On Sunday, December 1st, my Nana fell in her bathroom and suffered a serious head injury. My sister and I found her on the floor, conscious but out of reach of her emergency cord.

A CT scan revealed a subdural hematoma, a dangerous collection of blood between her skull and brain. She was transferred to White Memorial Hospital for an emergency craniotomy to drain the blood and relieve pressure on her brain.

Though her recovery seemed promising at first, Nana later suffered a seizure and was readmitted to the ICU, and after further observation, was transferred to a rehabilitation facility. Soon, however, she became lethargic and incoherent, and we discovered that the facility had overmedicated her with sedatives and opioids, neither of which she had before her discharge.

We immediately had her transferred to Garfield Medical Center, where two additional CT scans revealed continued bleeding. Her hematoma had returned. She needed a second, more intense surgery to remove the clot and repair her skull with a bone graft. Despite the setbacks, Nana has remained strong and positive, surprising her doctors with her resilience.

Her physical recovery, however, remains slow and uncertain. She now requires full-time care, which even working together as a family, we would be unable to provide. Nana is currently in a rehab facility working with physical and speech therapists to build her strength, but after discharge, she will either need skilled nursing or assisted living care. The cost of which ranging anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 per month, not including emergencies.

While we are pooling our emergency resources as a family for the urgent and immediate costs, it is not a sustainable solution, and we are in need of additional support to ensure our eldest family matriarch receives the care she deserves. Our fundraising goal of $25,000 will help cover her housing and care costs for a few months while we work toward a long-term solution.

Any and all donations are received with the deepest and sincerest gratitude during this very difficult and uncertain time for our family. Thank you so much for taking the time to read, share and contribute to our matriarch in need <3