102 car pile up survivor
Donation protected
My name is Shannon and my best friend's name is Breanna Brown. Breanna and I have been taking turns looking out for one another since we were in 6th grade and right now it's my turn.
Breanna was a passenger in a 102 car pile up. The 2500 Dodge Ram pick up she was in was crushed by a semi truck hauling a full load of steel. The truck was completely crushed while she was inside. Bre suffered a burst vertebra fracture, a broken nose, a broken rib, a collapsed lung, and continues to suffer chronic lower back pain, and severe nerve pain. I went up to see her the day after the accident and she looked terrible, which was so heartbreaking to see.
After her 10 hour spinal surgery, during which she was given a titanium vertebrae in place of the broken one, she was in recovery at EMMC for 22 days and wore a back brace for 3 months. With tons of therapy and hard work, Breanna finally started to slowly get back onto her feet. It also didn't stop her from going to work, with her walker, to her ophthalmic medical assistant job.
Since the pile up, Bre has only been able to manage working about 20 hours per week at most (which ends up being about $200 after taxes & health insurance) despite trying all options to manage her pain, including a steroid shot in her spine. Even though she has health insurance which covers a large portion of her medical expenses, she's had countless doctor visits and testing procedures, resulting in an extensive amount of copays. The accumulation of medical bills from the equipment, therapy, and her hospital stay are still in limbo and Breanna is doing every thing she can to try and make payments. These expenses also include her trips to doctors appointments.
On top of all of this, Breanna spent above $1000 just one week before the car crash by applying to optometry school in hopes of one day becoming an eye doctor. She even went to Pennsylvania for an interview while wearing her brace and used the last of her money getting there. Unfortunately, she was unable to take the admissions test before the deadline because her hospitalization interfered. Bre has spent the $1000 again applying to optometry school, as she's determined to get there. She has paid all the supplemental fees associated with the schools and she has been to 3 interviews, 1 in Pennsylvania, 1 in Boston, and 1 in Worcester. She has 3 more interviews to go (NY, Oregon, and Missouri); which would include a flight, gas money, hotels and time off work. Once Bre is accepted, she is expected to put down around $1000 to reserve her spot. She also has to take the admissions test which costs a little over $300.
Despite the severity of the accident, Bre still opens her big heart to those in need. She volunteered her time to be part of a special addition of Be A Doll Magazine to help give other women that have scars, surgical or not, strength to appreciate their bodies. She has even donated items like clothing and pet food even though she can hardly afford to adequately feed herself. She also plans on training her dog, Cali, to be a service dog.
Bre wants to be an optometrist to give her future patients the compassionate and thorough care they deserve. She knows what it's like to be the patient and to rely on a doctor and she's very determined to be the best eye doctor because of that.
If you can find it in your heart, please help Breanna. I started this page because she has told me she has been receiving at least 1 pink slip in the mail weekly since being discharged from the hospital and receives calls from collection agencies all the time. It's killing her because she isn't being negligent intentionally, she just can't afford the bills and they're continuing to grow. As much as she would love to pay them off, she physically cannot work as much as that requires.
Every little bit helps and I wouldn't be able to say thank you enough. I ask that you help her out and make it just a little easier to move forward with her life.
Thank you.
Breanna was a passenger in a 102 car pile up. The 2500 Dodge Ram pick up she was in was crushed by a semi truck hauling a full load of steel. The truck was completely crushed while she was inside. Bre suffered a burst vertebra fracture, a broken nose, a broken rib, a collapsed lung, and continues to suffer chronic lower back pain, and severe nerve pain. I went up to see her the day after the accident and she looked terrible, which was so heartbreaking to see.
After her 10 hour spinal surgery, during which she was given a titanium vertebrae in place of the broken one, she was in recovery at EMMC for 22 days and wore a back brace for 3 months. With tons of therapy and hard work, Breanna finally started to slowly get back onto her feet. It also didn't stop her from going to work, with her walker, to her ophthalmic medical assistant job.
Since the pile up, Bre has only been able to manage working about 20 hours per week at most (which ends up being about $200 after taxes & health insurance) despite trying all options to manage her pain, including a steroid shot in her spine. Even though she has health insurance which covers a large portion of her medical expenses, she's had countless doctor visits and testing procedures, resulting in an extensive amount of copays. The accumulation of medical bills from the equipment, therapy, and her hospital stay are still in limbo and Breanna is doing every thing she can to try and make payments. These expenses also include her trips to doctors appointments.
On top of all of this, Breanna spent above $1000 just one week before the car crash by applying to optometry school in hopes of one day becoming an eye doctor. She even went to Pennsylvania for an interview while wearing her brace and used the last of her money getting there. Unfortunately, she was unable to take the admissions test before the deadline because her hospitalization interfered. Bre has spent the $1000 again applying to optometry school, as she's determined to get there. She has paid all the supplemental fees associated with the schools and she has been to 3 interviews, 1 in Pennsylvania, 1 in Boston, and 1 in Worcester. She has 3 more interviews to go (NY, Oregon, and Missouri); which would include a flight, gas money, hotels and time off work. Once Bre is accepted, she is expected to put down around $1000 to reserve her spot. She also has to take the admissions test which costs a little over $300.
Despite the severity of the accident, Bre still opens her big heart to those in need. She volunteered her time to be part of a special addition of Be A Doll Magazine to help give other women that have scars, surgical or not, strength to appreciate their bodies. She has even donated items like clothing and pet food even though she can hardly afford to adequately feed herself. She also plans on training her dog, Cali, to be a service dog.
Bre wants to be an optometrist to give her future patients the compassionate and thorough care they deserve. She knows what it's like to be the patient and to rely on a doctor and she's very determined to be the best eye doctor because of that.
If you can find it in your heart, please help Breanna. I started this page because she has told me she has been receiving at least 1 pink slip in the mail weekly since being discharged from the hospital and receives calls from collection agencies all the time. It's killing her because she isn't being negligent intentionally, she just can't afford the bills and they're continuing to grow. As much as she would love to pay them off, she physically cannot work as much as that requires.
Every little bit helps and I wouldn't be able to say thank you enough. I ask that you help her out and make it just a little easier to move forward with her life.
Thank you.
Organizer
Shannon Dacey
Organizer
Detroit, ME