Support Lisa’s Stroke Recovery

Hi, my name is Mackenzie Burkham. I've started this fundraiser to raise money for my mother, Lisa Deyo's, medical bills. It is hard to have to do this. We are independent, stubborn, and hate having to ask for financial help. Because of Lisa's stroke and numerous financial stressors and because our healthcare system is expensive, my family is asking for help.

My mother Lisa is a caregiver to her 82-year-old mother who suffered a mini stroke, called a TIA, just 2 months before her own. She has also helped care for her 2-year-old granddaughter with a rare neurological syndrome.

At 10 AM December 31, 2022, 50-year-old Lisa suffered a stroke at work. It happened in the middle of her shift as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at a long-term care facility. A coworker noticed that she had difficulty speaking and a right-sided facial droop. After speaking with the nurse at work, Lisa was promptly taken to the hospital emergency department. I received a phone call while they were en route, called my dad (Aaron) at work, and met them at the hospital.

At the emergency department, Lisa presented with an acute ischemic stroke and was identified to have acute onset right facial droop and dysarthria, or difficulty talking. They gave her an EKG, chest Xray, bloodwork and 2 CTs, one with contrast. She was stabilized and then sent via ambulance to another emergency department for further testing. There she had an MRI showing she had a lacunar stroke in the smaller arteries deep inside her brain on her left side. She was kept for further observation, consultation, and testing. Due to the unfortunate timing of the holiday, some tests would have to wait to be scheduled. Among the tests needed will be a heart ultrasound and wearing a Holter monitor for a month to record her heart rhythm.

Besides the stroke, Lisa is a brittle diabetic, being diagnosed Type 1 at age 16. A brittle diabetic, also known as unstable diabetes, is rare and only affects 3 out of 1,000 people with Type 1 diabetes. This means her blood sugar swings can be severe and frequent. Lisa's blood sugar readings can be as low as 22 and as high as 700. A diabetic coma can happen when a diabetic's blood sugar gets too high— 600. Lisa has suffered a diabetic coma and monitors her blood sugars meticulously. She currently injects 2 kinds of insulin. Her doctors now want her to use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).

Funds in this campaign will go directly to whatever her medical insurance doesn't fully cover for:

-- 2 emergency departments

-- ambulatory services

-- hospitalization

-- medications including insulin, blood thinner to prevent blood clots, and thyroid

treatment

-- Holter monitor to record her heart rhythm

-- continuous glucose monitor (CGM)

-- speech and other therapies as determined after consultation

-- ongoing medical appointments and tests

-- chiropractic therapies for spinal alignment and degenerative arthritis

Additionally, we are asking for help with lost wages that will cause undue stress on Lisa's health. Most of Lisa's wage went to cover her own health costs even with health insurance. And to add more stress, a recent auto accident caused by a deer brought them down to one vehicle. Thankfully there were no injuries to them, but Lisa and her husband will be without their vehicle for some time waiting on parts distribution.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide my parents. I will keep you informed of my mom's progress. Blessings to you!