Andrew's Fight
Donation protected
Andrew Burke is a beloved friend and family member who has sustained a traumatic brain injury. He was found at the bottom of a staircase at home by his mother, Pam, and rushed to the hospital. He was in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit in critical, but stable, condition for 22 days. He had a big cut across the back of his head (12 staples) and bleeding and swelling in his frontal and temporal lobes (the front of his head). The swelling got so bad that they had to take out a portion of his skull so that his brain could swell without causing more damage. He was on a ventilator and had a feeding tube put in. He was unconscious most of the time he was in ICU.
When he came out of the coma, and was responding to people (with a thumbs up, or other gestures) and was stable enough, they moved him to the rehabilitation floor. WHAT A VICTORY!!! The road is long and hard and he's making progress every day. He's working on things we all take for granted: standing, walking, talking, eating through his mouth instead of the feeding tube. He gets very upset and agitated. It's hard to see, but it's part of the stages of recovery from a traumatic brain injury and it will pass. The goal is for him to improve enough to go home near the end of the month. But going home doesn't mean everything will be the way it was.
Andrew and Pam's life will be different. There will be a "new normal." He will still have hours and hours of really hard work to do in physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. He will need to be supervised 24-hours a day, at least for a while. He'll need a lot of reminders and help to do normal, every day things. He'll be wearing a helmet until the piece of his skull is replaced.
(Learning to stand)
When we first started this page, we said, "All the bumps and turns in the road ahead are not yet known, but we know this: it's going to be a long, hard road." We know more about the bumps and turns, and the road is going to be long and hard, but there's a road, and Andrew's on it, and he's giving it his all. We need to help make that road as easy as possible.
(Andrew wheeling himself in the hall the first time)
Pam, Andrew's mom, and Steve, Andrew's Dad, are with him every day. As many of you know, Andrew and Pam lost Bryan just a few months ago. That was already a trying time of adjustment both emotionally and financially, as Bryan was the breadwinner for the family. With all the care that Andrew needs, it's not possible for Pam to find a job.
(Andrew with Bryan)
Driving and working are far off goals that we don't even know are possible yet for Andrew. Pam needs to be at the hospital with him and when that awesome day finally comes, at home with him. Yet, they need to pay for their house, groceries, the rest of their life. We can help make this difficult time easier by providing them with funds that will help them focus on helping Andrew reach his new
Pam has been so touched by the support you've shown her and Andrew in this crazy, difficult time. Let's make sure Pam and Andrew can focus their energy and strength on Andrew and not on the money. Any amount is appreciated. Any money donated will go directly to Pam, who will use it to pay bills, the mortgage and expenses related to Andrew's recovery.
(Pam and Andrew)
(Andrew Burke)
When he came out of the coma, and was responding to people (with a thumbs up, or other gestures) and was stable enough, they moved him to the rehabilitation floor. WHAT A VICTORY!!! The road is long and hard and he's making progress every day. He's working on things we all take for granted: standing, walking, talking, eating through his mouth instead of the feeding tube. He gets very upset and agitated. It's hard to see, but it's part of the stages of recovery from a traumatic brain injury and it will pass. The goal is for him to improve enough to go home near the end of the month. But going home doesn't mean everything will be the way it was.
Andrew and Pam's life will be different. There will be a "new normal." He will still have hours and hours of really hard work to do in physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. He will need to be supervised 24-hours a day, at least for a while. He'll need a lot of reminders and help to do normal, every day things. He'll be wearing a helmet until the piece of his skull is replaced.
(Learning to stand) When we first started this page, we said, "All the bumps and turns in the road ahead are not yet known, but we know this: it's going to be a long, hard road." We know more about the bumps and turns, and the road is going to be long and hard, but there's a road, and Andrew's on it, and he's giving it his all. We need to help make that road as easy as possible.
(Andrew wheeling himself in the hall the first time)Pam, Andrew's mom, and Steve, Andrew's Dad, are with him every day. As many of you know, Andrew and Pam lost Bryan just a few months ago. That was already a trying time of adjustment both emotionally and financially, as Bryan was the breadwinner for the family. With all the care that Andrew needs, it's not possible for Pam to find a job.
(Andrew with Bryan)Driving and working are far off goals that we don't even know are possible yet for Andrew. Pam needs to be at the hospital with him and when that awesome day finally comes, at home with him. Yet, they need to pay for their house, groceries, the rest of their life. We can help make this difficult time easier by providing them with funds that will help them focus on helping Andrew reach his new
Pam has been so touched by the support you've shown her and Andrew in this crazy, difficult time. Let's make sure Pam and Andrew can focus their energy and strength on Andrew and not on the money. Any amount is appreciated. Any money donated will go directly to Pam, who will use it to pay bills, the mortgage and expenses related to Andrew's recovery.
(Pam and Andrew)(Andrew Burke)Organizer and beneficiary
Jennifer Ebrahimi
Organizer
Saint Paul Park, MN
Pamela Jo Seracki
Beneficiary
