Tara's Stroke Recovery

Hey everyone, you may or may not know that on 3/15 Tara Dickman had a very massive stroke affecting about 75% of the left side of her brain. Subsequently, she required a lifesaving hemi craniectomy in which they removed part of the skull on the left side of her head to allow the brain to swell without causing any more damage. (Don't worry, they are keeping it in the freezer until she can get it put back on). It was unclear if she would be able to understand or speak again. She currently has no movement on the right side of her body and is unable to speak, but she does understand some things and still shows that personality through the looks she's been shooting us. She currently has a feeding tube but they started her on real food 3/20 so hopefully that tube comes out soon!!

The next step from here is an intense couple of weeks of stroke therapy at an inpatient facility followed by an extended stay in a professional nursing facility where she will continue therapy until she gets to come home. We have a very long road ahead of us but Tara has an AMAZING group of friends and family that care so very much for her.

We are trying to get her into RIC, which is the best stroke rehab facility in the country. RIC is located in Chicago which is where she will go for those crucial first two weeks of intense therapy if they accept her as a patient. We are raising money to help with medical expenses, nursing facility expenses, and travel expenses to and from Chicago for Tara and Steve (who hasn't left her side since the stroke happened, and plans to be by her side every step of the way). Getting her to Chicago will require medical transport for which the insurance company will not pay.

ANYthing you are able to contribute will be so helpful to the family. Let's help her get the very best care we can and get her back to that wonderful, martini-drinking, fun-loving women we all know and love!