Matthew Stemm's Healing Fund
Donation protected
To our dearest family, friends, supporters, and well-wishers:
First of all, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone for all of the love and support that has been shown during this difficult time. You helped turn aspects of this past terrible month into a reminder of the love we have in our lives. Now more than ever we will need you all.
As many of you know, Matthew Stemm spent 25 days in the Intensive Care Unit in a battle for his life. Now that we are approaching the other side, Matt and I (Rainy) would like to humbly ask for your support.
The backstory: On February 16th, Matt woke up with terrible pain in his abdomen. It quickly proceeded to worsen and he realized it was time for a trip to the ER. After some bloodwork and a CT scan, Matt was diagnosed with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). For most folks, this entails a couple nights in a hospital and a quick recovery. Unfortunately, for Matt, this was not the case. Matt experienced complications known as multiple-organ failure syndrome (MOFS) and his condition quickly deteriorated. He was admitted to the ICU. I arrived at Matt's side from across the state on February 17th. Matt's family also arrived that evening.
Due to the severity of the inflammation of the pancreas, Matt's kidneys and liver began failing. Shortly after the multiple organ failure began, due to fluid retention and edema, Matt developed a dangerous condition known as compartent syndrome. A couple of days later, due to all of the pressure from his abdomen on his lungs, breathing grew to be nearly impossible and Matt was intubated and placed on a ventilator. Due to all of the toxins building up in his body and brain from a lack of liver function and the constant stimulation of the ICU, Matt developed terrible delirium, hallucinations, and did not sleep for over 7 days. Over the next couple of weeks, Matt and his incredible medical team put up an epic fight against his disease. He had a tube every place a person could.
On March 9th, Matt miraculously began to turn a corner as his bloodwork showed signs of stabilization. At this point, Matt signed a consent to become a case study. His doctor informed us that survival is incredibly rare in cases as extreme as his. Matt is a medical marvel! On March 13th, Matt was moved out of the ICU to begin traveling the long road to recovery.
Recently, Matt's kidneys have begun to show signs of functioning again. We are hopeful that he will be discharged from the hospital sometime in the next week. From there, Matt will need physical and occupational therapy, big lifestyle changes and careful attention from specialists to ensure this never happens again. This experience will change our lives forever.
The purpose of this fund is to:
*Help with basic living expenses while Matt is unable to work
*Help with medical bills (We are still unsure what the damage will look like, but even with insurance, there will likely be significant out of pocket costs)
*Ongoing medical and healthy living needs (physical therapy, occupational therapy, future visits to specialists, etc.)
Anything that you can give, even $5, helps! We need your support to return this guy to his former glory. Matt works outdoors in the field, hiking 10 miles a day over mountain ranges. It will take a lot of work and support to get him back to the career and lifestyle he loves so much. He is looking forward to an active healthy lifestyle. Help us get Matt back to his outdoor adventures!!!!!
First of all, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone for all of the love and support that has been shown during this difficult time. You helped turn aspects of this past terrible month into a reminder of the love we have in our lives. Now more than ever we will need you all.
As many of you know, Matthew Stemm spent 25 days in the Intensive Care Unit in a battle for his life. Now that we are approaching the other side, Matt and I (Rainy) would like to humbly ask for your support.
The backstory: On February 16th, Matt woke up with terrible pain in his abdomen. It quickly proceeded to worsen and he realized it was time for a trip to the ER. After some bloodwork and a CT scan, Matt was diagnosed with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). For most folks, this entails a couple nights in a hospital and a quick recovery. Unfortunately, for Matt, this was not the case. Matt experienced complications known as multiple-organ failure syndrome (MOFS) and his condition quickly deteriorated. He was admitted to the ICU. I arrived at Matt's side from across the state on February 17th. Matt's family also arrived that evening.
Due to the severity of the inflammation of the pancreas, Matt's kidneys and liver began failing. Shortly after the multiple organ failure began, due to fluid retention and edema, Matt developed a dangerous condition known as compartent syndrome. A couple of days later, due to all of the pressure from his abdomen on his lungs, breathing grew to be nearly impossible and Matt was intubated and placed on a ventilator. Due to all of the toxins building up in his body and brain from a lack of liver function and the constant stimulation of the ICU, Matt developed terrible delirium, hallucinations, and did not sleep for over 7 days. Over the next couple of weeks, Matt and his incredible medical team put up an epic fight against his disease. He had a tube every place a person could.
On March 9th, Matt miraculously began to turn a corner as his bloodwork showed signs of stabilization. At this point, Matt signed a consent to become a case study. His doctor informed us that survival is incredibly rare in cases as extreme as his. Matt is a medical marvel! On March 13th, Matt was moved out of the ICU to begin traveling the long road to recovery.
Recently, Matt's kidneys have begun to show signs of functioning again. We are hopeful that he will be discharged from the hospital sometime in the next week. From there, Matt will need physical and occupational therapy, big lifestyle changes and careful attention from specialists to ensure this never happens again. This experience will change our lives forever.
The purpose of this fund is to:
*Help with basic living expenses while Matt is unable to work
*Help with medical bills (We are still unsure what the damage will look like, but even with insurance, there will likely be significant out of pocket costs)
*Ongoing medical and healthy living needs (physical therapy, occupational therapy, future visits to specialists, etc.)
Anything that you can give, even $5, helps! We need your support to return this guy to his former glory. Matt works outdoors in the field, hiking 10 miles a day over mountain ranges. It will take a lot of work and support to get him back to the career and lifestyle he loves so much. He is looking forward to an active healthy lifestyle. Help us get Matt back to his outdoor adventures!!!!!
Organizer and beneficiary
Rainy Lee Lawson
Organizer
Reno, NV
Matthew Stemm
Beneficiary
