Dwayne Stroke Recovery Fund
Donation protected
On the 5th of October 2022, Dwayne was having trouble breathing and frequent sharp chest pains. Dwayne went to his local urgent care around 5pm and was admitted immediately. Dwayne sat in the Urgent Care for 2 days as the Doctors tried to stabilize his symptoms and
bring down his blood pressure that was consistently above 220/120. When Dwayne went into the urgent care his troponin levels were already at the levels of a stroke/heart attack. On October 7th, 2022, after spending 2 days in the urgent care , Dwayne was found by a nurse slumped over almost falling out of the hospital bed. Dwayne Suffered a Massive Stroke that resulted in his right side being paralyzed. According to the Stoke ICU “Dwayne Sat too long in the Urgent Care before and after his stroke”, therefore He was unable to receive the medicine needed to help remove the clot in his brain that caused the stroke. The time to receive this Medicine is 3 hours within the stroke and the Urgent care completely screwed that up. Not to Mention the Urgent Care and the Hospital ICU is literally less than 10 minutes away.
As you might expect, it’s scary not knowing what is happening inside your body. Doctors said Dwayne also has an enlarged heart, beginning stages of Chronic Heart Failure and some possible kidney/liver damage. The brain injury he sustained from the stroke left him agitated, fearful, and confused. He has Aphasia and is unable to speak any words except No and Go at times!. He’s paralyzed on the right side of his body which is also his dominant side. Dwayne is unable to walk and uses a non-electric traditional wheelchair to get around. He is consistently battling extremely high blood pressure which has caused him to have edema in his legs and feet. His extremely swollen feet make it impossible for him to wear shoes unless he gets them 2 sizes bigger.
While presented with the challenges of a sudden catastrophic health event, he has been resilient and remained positive despite the numerous challenges and complications thrown at him by spending over two months in a hospital ICU where the risks of contracting hospital illnesses are even greater.
URGENT HELP NEEDED
Two Days before Dwayne Went into the Hospital He donated all his Furnisher (Couches, Beds, Tables and Chairs) to charity with the hopes of getting more before the week ended. However, this ambitious desire was cut short when he went into urgent care and never left. This left Dwayne without a Bed, Couch, Dining table or chairs and many other essential household items. Dwayne is also a business owner of a salon that he has owned for over 10 years now. While in The hospital he accumulated late fees for non payments for the salons rent, And now, on top of that, Dwayne has also Accumulated significant personal bills(utilities, car notes, insurance, storage, etc..) while he was in the ICU he in critical condition from October 5, until from December 15, 2022.
For us, there were days of hopefulness, deep concern, and often an overwhelming sense of helplessness. None of us knew if Dwayne would be able to talk again or even get out of bed by himself. Although Dwayne is determined and optimistic about his recovery, he is reluctant to admit that he needs significant help. He is making great progress with cognition and attempting to communicate but he cannot walk unassisted, drive, and he fatigues easily.
Given the sudden change in his circumstances, we—as Dwaynes’s community of friends, family, and extended family who’ve come to love him over the years—need to rally financial support to help him through the coming months. Although we have set a goal of $300,000, his expenses will far exceed this amount, and any generosity is welcome and needed.
We do not know what level of independence Dwayne will achieve. At this time it is unclear if he will be able to work again or if he will need disability services and housing. It is, however, very clear that his insurance and his savings will not cover his basic needs for much longer. The wheelchair he uses was donated to him, however he does not have the leg rest for his feet, so he sits uncomfortably in the chair when trying to be transported to doctor appointments, therapies and daily life errands.
Funds in this campaign will go strictly to Dwayne's recovery and help, and any contributions would be greatly appreciated. Please keep Dwayne in your prayers. Thank you all for any help you can offer.
All funds go directly to Dwayne. Thank you!
Organizer and beneficiary
Dwayne Thomas
Organizer
San Bernardino, CA
Dwayne Thomas
Beneficiary