On December 9th, my brother Pol was involved in a horrible bicycle accident that has left him in critical condition.

It is believed that it may have been a hit and run accident with a car. We are still trying to piece together the puzzle pieces of that day and what happened and that is going to take some time to sort out.

Pol has been in ICU for 6 days now and is still unable to breathe by himself. On Sunday, December 14th, a decision was made on how to best move forward for Pol. The goal is to decrease the trauma and discomfort his body was experiencing from the breathing tube going in and out, so the doctors performed a tracheostomy. Primarily because he will need to be on extended ventilator use. In addition to the tracheostomy, a feeding tube was placed for nutrition.

On top of a broken wrist, cuts, scratches, lots of bruises, a skull fracture, and two brain bleeds (that are now stabilized), MRI results have revealed some difficult news. Pol has a traumatic brain injury (TBI). If someone has a significant traumatic brain injury, there is a very high chance that they also have some degree of what is called Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI). DAI is considered one of the most common and detrimental forms of traumatic brain injury. The MRI shows that Pol suffers from a Grade 2, DAI brain injury.

This week we are focused on baby steps of progress. Get Pol to wake up and breath on his own. After that, a clearer road to what recovery looks like can be determined. Whatever recovery Pol may achieve is going to be one that occurs over months/years, not in days/weeks.

Pol faces a long road ahead, with extensive medical bills, rehabilitation, and cognitive therapy needed to give him the best chance at recovery. The costs will be overwhelming, and we are reaching out to our community for help. Every contribution will go directly toward Pol’s care and the resources he needs to regain his strength and independence.

We would be grateful for your prayers, donations, or even just sharing this fundraiser with others who might be able to help. My siblings and I have created this page to help in some financial ways if possible. We want to take some of the financial stress of Pol's husband Mic so he can take extended family leave and be by my brother’s side in the hospital. Your support means the world to us and will make a real difference in Pol’s journey. Thank you for standing with our family during this incredibly difficult time.

Follow Pol's Medical progress here! CaringBridge