Help Adam Cooley Get to Mayo Clinic
Donation protected
We are Mike and Debbie Cooley, the parents of Adam Cooley, age 29, in Oklahoma City, OK. Retired, ages 70 and 66. We proudly care for him in his bedridden situation. He has had 14 back surgeries in the past 6 years. They were performed to either correct or block his lower thoracic back pain accompanied by multitudes of syncope (passing out) episodes and spasms which cannot be controlled by medication, and extend from his lower back through his right leg. His right foot and toes are locked up and painful. Adam's condition worsened on July 21st, 2017 due to a fall caused by a Syncope episode.
We ask for help with transportation, hotel, and out of pocket medical costs for Adam to be seen at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. The stay is expected to last four weeks. This will be his second trip there since 10 days of initial testing was completed in November 2018. We are scheduled to return to Mayo Clinic on January 27th, 2019 for further testing, which will be focused on neurological, heart, and pain management. We expect we'll need to schedule another follow-up shortly after that.
In his current condition, Adam can be transported only by sitting in the front of first class with help from loading agents with a mobile aisle chair. He also must stay at a Rochester, MN hotel that is connected to the downtown subway tunnel to connect with Mayo appointments. Expected costs include airline cost for Adam, mother, and father (with medical discounts from Delta) ; medical van from and to Minneapolis and Rochester, MN ; 4 weeks medium class hotel connected to Rochester underground walkway, and out of pocket insurance requirements.
SHORT HISTORY
Most doctors think his problems started with an attack on him by two inebriated older alumni on the grounds of his fraternity at the University of Oklahoma on October 1st, 2011. He received cuts, bruises, concussion, hairline fracture on his upper thoracic (later noticed by doctor at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital), and short term memory loss (3 weeks) from the attack. The men were prosecuted over a year later.
Adam married in August, 2012 after he received a doctor release to travel for a job transfer to Los Angeles, CA. The day after arrival he had his first syncope episode and fell down several steps of the stairway onto a wooden floor. His wife took him to Cedar Sinai Emergency Department for care. He was admitted to the hospital there for 5 days of testing associated with severe neck and back pain and syncope. Results were inconclusive and he was directed to the UCLA medical complex in Santa Monica, CA. Over the next 16 months many surgeries were performed along with pain management, hyperalgesia testing, neurological, psychiatric, and several ER visits. We, the parents, stayed for that time with the exception of 3 weeks due to Adam’s condition and his not being allowed to drive in the State Of California due to his syncope episodes reported by doctors as required by law.
In June, 2014 Adam and his wife decided to separate due to stress and financial problems. Adam then moved back to Oklahoma City to live with his parents so they could provide care and assistance to resolve his health issues.
FINANCES
Adam has earned no wages since August 1st, 2012. Adam’s mother retired in 2004 and is unable to work out of the home due to the level of care and assistance Adam needs. Adam’s father retired in 2009 and has re-entered the workforce twice since to try and keep finances in order. He had to leave his job on July 21st, 2017 to care for Adam after a fall led to bedridden status. We've spent our entire retirement savings as of 2013. We got a second mortgage on our home two years ago. We've borrowed from every bank option available and in the past year from high interest loans from other sources. Our family and friends have so gracefully helped out financially over the past several years but, we can see they have helped above and beyond their means.
If you cannot help financially, a simple heartfelt prayer for Adam and others in his situation would happily suffice. God Bless you all.
We ask for help with transportation, hotel, and out of pocket medical costs for Adam to be seen at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. The stay is expected to last four weeks. This will be his second trip there since 10 days of initial testing was completed in November 2018. We are scheduled to return to Mayo Clinic on January 27th, 2019 for further testing, which will be focused on neurological, heart, and pain management. We expect we'll need to schedule another follow-up shortly after that.
In his current condition, Adam can be transported only by sitting in the front of first class with help from loading agents with a mobile aisle chair. He also must stay at a Rochester, MN hotel that is connected to the downtown subway tunnel to connect with Mayo appointments. Expected costs include airline cost for Adam, mother, and father (with medical discounts from Delta) ; medical van from and to Minneapolis and Rochester, MN ; 4 weeks medium class hotel connected to Rochester underground walkway, and out of pocket insurance requirements.
SHORT HISTORY
Most doctors think his problems started with an attack on him by two inebriated older alumni on the grounds of his fraternity at the University of Oklahoma on October 1st, 2011. He received cuts, bruises, concussion, hairline fracture on his upper thoracic (later noticed by doctor at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital), and short term memory loss (3 weeks) from the attack. The men were prosecuted over a year later.
Adam married in August, 2012 after he received a doctor release to travel for a job transfer to Los Angeles, CA. The day after arrival he had his first syncope episode and fell down several steps of the stairway onto a wooden floor. His wife took him to Cedar Sinai Emergency Department for care. He was admitted to the hospital there for 5 days of testing associated with severe neck and back pain and syncope. Results were inconclusive and he was directed to the UCLA medical complex in Santa Monica, CA. Over the next 16 months many surgeries were performed along with pain management, hyperalgesia testing, neurological, psychiatric, and several ER visits. We, the parents, stayed for that time with the exception of 3 weeks due to Adam’s condition and his not being allowed to drive in the State Of California due to his syncope episodes reported by doctors as required by law.
In June, 2014 Adam and his wife decided to separate due to stress and financial problems. Adam then moved back to Oklahoma City to live with his parents so they could provide care and assistance to resolve his health issues.
FINANCES
Adam has earned no wages since August 1st, 2012. Adam’s mother retired in 2004 and is unable to work out of the home due to the level of care and assistance Adam needs. Adam’s father retired in 2009 and has re-entered the workforce twice since to try and keep finances in order. He had to leave his job on July 21st, 2017 to care for Adam after a fall led to bedridden status. We've spent our entire retirement savings as of 2013. We got a second mortgage on our home two years ago. We've borrowed from every bank option available and in the past year from high interest loans from other sources. Our family and friends have so gracefully helped out financially over the past several years but, we can see they have helped above and beyond their means.
If you cannot help financially, a simple heartfelt prayer for Adam and others in his situation would happily suffice. God Bless you all.
Fundraising team (3)
Stacy Ingham
Organizer
Cary, NC
Mike Cooley
Beneficiary
Wendy Seehausen Hendricks
Team member
Susan Strode Donnelly
Team member