Rich Vanderwalker Medical Bills

(Dad at Memorial Herman STICU)

May 2nd sometime late in the evening on his way home, our dad ran off the road with his motorcycle and crashed in a ditch.  Someone happened to drive by and see the light of his motorcycle and stopped to call 911.  He was unresponsive when the air flight arrived and thus begun the worst night of our lives.  My sister was the first one contacted and had to bear the weight of being the bigger sister and contacting me.  I remember dropping to my knees and not being able to breathe.  We both rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital downtown where he had  been taken by life flight.  As I clung to my sister's hand we headed back to see him thinking I was saying good bye.  In a time like this you can't even think straight, it feels like a nightmare that you are waiting to wake up from.  The left side of his head and face were so swollen and his head partly shaved that he was unrecognizable.  As my sister tried to get information from the nurse I grabbed his hand and as he had one eye open looking at me I started yelling at him, "Can you hear me? Are you here?"  He lightly squeezed my hand and I started yelling, "Why are we saying good bye?  He is here!".  God knew it wasn't his time to go, he had more to do here on Earth.  The nurse said they had to take him back for emergency surgery to relieve the pressure in his brain.  Two days later he was actually awake and was able to use a pen and point to letters to spell words out and communicate.  The first thing he communicated was "I'm sorry."  We naïvely sighed with relieve thinking our two days of horror where over...  The next day led us to being an emotional roller coaster for the next 6 months.  It started with us thinking we were going to the hospital that night to tell him goodbye, to months of ICU, to being unresponsive for a few months, not being able to talk, meningitis in the head and so many other horrific scenarios. For months he just starred at the ceiling not knowing who we were.  Friends and family came to sit by his bed and talk to him. 

(Dad in ICU at Memorial Hermann)

Months later was the first time I had a conversation with the man I've know as my father, not the man who talked to me and was confussed... or who was hallucinating, but to my actual father who I knew before the accident. To never know if you'll be able to really talk to a loved one and know it's them in there, in their mind, is a heart breaking feeling.  It wasn't till August 5th that I heard his voice and the first thing he said was "I love you Tara."  It was scratchy but it was clear.  To wonder if you'll ever hear those words again and then one day you do is such an incredible feeling.  If you've ever met him I guarantee he touched your life. He has the kindest heart of anyone I know.  He is a Marine and served in Vietnam and loves his Country. 
(Dad at Nexus Hospital)

Through this all my sister has been the rock that has held it all together and made it possible for him to get the therapy that got him this far. Without her we would be lost.  She has put her life on hold to be by his side daily even when he didn't know she was there.  As of today, he is still in therapy and mentally here with us.  But he continues to fight to recover.


(This first time dad sat up)

 We are doing all we can but with his $30k plus in medical bills we are struggling.  He has been approved for DARS funding but we are currently on the waiting list.  Until he is funded he is private pay for a skilled nursing facility.  He is getting stronger but still has a ways to go. 

(Dad doesn't remember from morning to afternoon)

Finally, we ask that you prayerfully consider giving financially. As you know, therapy is costly. Even though we were able get on the waiting list for DARS he will still incure medical expenses.  Show Rich how much you are thankful for something he did for
you. If you know dad personally and have even one good memory I'm sure it's worth $5 to have experienced, PLEASE make that donation (or anything above or below you're capable of sending) to this fund. There are few people I know that don't know how to come up with $5. let's try and hit our half way point by the end of the year!  We have $920 more to go.  There have been 515 people to visit dad's page, 39 of those donated.  If the other 476 people gave $5 that would be $2380 which would put us over our half way point.  

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the prayers and kind words.  Without God he wouldn't be here today.

(Dad had a hard time holding the marker, but working on coloring an Elsa picture.)