Lift for Lainee
Lainee is currently struggling to regain function with the left side of her body after suffering from stroke symptoms on March 11, 2017. She now has to reconnect her brain with her left arm and leg, as she learns how to walk and find function in her left arm and hand. After spending some time in the hospital, Lainee was also diagnosed with cancer. She faces a long road of rehabilitation, surgeries and cancer treatment. Read the full story below.
Lainee and Mark Biehl were married three months ago in Zion’s National Park. On March 11, 2017 they returned to Zion’s for a late honeymoon/weekend getaway. Lainee and Mark were excited to hike Zion’s for the first time together and were getting ready to turn in for the night. As they were getting ready for bed, Mark noticed Lainee had stopped talking mid-conversation, and the left side of her face was weak and drooping. Mark recognized the symptoms of a stroke and asked Lainee to raise her arms. Lainee’s right arm moved but her left did not. Mark and Lainee returned back to St. George and immediately checked into the emergency room.
Lainee had lost nearly all of the function in her left arm and hand, and also her left leg. Lainee was unable to walk without assistance. Lainee now had to relearn how to walk properly, and how to reconnect her brain with her arm and hand.
Lainee spent nearly three days in the hospital to determine what caused her symptoms. Years ago it was discovered Lainee had a rare tumor on her kidney attached to her adrenal glands. This tumor can also cause random spikes in her blood pressure without any warning. Lainee is to meet with specialists to determine if the tumor has caused her symptoms, and likely have to travel out of the area to have a specialist remove the tumor.
Lainee was discharged from the hospital and was facing how to learn how to walk and use her arm again. The first day home, Lainee received a call from her primary care doctor informing her she had cervical cancer. It is unknown how far along her cancer has progressed and Lainee awaits further testing.
Lainee then was referred to outpatient neurological rehabilitation. Lainee met with her new physical therapists and after her first visit, they were concerned Lainee needed more rehab than what they could provide under her current insurance. They felt Lainee needed 4-5 hours of rehab a day in a full time rehab facility. They immediately became her advocates to get her into a full time rehab facility. They got Lainee’s case screened and approved to go into the facility to receive constant and needed care. But Lainee’s insurance company denied the treatment.
Lainee has now been working on rehabilitation from home with her husband, and with her outpatient physical therapists. Her rehabilitation is slow, but progressing. Lainee and her family have been adjusting to this life changing incident, and are facing hours of rehab, tests, surgeries, and the unknown of the cancer in her body. Please join all of us who love and adore Lainee and help her by donating to ease the burden of the medical bills.
