Spinal Rehabilitation for Katarina

Last December, our daughter Katarina (Francesca) fell and broke her neck. She suffered a break to the C5 and C6 vertebrae, which left her paralyzed from the shoulders down. Initially, the spinal surgeons and doctors were doubtful that she would ever gain any movement below her shoulders. But over the past few months, she has been making steady gains in her arms, shoulders and torso. She has even been perceiving sensation in her extremities, which is a promising indicator that her spine is healing. These improvements have prompted her medical team to recommend that she be admitted for an extended stay in a local rehabilitation center that specializes in working with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). It is crucial to capitalize on any improvements during the recovery stage of an SCI. She needs this intensive inpatient therapy if she hopes to regain some of the mobility and control in her body.

Although our insurance covers part of the cost, our out-of-pocket expense would be $30,000 or more. After the other medical expenses from this past year, this is entirely out of our range. We are asking for help in covering this expense and for assistance getting the other specialized medical equipment she will need to continue her recovery and get her back out into the world.