Randy Hafdell's Stroke Recovery

In August 2014, the day after his 50th birthday, Randy Hafdell suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke.  He spent the first month after his stroke gradually emerging from a coma in the Neuro ICU.  He suffered several serious complications and was medically unstable during that time.  A craniotomy was performed, removing a large portion of the skull to relieve swelling in the brain. He wore a helmet for 3 months  until they could replace the skull flap. The doctors informed his family that his prognosis was very poor and they should be prepared to make some difficult decisions.  

Seven months and three hospitals later he continues to suffer from right-sided paralysis, has no speech and limited comprehension and cognitive skills. He has recently demonstrated emerging voluntary movements in his right leg and slight improvements in comprehension. His therapists are hopeful that with ongoing intensive therapy he could one day walk with the  use of an assistive device.  Unfortunately, his speech has not returned. Randy's lack of ability to communicate creates extreme difficulty and frustration for him and his family.  His language deficits are profound and will require lifelong treatment. 

Prior to this incident, Randy had no medical conditions and was extremely healthy.  He was a sixth grade teacher who loved the outdoors and had a passion for fishing.  He is a devoted family man with a loving wife and twin 9 year olds.

Randy is my brother-in-law and I  have set up this Go Fund Me account in hopes of raising money for the Hafdell family to pay for his therapy and future rehabilitation needs. Randy will be unable to work, resulting in the loss of the health insurance which is currently used by the family. My sister left her teaching job this year to care for him and their children. She will need to resume work in September to support the family and receive insurance benefits, leaving no one to care for him following his return home from post acute care.  Twenty-four hour assistance and supervision will be necessary due to the nature and severity of his deficits. They have no family near them to help with this. Insurance provides minimal short term therapy, but no in-home care for Randy when my sister returns to work.

Currently, Randy receives therapy at the Centre for Neuro Skills(CNS) in Bakersfield California , where he gets 6 hours of therapy a day. The facility is one of the few centers in the U.S. that specializes in long term treatment for patients with brain injuries.  CNS is over 4 hours from their home. This makes their frequent visits more difficult, but it is the perfect fit for his needs. We are hoping insurance continues to approve his stay until the end of the summer, allowing him to benefit from their intense rehab schedule which can not be matched locally.

We know that even with the best and continuous therapy Randy will never regain all that was lost or be his "old self" because of the severity of the injury...But we also know that the brain is amazing... We can see how far he has come in the past few months. Insurance covers therapy ... But only a small amount and for a short time. Any funds raised will be put towards the best therapy.. physical, speech and occupational ...that will help Randy have a meaningful recovery and be a great dad to his children again.

We continue to be thankful for the love and support of our friends and family as we work our way down this uncertain path. This will be a lifetime effort, but Randy has an amazing spirit, exceptional work ethic and a family that loves and supports him very much.  Thanks to those near and far for your help and support. It is greatly appreciated. 

10% of the funds we raise will be donated to The Brain Injury Association of America.