It’s so hard to even put this into words, but our family needs help.

My dad didn’t show up for work, which immediately felt wrong. I went to check on him, and when I got there, I found him unresponsive. It was one of the scariest moments of my life.

He was taken to a local hospital where a CT scan was done, and we were initially told everything looked okay. But something didn’t sit right with me. I had a family friend who is a radiologist look at his scans and she saw air at his right mastoid. I pushed for a second look—and thank God I did. They found air in his brain that had been missed on the first read. A more detailed CT was performed, and he was diagnosed with bilateral mastoiditis, a serious infection that had already begun causing complications. Don’t ever be afraid to advocate for your loved ones in situations like this!!

Right now, he is still very confused and in a lot of pain. His mental status is slowly improving, but he is not out of the woods yet. There is still a real possibility that he may need surgical intervention, and he is being closely monitored by specialists.

He is currently receiving care at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, where he has access to the ENT and neurosurgery teams he needs. Even though he keeps saying it feels like “overkill,” this is exactly where he needs to be to get the level of care his condition requires. If you know dad you know how stubborn he is.

Like many people, my dad is already worried about his job and how he’s going to afford all of this. He’s facing a long road to recovery and will be missing work while he heals.

This is the best way I know how to help him right now.

If you’re able to donate, share, or even just keep him in your thoughts, it would mean more than we can express. Every little bit helps relieve some of the stress so he can focus on what matters most—getting better.

Thank you so much for your support. ❤️