Posted by Renae Cruz on behalf of the Schueler family:
Amber & Nathan Schueler have lived an amazing life together. Married for nine years, they have 3 young children - Conner, Ben, and Reagan. Both hard workers, they support their family by working with vulnerable adults who need extra assistance, sharing their hearts and making a difference.
Five days ago, that idyllic picture was turned upside down, when Nathan and his young son Conner were thrown from their ATV, where they had been riding it on the family farm. Nathan's head was flung into a tree in such a way that it caused fractures and swelling in his brain which had the possibililty to cause moderate to severe brain damage.
Conner (age 7), on the other hand, was badly bruised and scraped, but able to run nearly a quarter of a mile to where Amber was working in the house. Amber immediately called 9-1-1 and an ambulance arrived to transport Nathan to the nearest local hospital - two towns away. Amber followed with the kids in tow and tried to shield them from seeing the worst.At the hospital, it was quickly deduced that his injuries were beyond what our local hospital could treat and he was flown by helicopter to Rochester, Minnesota. While at the hospital, Conner was checked over by staff and it was unclear whether he had suffered a fracture in his neck, so he was also sent to Rochester, Minnesota to undergo tests.
Bleeding from the ear, with swelling in his brain and a fractured hand and collarbone, Nathan spent the next several days in the ICU. The doctors kept him in a sedated state, to protect his brain and allow the swelling in his hand to go down, so that they could attempt surgery on his hand. At the time, it was unknown if they would be able to completely repair the damage done to the hand, but after 5 hours of surgery, the doctors were optimistic that he will regain complete use of it.
After arriving at the hospital and running tests on Conner, it was determined that an error in the xray machine was responsible for the suspicion of a fractured neck. He was released from the hospital and is now back to his larger-than-life self.
The latest updates have Nathan awake, but very sleepy. They have finally taken his breathing tube out and he has been able to say a few words to his wife, with difficulty. He has as yet, been unable to follow commands such as, "Wiggle your toes" or "Give a thumbs up" but he knows his name and recognizes the people around him.
Things are looking up for the Schueler family, but there is going to be a long road to healing ahead. On top of some astronomical medical bills, Nathan and Amber both have been missing work and Nathan will be out of work for some time to come, while he recovers. Driving back and forth (2 hours each way) and hotel stays all cost money that the Schueler's don't have.
A lot of people depend on Nathan, including his wife, kids and his mother. Nathans father passed away several years ago, and Nathan helps his mother at her farm, mowing the lawn, tending the garden, and doing general upkeep and chores.
The kids have been asking for their dad and while they seem to be handling it well, it's obvious that they are missing him in a big way.
If you can spare anything to help Nathan Schueler and his wife while he recovers, it would be make a bigger difference than you can know. Any and all donations are greatly appreciated!
Amber & Nathan Schueler have lived an amazing life together. Married for nine years, they have 3 young children - Conner, Ben, and Reagan. Both hard workers, they support their family by working with vulnerable adults who need extra assistance, sharing their hearts and making a difference.
Five days ago, that idyllic picture was turned upside down, when Nathan and his young son Conner were thrown from their ATV, where they had been riding it on the family farm. Nathan's head was flung into a tree in such a way that it caused fractures and swelling in his brain which had the possibililty to cause moderate to severe brain damage.
Conner (age 7), on the other hand, was badly bruised and scraped, but able to run nearly a quarter of a mile to where Amber was working in the house. Amber immediately called 9-1-1 and an ambulance arrived to transport Nathan to the nearest local hospital - two towns away. Amber followed with the kids in tow and tried to shield them from seeing the worst.At the hospital, it was quickly deduced that his injuries were beyond what our local hospital could treat and he was flown by helicopter to Rochester, Minnesota. While at the hospital, Conner was checked over by staff and it was unclear whether he had suffered a fracture in his neck, so he was also sent to Rochester, Minnesota to undergo tests.
Bleeding from the ear, with swelling in his brain and a fractured hand and collarbone, Nathan spent the next several days in the ICU. The doctors kept him in a sedated state, to protect his brain and allow the swelling in his hand to go down, so that they could attempt surgery on his hand. At the time, it was unknown if they would be able to completely repair the damage done to the hand, but after 5 hours of surgery, the doctors were optimistic that he will regain complete use of it.
After arriving at the hospital and running tests on Conner, it was determined that an error in the xray machine was responsible for the suspicion of a fractured neck. He was released from the hospital and is now back to his larger-than-life self.
The latest updates have Nathan awake, but very sleepy. They have finally taken his breathing tube out and he has been able to say a few words to his wife, with difficulty. He has as yet, been unable to follow commands such as, "Wiggle your toes" or "Give a thumbs up" but he knows his name and recognizes the people around him.
Things are looking up for the Schueler family, but there is going to be a long road to healing ahead. On top of some astronomical medical bills, Nathan and Amber both have been missing work and Nathan will be out of work for some time to come, while he recovers. Driving back and forth (2 hours each way) and hotel stays all cost money that the Schueler's don't have.
A lot of people depend on Nathan, including his wife, kids and his mother. Nathans father passed away several years ago, and Nathan helps his mother at her farm, mowing the lawn, tending the garden, and doing general upkeep and chores.
The kids have been asking for their dad and while they seem to be handling it well, it's obvious that they are missing him in a big way.
If you can spare anything to help Nathan Schueler and his wife while he recovers, it would be make a bigger difference than you can know. Any and all donations are greatly appreciated!
Organizer
Amber Schueler
Organizer
Fairmont, MN