to head home the last week in August. His right side has been severely impacted, affecting his mobility, speech, and daily functioning. He has regained some movement of his right leg and can sometimes stand and move forward with hands-on assistance. His right arm remains mostly unchanged except for a shoulder shrug and slight movement. No progress yet with the hand. Our goal is to raise funds to support the best possible recovery, ensuring he receives the needed care and equipment. He lost his excellent health insurance benefits last year upon separation from the county after 10 years, at the time of his initial disability. Since then, his insurance through the MarketPlace does NOT cover ANY medical equipment OR therapeutic home services, such as Nursing Care, Home Health, Physical, Occupational, or Speech Therapy. I have been his caretaker 24/7 and unable to work until we can fund nursing/home health care and/or get his recovery to a point he can take care of his basic needs alone. We are not usually ones to ask for help, but obviously, this is the time to put my pride aside. We're now down to the wooden nickels here. I am desperately trying to get back to work, but nothing promising is in the works at this very moment.

Expenses:

- Rehabilitation and therapy sessions PT, OT, & Speech; visiting nurse and home health care

- Medical equipment, such as an adapted side-drop wheelchair, a hemi-walker, gate belt, bed rails, TENS unit to stimulate the right arm, right leg, etc

- Home modifications for accessibility; grab bar installations, threshold ramp

- Additional expenses related to his daily care (for Mike's privacy, I'll not list these)

How You Can Help:

Your contribution will directly support Mike's recovery by helping to provide the services and equipment he needs to continue making progress, help fund home health to allow me to get back to work, help with the expense of daily use items Mike now requires, and/or help keep this house standing until I can get a paycheck coming in the door. Any donation, big or small, is super appreciated. Either way, please send prayers and lift our names.

During this challenging time for our family, please share this with your social network; and if you care about us, please ask your friends to care about us, also. They say many hands make light work. I am one girl with only two hands, but lots of friends who may possibly help lighten this load until I (we) can get us back up and running. Not if, but when.

Updates:

I will regularly update this page with Mike's progress, milestones, and gratitude for your support.

Thank you for your well wishes, kindness, and generosity.

Amy